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The Man From Salinas
Episode 130
Writer: Arthur Browne, Jr.
Director: Lawrence Dobkin
Original Air Date 02/12/1962

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
Robert Culp as Dave Foley
Robert Culp

Robert Culp was an American actor, screenwriter and director who had a prolific career spanning six decades.  He also performed voice work.  He began his career with the TV western "Trackdown" (1957–1959), in which he played Texas Ranger Hoby Gilman.  His best-remembered film role was one of the title characters in the 1969 feature "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," but he was better known for his work in television, especially for his roles portraying Kelly Robinson in the espionage adventure series "I Spy" (1965–1968) co-starring Bill Cosby; FBI agent Bill Maxwell in "The Greatest American Hero" (1981–1986); and Warren, Debra's father, in "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996–2004).  Culp appeared in two episodes of THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Colly Vane in "The Hero" (episode 59) and North Fork town hero Dave Foley in "The Man from Salinas" (episode 130).  Culp also wrote two RIFLEMAN episodes, "Waste, Parts I and II" (episodes 143 and 144).

Joe Higgins as Nils Swenson
Joe Higgins as Nils Swenson

Joe Higgins was an American actor working primarily in television and commercials from the 1960's through the 1980's.  His acting career began at age nine and while attending the University of Dayton in Ohio, he worked in radio.  He became a prolific character actor who often portrayed a sheriff in commercials, public service announcements and in print ads.  He won the CLIO award on two occasions for his acting in commercials.  His portrayal as a sheriff, "You in a heap o' trouble, boy!," in a series of memorable Dodge car commercials in the 1970's became his iconic signature role.

Higgins appeared in four episodes of THE RIFLEMAN playing different characters, and he played the semi-regular character, Nils Swenson, the Blacksmith, in 16 episodes.  He played recurring roles on other television series in addition to THE RIFLEMAN, including "Arrest and Trial" and later, he co-starred again with Chuck Connors in "Flipper" and "Geronimo."

Jack Hogan as Rudy Gray

Jack Hogan, born Richard Roland Benson, Jr., is an American character actor who has worked primarily in television.  He has appeared in nearly 80 movies and television shows in a career spanning almost 40 years.  Following his service in the Navy, Hogan studied at the Pasadena Playhouse in California to become an actor.  He guest-starred in many popular series of the 1960s through the 80s, including the crime dramas "Hawaii Five-O" (1968–1980), "Adam-12" (1968–1975), "Magnum, P.I." (1980–1988), for which he also worked behind the scenes in the casting department, and "Ironside" (1967–1975), the nautical adventure series "Sea Hunt" (1958–1961), the action series "The A-Team" (1983–1987), and the mystery thriller "Peter Gunn" (1958–1961).  He also had a few recurring roles, including his best-remembered role as the quick-tempered womanizer Kirby in the war drama "Combat!" (1962–1967), and Chief Ranger Jack Moore in the action series "Sierra" (1974), as well as Judge Smithwood in the crime drama "Jake and the Fatman" (1987–1992).

Hogan made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Joe Carson in "Stranger at Night" (episode 36) and Rudy Gray in "The Man from Salinas" (episode 130).  He also guest-starred in several other westerns of the 1950s and 60s, including "Lawman" (1958–1962), starring John Russell and Peter Brown, "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), starring Richard Boone, "The Deputy" (1959–1961), starring Henry Fonda, "Bonanza" (1959–1973), starring Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts and Michael Landon, "Bat Masterson" (1958, 1961), starring Gene Barry, and "Cheyenne" (1955–1963), starring Clint Walker.

Ralph R. Moody as Doc Burrage
Ralph Moody

Ralph Moody was an American actor who appeared in over 50 movies and 100 television shows.  Often cast in Westerns as indians, his many television credits include "The Lone Ranger" (1949 1950), "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" (1955–1959), "Dragnet" (1952 1959), "The Texan" (1959), "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1958–1961), "Perry Mason" (1958–1964), "Gunsmoke" (1959–1966), "Dragnet 1967" (1967–1970) and "Bonanza" (1960 1971).

Moody appeared in 12 episodes of THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Jonathan Dodd in "The Visitor" (episode 58), Roy Merrick in "The Spoiler" (episode 61), and Eban Muchen in "The Hangman" (episode 76).  Moody also played the recurring character of Doc Burrage in nine episodes, including "Six Years and a Day" (episode 91), "The Actress" (episode 94), "Dark Day at North Fork" (episode 100), "The Mescalero Curse" (episode 106), "Man From Salinas" (episode 130), "Quiet Night, Deadly Night" (episode 146), "Mark's Rifle" (episode 150), "Conflict" (episode 155), "Requiem at Mission Springs" (episode 164).

Fred Sherman as Tom, the Telegraph Operator

Fred Sherman, born Clarence E. Kolegraff, was an American film and television actor.  He appeared in more than 120 movies and television shows during a 20-year career.  He had minor parts in a few films, including the noir film "Lady in the Lake" (1947), starring Robert Montgomery, Lloyd Noland and Audrey Totter; the biographical western "The Left-Handed Gun" (1959), starring Paul Newman; and the comedy "Some Like It Hot" (1959), starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.

Sherman guest-starred in many popular television shows, including the superhero series "Adventures of Superman" (1952–1958), the family comedy "I Love Lucy" (1951–1957), the legal drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), the family drama "Lassie" (1954–1974) and the macabre anthology series "Thriller" (1960–1962).  He made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Tom the telegraph operator in "The Man from Salinas" (episode 130).  He guest-starred in several other westerns, including "Zane Grey Theater" (1956–1961), starring Dick Powell, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955–1961), starring Hugh O'Brian, "The Deputy" (1959–1961), starring Henry Fonda, "Rawhide" (1959–1966), starring Clint Eastwood, and "Bonanza" (1959–1973), starring Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Pernell Roberts.

Harlan Warde as John Hamilton, President of the North Fork Bank
Harlan Warde as John Hamilton, President of the No

Harlan Warde was an American actor who appeared in 180 films and television series over a 40 year career.  Most of his early film roles were uncredited.  He appeared in 18 episodes of THE RIFLEMAN, portraying John Hamilton, President of the North Fork Bank.  His character debuted in "The Safeguard" (episode 8).   Warde had recurring roles in other television series, many in the Western genre.  Among his many other TV credits, he also appeared in "Dragnet" ( 1954), "You Are There" (1953–1956), "Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre" (1955 1957), "Perry Mason" (1958–1966), "The Virginian" (1962–1971), "Bonanza" (1962–1972), "The Big Valley" (1965–1969) and "The Fugitive" (1966 1967).


Lucas is at first sympathetic to a young man who arrives in North Fork to claim the body of his dead brother, killed in an attempted bank robbery.  But his suspicious behavior soon leads Lucas to the conclusion that he's not a relative after all, but a bounty hunter who plans to take the robber's body back up North and claim the reward for his capture.