Behind the scenes and secrets of 'The Rifleman'

[post_page_title]Rejected script[/post_page_title]
The lack of Connors wasn’t the only thing that almost changed the show. When the script was originally written, it started out life as a pilot for another western series, “Gunsmoke.” Sam Peckinpah’s ideas for the show were rejected by the network, which left him having to rethink his approach. He made a couple of tweaks to the script, including the alteration of the lead character’s name from John to Lucas, and tried again. The network obviously approved of Peckinpah’s vision for the show. Otherwise, they never would have commissioned “The Rifleman.” However, while they may have given the script the go-ahead, it wasn’t smooth sailing for Peckinpah and the network.