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Assault
Episode 102
Writer: Jay Simms
Director: Ida Lupino
Original Air Date 03/21/1961

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
King Calder as King Croxton

King Calder was an American actor who primarily worked in television, appearing in more than 60 movies and television shows over 15 years.  Calder had a recurring role in the drama series "Martin Kane" (1949–1954), playing the role of Lt. Grey.  He remained a familiar face in television throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s, making appearances in many of the popular series of that era, including "The Untouchables" (1959–1963), "Hennesey" (1959–1962), "Perry Mason" (1957–1966) and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955–1962).  He made one guest appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying King Croxton in "The Assault" (episode 102).  Calder also guest-starred in other popular TV westerns, including "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958–1961), "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957–1962), "Lawman" (1958–1962) and "The Virginian" (1962–1971).

Linda Lawson as Vashti Croxton

Linda Lawson, born Linda Gloria Spaziani, is an American television and film actress, as well as a former singer.  She has appeared in more than 40 movies and television shows in a career spanning nearly 50 years.  She guest-starred in various popular shows of the 1950s and 60s, including the mystery action series "Peter Gunn" (1958–1961), the Lloyd Bridges adventure series "Sea Hunt" (1958–1961), and the adventure crime series "It Takes a Thief" (1968–1970), as well as the crime dramas "77 Sunset Strip" (1958–1964), "M Squad" (1957–1960), "Richard Diamond: Private Detective" (1957–1960) and the courtroom drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966).  She has also played a few recurring roles, including Renee in the adventure series "Adventures in Paradise" (1959–1962), Pat Perry in the comedy series "Don't Call me Charlie" (1962–1963) and Laura Fremon in the medical drama "Ben Casey" (1961-1966).  Her film roles include Dawn Gillis in the western "Apache Rifles" (1964), starring Audie Murphy, and Jan Stamper in the drama "Sometimes a Great Notion" (1970), starring Paul Newman and Henry Fonda.

Lawson made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Vashti Croxton in "Assault" (episode 102).  She has guest-starred in several other westerns, including "Maverick" (1957–1962), starring Jack Kelly and James Garner; "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), starring John McIntyre and Ward Bond; "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957–1962), starring Dale Robertson; "Bonanza" (1959–1973), starring Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Pernell Roberts; and "The Virginian" (1962–1971), starring James Drury.

Paul Mantee as Cade Conway

Paul Mantee, born Paul Marianetti, is an American actor who has worked primarily in television, especially in crime dramas and related genre.  He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows during a career spanning 40 years.  He studied journalism at San Mateo Junior College in California and enlisted in the US Navy during the Korean War.  Mantee got his first acting break when he was cast to play the lead role of Cmdr. Christopher "Kit" Draper in the science fiction film classic "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" (1964), also starring Victor Lundin and Adam West.  It would prove to be the role for which he is most well-known.  Among his other film characters were the doctor in the semi-biographical martial arts film "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" (1993), starring Jason Scott Lee, Lauren Holly and Robert Wagner; the reporter in the drama "Apollo 13" (1995), starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris and Kathleen Quinlan; and General Willard in "Memorial Day" (1998).

Mantee guest-starred in many popular television shows of the 1950s through the 90s, including the crime dramas "Dragnet" (1951–1959), "77 Sunset Strip" (1958–1964), "Ironside" (1967–1975) and "Kojak" (1973–1978), the medical dramas "Ben Casey" (1961–1966) and "Dr. Kildare" (1961–1966), the campy superhero action series "Batman" (1966–1968), the adventure drama "The Fugitive" (1963–1967), the espionage series "I Spy" (1965–1968) and "Mission: Impossible" (1966–1973), the CBS detective series "Cannon" (1971–1976) and "Mannix" (1967–1975), the crime drama anthology series "Police Story" (1973–1978), the police drama "The Streets of San Francisco" (1972–1977), the action adventure series "The A-Team" (1983–1987) and the mystery series "Murder, She Wrote" (1984–1996).  He also played several recurring roles, including Det. Al Corassa in the police procedural "Cagney and Lacey" (1982–1988) and Cmdr. Clayton in the police drama "Hunter" (1984–1991).  He made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Cade Conway in "Assault" (episode 102) and John Wing in "Incident at Line Shack Six" (episode 156).  He also guest-starred in the westerns "Cheyenne" (1955–1963), "The Virginian" (1962–1971), "Bonanza" (1959–1973), and "Daniel Boone" (1964–1970).  Mantee has written two novels, "In Search of the Perfect Ravioli" (1991) and "Bruno of Hollywood" (1994).

