Episode 116
Writer: Ed Adamson
Director: Gene Nelson
Original Air Date 11/06/1961
Cast
Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain
Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain
Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance
Guest Cast
Hampton Fancher is an American film and television actor, in addition to being a screenwriter and producer. Born in East Los Angeles and raised in a mixed culture family, he ran away to Spain at age 15 and became a flamenco dancer. By age 20 he returned to embark on a 50-career in the entertainment industry, appearing in nearly 50 movies and television shows and working behind the camera as a screenwriter, producer and director. Most of his acting roles in television were in westerns and crime dramas, including "77 Sunset Strip" (1958–1964), starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), starring Raymond Burr, "The Fugitive" (1963–1967), starring David Janssen, "Adam-12" (1968–1975), starring Martin Milner and Kent McCord, "The Blue Knight" (1975–1976), starring George Kennedy, and "Police Story" (1973–1977), starring Scott Brady, Mel Scott and Don Meredith. Fancher has credits as screenwriter and executive producer for Ridley Scott's iconic sci-fi film "Blade Runner" (1982), starring Harrison Ford, screenwriter for "The Mighty Quinn" (1989), starring Denzel Washington, and both screenwriter and director for "The Minus Man" (1999), starring Owen Wilson.
Fancher made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Corey Hazlitt in "The Decision" (episode 116). He has guest-starred in many popular westerns of the 1950s and 60s, including "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), starring Richard Boone, "Cheyenne" (1955–1963), starring Clint Walker, "Maverick" (1957–1962), starring James Garner, "Rawhide" (1959–1966), starring Clint Eastwood, "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), starring James Arness, "Bonanza" (1959–1973), starring Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts and Michael Landon, and "Daniel Boone" (1964–1970), starring Fess Parker.
Kevin Hagen, born Donald N. Hagen, was an American actor who worked primarily in television. He appeared in 120 movies and television shows in a career spanning more than 30 years. Born to ballroom dancers, Hagen led a varied life, first serving in the navy, then attending UCLA to study law while teaching ballroom dancing on the side, and finally settling on acting as his career. He was discovered while performing in a production of Eugene O'Neill's play "Desire Under the Elms," published in 1924 and widely regarded as an American classic. Subsequently, Hagen became a prominent presence in television, especially in crime dramas and westerns. He had a few recurring roles, including the role for which he is best-remembered, Dr. Hiram Baker, in the long-running family drama "Little House on the Prairie" (1974–1983), as well as John Colton in the western "Yancy Derringer" (1958–1959) and Inspector Dobbs Kobick in the sci-fi series "The Land of Giants" (1968–1970). He guest-starred in many other popular shows of the 1950s through the 80s, including the crime dramas "M Squad" (1957–1960), "Dragnet" (1951–1959), "The Untouchables" (1959–1963), "77 Sunset Strip" (1958–1964), "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), "Ironside" (1967–1975) and"Mannix" (1967–1975), the sci-fi series "The Twilight Zone" (1959–1964), "The Time Tunnel" (1966–1967), and "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1964–1968), as well as the family drama "Lassie" (1954–1974), the undercover police series "Mod Squad" (1968–1973), the comedy "M*A*S*H" (1972–1983) and the ongoing daytime drama "General Hospital" (1963– present). In addition to television, Hagen had a few film roles, including a rebel deserter in the western war drama "Shenandoah" (1965), starring James Stewart, and a poker player in the biographical action film "The Hunter" (1980), starring Steve McQueen.
Hagen made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Billy St. John/William Havercourt in "The Prodigal" (episode 71) and Harry Devers in "The Decision" (episode 116). He also guest-starred in many other westerns of the 1950s and 60s, including "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957–1962), "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), "The Deputy" (1959–1961), "Bat Masterson" (1958–1961), "Cheyenne" (1955–1963), "Rawhide" (1959–1966), "Maverick" (1957–1962), "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), "Laramie" (1959–1963), "Branded" (1965–1966), "Bonanza" (1959–1973), "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), "The Virginian" (1962–1971), "The Big Valley" (1965–1969), "The Guns of Will Sonnett" (1967–1969), and "Daniel Boone" (1964–1970).
