My Cart
Return to Season 5 Index

End of The Hunt
Episode 162
Writer: Jay Simms
Director: Arthur Nadel
Original Air Date 02/18/1963

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
Patricia Blair as Lou Mallory, Owner of the General Store and the Madera House Hotel
Patricia Blair as Lou Mallory with Chuck Connors a

Patricia Blair was an American television actress whose career was active primarily in the 1950s and 1960s.   The Texas-born beauty began her career as a teenage model who went on to apprentice in summer stock before being discovered by Warner Bros.  She began acting in films under the names Patricia Blake and Pat Blake.   She appeared in a few films, including "Jump Into Hell" (1955), "Crime Against Joe" (1956) and "The Black Sleep" (1956), which reunited screen icons of the horror film genre Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Basil Rathbone and John Carradine.   She also appeared in the suspense thriller "City of Fear" (1959), starring Vince Edwards.  She portrayed the Fashion Narrator in the Robert Redford romantic western "The Electric Horseman" (1979), co-starring Jane Fonda.

In 1962, Blair replaced actress Joan Taylor in a semi-regular role as Lou Mallory, Chuck Connor's love interest in the last season of THE RIFLEMAN.  Blair played the attractive red-haired, fiery Irish businesswoman, whose character was savvy Landowner and Owner of the General Store and the Madera House Hotel.  Blair's character of Lou Mallory appeared in 17 episodes of THE RIFLEMAN; she debuted in the title role of episode 145.  Blair also made guest television appearances on "The Bob Cummings Show" (1955–1959), "The Virginian" (1962–1971), "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), "Bonanza" (1959–1973), and she co-starred in "Daniel Boone" (1964–1970), playing wife Rebecca Boone opposite Fess Parker.   She also had a recurring role as Goldy in the western adventure series "Yancy Derringer" (1958–1959). 

Harry Finley as Harvey

Harry Finley made one guest appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Harvey in "End of the Hunt" (episode 162).  He also guest-starred in one episode of the western "The Virginian" (1962–1971), starring James Drury and Doug McClure.

John Gilbert as Messenger Boy

John Gilbert is the son of Herschel Burke Gilbert, composer of THE RIFLEMAN theme song.  Gilbert made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying a messenger boy in "End of the Hunt" (episode 162).

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."

Jeff Morrow as Reef Jackson

Jeff Morrow, born Leslie Irving Morrow, was an American stage, radio, film and television actor.  He appeared in nearly 70 movies and television shows during a career spanning more than 30 years.  Prior to becoming an actor, Morrow worked as a commercial artist.  Beginning his career as a stage actor, he had significant stage experience in Shakespearean theater.  After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Morrow played the title role in the Dick Tracy radio series, in addition to appearing in several Broadway productions.

Morrow had a few leading roles in film, including Exeter in the science fiction film "This Island Earth" (1955), also starring Faith Domergue and Rex Reason; and Dr. William Barton in the third and final installment of the "Creature from the Black Lagoon" horror film series, "The Creature Walks Among Us" (1956), also starring Rex Reason and Leigh Snowden; and he had a small part portraying Paulus in the Biblical epic "The Robe" (1953), starring Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature and Michael Rennie.

Morrow guest-starred in several popular television shows of the 1950s through the 60s, including Rod Serling's iconic anthology series "The Twilight Zone" (1959–1964), the crime drama anthology series "Police Story" (1973–1977), the legal drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966) and the spinoff series "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." (1964–1969).  He also had several recurring roles, including Bart McClelland in the western "Union Pacific" (1958) and Dr. Lloyd Axton in the comedy "The New Temperatures Rising Show" (1972–1974).  He made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Reef Jackson in "End of the Hunt" (episode 162).  He guest-starred in several other westerns, including "Zane Grey Theater" (1956–1961), "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), "The Deputy" (1959–1961), "Bonanza" (1959–1973), "Cheyenne" (1955–1963), "The Virginian" (1962–1971) and "Daniel Boone" (1964–1970).

K. T. Stevens as Granny Mede

K. T. Stevens was an American actress whose career in films and television spanned 70 years.  She debuted in her first film role at age two in a silent film classic directed by her father, Sam Wood, in "Peck's Bad Boy" (1921), which starred Jackie Coogan.  Stevens also worked on the stage and in radio, eventually retiring from acting, but later returning to the screen as a character actress, primarily in television.  She appeared five episodes of THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Muriel Chase in "Heller" (episode 62), Molly Fenway in "The Fourflusher" (episode 72), Nancy Clay in "Face of Yesterday" (episode 95), Emma Lincoln in "Honest Abe" (episode 118), and Granny Mede in "End of the Hunt" (episode 162).


Lucas, ordinarily a patient and reasonable man, becomes a furious creature of revenge when he learns an old enemy is in town.  Determined to kill the man, he alienates his friends and almost ruins his life and Mark's future, until an event occurs that reminds him no man should take the law into his own hands.