Episode 12
Writer: Samuel A. Peeples
Director: David Swift
Original Air Date 12/16/1958
Cast
Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain
Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain
Guest Cast
Leo Gordon was an American character actor of film and television, as well as a screenwriter. He had nearly 200 acting credits in a career spanning more than 50 years. Gordon had a rough start in life, raised in poverty during the Great Depression, serving in World War II and eventually being sentenced to a four-year prison term at the infamous San Quentin state prison in California for armed robbery. After serving time in prison, Gordon took advantage of the G.I. Bill and enrolled in acting classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. As an actor, Gordon was typecast as the brutish villain. He received the "Golden Boot Award" in 1997 for his contributions to the western genre. Gordon made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Abe Jordan in "The Angry Gun" (episode 12) and Stack Wade in "Which Way Did They Go?" (episode 167). In addition to THE RIFLEMAN, Gordon also guest-starred in "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" (1954–1959), "Frontier" (1955–1956) and "Cheyenne" (1955–1963).
Harry Hickox was an American radio, stage, film and television actor. He appeared in more than 80 movies and television shows in a career spanning more than two decades. He got his start in theater, working with stock companies and the Albuquerque Civic Playhouse. Following his early work on the stage, Hickox became primarily a television actor; although, he also had a few film roles, including police chief Art Fuller in the comedy "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (1966), starring Don Knotts, a bartender in John Ford's "Cheyenne Autumn" (1966), the cook in the musical "Speedway" (1968), staring Elvis Presley and Nancy Sinatra, and Charlie Cowell in the musical comedy "The Music Man" (1962), starring Robert Preston, a role he reprised from the stage production. In television, Hickox guest-starred in a variety of popular shows of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, including the crime dramas "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), "77 Sunset Strip" (1958–1964), "Ironside" (1967–1975), "Adam-12" (1968–1975) and "Kojak" (1973–1978), the adventure series "Route 66" (1960–1964), the action series "Mod Squad" (1968–1973), the family comedy "The Partridge Family" (1970–1974), and the long-running family drama "The Waltons" (1971–1981). He also had a recurring role as Sergeant Orville King in the comedy "No Time for Sergeants" (1964).
Hickox made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying the stage driver in "The Angry Gun" (episode 13). He also guest-stared in several other popular westerns of the 1950s through the 70s, including "Cowboy G-Men" (1952), which was his first TV role, "The Adventures of Kit Carson" (1951–1955), "The Roy Rogers Show" (1951–1957), "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" (1954–1959), "Laredo" (1965–1967), "The Virginian" (1962–1971), "Alias Smith and Jones" (1971–1973), "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), and "Bonanza" (1959–1973).
Victor "Vic" Morrow was an American actor, director, screenwriter and producer whose career spanned nearly three decades. He debuted in the film "Blackboard Jungle" (1955) following his signing with MGM. Although his first major role was in film, Morrow was primarily a television actor, appearing in more than 30 different shows and made-for-TV films during his lifetime. In 1963, Morrow received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead) for his recurring role as Sergeant Chip Saunders in the World War II television series "Combat!" (1962–1967). He played a key role in the film "The Bad News Bears" (1976); however, he did not appear in the sequels.
Morrow appeared in two episodes of THE RIFLEMAN, playing Johnny Cotton in "The Angry Gun" (episode 12) and Brett Stocker in "Letter of the Law" (episode 50). Much to his dismay, Morrow was typecast as the villain, appearing with Martin Sheen as the homicidal sheriff in the TV film "The California Kid" (1974). On July 23, 1982, Morrow and two child actors were killed in an on-set accident during filming of John Landis' "Twilight Zone: The Movie" (1983). The film was eventually released with the scene omitted.
Kathleen Mulqueen was an American character actress, working primarily in film and television in the 1950's and 60's. Her film appearances include the Paddy Chayefsky film, "Marty" (1955), "Texas Lady" (1955), "These Wilder Years" (1956), "The Outsider" (1962) and "The Night Walker" (1965). She appeared in four episodes of THE RIFLEMAN—"The Sharpshooter" (the pilot episode) as Nancy Hanavan, "The Angry Gun" (episode 12) as Mrs. Peterson, "Eddie's Daughter" (episode 46) as Woman and "The Actress" (episode 94) as Judge Hanavan's wife/sister/daughter. She appeared in dozens of television series of different genres, notably, playing the semi-regular character, Grandma Wilson, in "Dennis the Menace" (1959–1963).
Gregory Walcott, born Bernard Mattox, is an American television and film actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows during a career spanning 40 years. After serving in the U.S. Army in the immediate aftermath of World War II, Walcott abandoned his home on the east coast to pursue an acting career in the west. He made his film debut in "The Red Skies of Montana" (1952), playing a minor part. His appearance portraying a Marine Corps drill instructor in "Battle Cry" (1955) landed him a contract with Warner Bros., and his portrayal of Sgt. Kiley in another Marine Corp film, "The Outsider" (1961), earned him a contract with Universal and a recurring leading role as Det. Roger Havilland in the crime drama "87th Precinct" (1961–1962).
Walcott appeared in numerous films. He starred as Jeff Trent in Ed Wood's infamous B-movie "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (1959), Mitchell in the western "Joe Kidd" (1972), starring Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall; a used car salesman in the crime caper "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" (1974), starring Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges; and he made a cameo appearance as a potential film backer in the biographical comedy "Ed Wood" (1994), starring Johnny Depp, Martin Landau and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Walcott guest-starred in several popular television shows, including the legal drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), the anthology series "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" (1954–1990), the police drama "Mod Squad" (1968–1973), the crime drama anthology series "Police Story" (1973–1977), the crime drama "Kojak" (1973–1978), the murder mystery "Murder, She Wrote" (1984–1996) and the primetime drama "Dallas" (1978–1991). He made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Blade Kelly in "The Angry Gun" (episode 13) and Sid Halpern in "Tension" (episode 43). He guest-starred in several other westerns, including "Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater" (1956–1961); "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955–1961), starring Hugh O'Brian; "Bat Masterson" (1958–1961), starring Gene Barry; and "Rawhide" (1959–1966), starring Clint Eastwood.
Lucas and Mark are riding the stage, returning from a big cattle sale, when the stage is robbed by three outlaws. Lucas, desperate to recover the money which is his entire year's profits, determines to pursue the outlaws and takes off on foot through the rugged New Mexican mountains to recover the stolen money.