Richard Kiel, born Richard Dawson Kiel, is an American character actor of television and film, as well as an author. He has appeared in more than 70 movies and television shows during his 50-year career. He held various odd jobs prior to becoming an actor, including night club bouncer and cemetery plot salesman. Standing an imposing 7' 1.5" in height, throughout his career, he has been cast in roles specifically because of his physically intimidating stature and heavy features, which were caused by acromegaly, a metabolic disorder. He has played brutish villains in numerous films, including the character Solarite in the sci-fi B-movie "The Phantom Planet" (1961), starring Dean Fredericks; Samson in the crime comedy "The Longest Yard" (1974), starring Burt Reynolds; Reace in "Silver Streak" (1976), starring Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor and Jill Clayburgh; Club in the western "Pale Rider" (1985), starring Clint Eastwood; and the voice of Vlad in the Disney animated comedy "Tangled" (2010); however, he is best known for his role as Jaws in the James Bond films "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) and "Moonraker" (1979), as well as Mr. Larson in "Happy Gilmore" (1996). In 2003, he reprised his role as Jaws and lent his voice to the James Bond video game "James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing."
Kiel has guest-starred in various popular television shows of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, including Rod Serling's iconic anthology series, "The Twilight Zone" (1959–1964), the long-running family drama "Lassie" (1954–1974), the comedy series "Gilligan's Island" (1964–1967), the espionage thriller "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964–1968) and "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" (1974–1975). He also has had a few recurring roles, including Voltaire in the western action adventure "The Wild Wild West" (1965–1969) and Moose Moran in the western comedy "Barbary Coast" (1975–1976). Kiel made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Cousin Carl Hazlett in "The Decision" (episode 116). He also guest-starred in the western series "Daniel Boone" (1964–1970), starring Fess Parker. In addition to acting, he wrote and produced the family drama "The Giant of Thunder Mountain" (1991). In 2002, Kiel also published his autobiography, "Making It Big in the Movies."
Henry Norell was an American actor who appeared in 14 movies and television shows in a little over 15 years. A few of his roles were uncredited. He guest-starred in the family comedy starring a talking horse, "Mister Ed" (1958–1966), the short-lived comedy series "Oh, Those, Bells" (1962), in which he had a recurring role as Henry Slocum, the family comedy "Dennis the Menace" (1959–1963), the crime drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), starring Raymond Burr, and the family series "Lassie" (1954–1974). Norell made one guest appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Henry Whitmore in "The Decision" (episode 116). He also appeared in the western "The Tall Man" (1960–1962).
Denver Pyle appeared in five episodes of THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Henry Trumble in "Bloodlines" (episode 42), Seth Mitchell in "Legacy" (episode 51), Harold Tenner in "The Hangman" (episode 76), George Tanner in "The Clarence Bibs Story" (episodes 104), and Frank Hazlitt in "The Decision" (episode 116). Pyle was a highly recognizable character actor who worked in film and television, mostly in the 1950's through 1970's. Frequently cast in westerns, he appeared in two classic John Ford films,"The Horse Soldiers," with William Holden, and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." Pyle played recurring characters in several television series, including the role of Mad Jack in "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams" (1977-1978; 36 episodes), Buck Webb, Doris Day's father, during the first two seasons of "The Doris Day Show" (1968-1970), and Briscoe Darling on The Andy Griffith Show. Pyle's best-known television role may have been the hillbilly, Uncle Jesse Duke, in "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979-1985; 146 episodes). In later life, Pyle made cameo appearances, notably 1994's "Maverick," with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, and the original Maverick, James Garner.
Lucas witnesses a cold-blooded slaying. The killer is the spoiled son of a powerful and wealthy nearby rancher. When Lucas volunteers to testify as a witness at the son's trial, the rancher then finds himself facing threats to his son and a brutal beating designed to persuade him to forget what he saw.