Bill Quinn as Sweeney, the Bartender
Bill Quinn as Sweeney, the Bartender

Bill Quinn was an American actor whose early career began in the 1920's in silent films and ended with the 1989 science fiction film, "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier."  Perhaps, his best-known role was Mr. Ranseleer, Archie Bunker's blind friend in "All In The Family" (1971-1978).  He also was a regular character in the Carroll O'Connor spin-off, "Archie Bunker's Place."  Quinn's other television credits include roles in "The Odd Couple" (1970-1975), "McHale's Navy" (1962-1966), and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977), in which he play Mary Richard's father.  In 1971, he appeared in Universal Pictures' "How to Frame a Figg" starring Don Knotts.  Quinn was a regular character in THE RIFLEMAN, appearing in 40 episodes as Sweeney, the Owner/Bartender of the North Fork Saloon.

Danny Richards, Jr. as Swift Sullivan

Danny Richards is an American film and television actor.  He has appeared in nearly 30 movies and television shows in just over a decade.  He has guest-starred in a few popular shows, including the classic family comedy of the 1950s, "Leave It to Beaver" (1957–1963).  He also had a recurring role as Franklin Sanders in the short-lived drama "Willy" (1954–1955).  Richards made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Swifty Sullivan in "The Pitchman" (episode 80) and reprising that role in "Assault" (episode 102).

Bob Sweeney as Speed Sulllivan

Bob Sweeney was an American film and television actor who also had a prolific career as a producer and director.  He appeared in more than 30 movies and television shows during a career spanning 30 years.  He graduated from San Francisco State College, then began working in radio as an announcer and comedian.  He is known for having lent his voice to the "Sweeney and March Show" (1944–1948), in which he co-starred with Hal March on CBS radio.

Sweeney produced or directed many popular television shows of the 1960s, 70s and early 80s, primarily comedies, including "The Patty Duke Show" (1963–1966), the first three seasons of the family comedy "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960–1968), the war comedy "Hogan's Heroes" (1965–1971), "The Doris Show" (1968–1972), the Marlo Thomas comedy "That Girl" (1966–1971) and several Aaron Spelling series, including "Fantasy Island" (1977–1984), "The Love Boat" (1977–1986) and "Dynasty" (1981–1989).  He also worked on several hit dramatic series, including the medical drama "Trapper John M.D." (1979–1986) and the crime drama "Hawaii 5–0" (1968–1980).

Sweeney had a few roles in memorable films, including Johnny Degnan in the drama "The Last Hurrah" (1958), starring Spencer Tracy and Pat O'Brien; Cousin Bob in the Alfred Hitchcock mystery drama "Marnie" (1964), starring Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, Diane Baker and Martin Gabel; and a minor part in the drama "A Raisin in the Sun" (1961), starring Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee.  He made multiple appearances in "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" (1950–1958), and also guest-starred in the family comedy "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" (1952–1966) and the suspense anthology series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955–1962), among many other shows.  He also had recurring roles playing Oliver Munsey in the family comedy "Our Miss Brooks" (1952–1956) and Gilly Box in the sitcom "Brothers" (1984–1989).  He also played the lead in his own comedy shows, "The Brothers" (1956–1957), co-starring Gale Gordon and Barbara Billingsly, and the title role in "Fibber McGee and Molly" (1959–1960), co-starring Cathy Lewis and Paul Smith.  Sweeney made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Speed Sullivan in "The Pitchman" (episode 80) and "Assault" (episode 102).


An amiable traveling salesman and his son are in North Fork plying their trade when the salesman gets into trouble. He is accused of forcing his attentions on a local belle, and no amount of protestation will convince the town of his innocence, until his friend Lucas steps in and uncovers the truth.