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Three Legged Terror
Episode 30
Writer: Palmer Thompson
Director: William Conrad
Original Air Date 04/21/1959

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
Larry Asmus as one of the boys at the picnic

Larry Asmus was an American child actor.  He guest-starred in several popular television shows, including "Leave It to Beaver" (1957–1963) and "My Three Sons" (1960–1972).  He made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying one of the boys at the picnic in "Three-Legged Terror" (episode 30).

Patricia Barry as Miss Adams
Patricial Barry as Adele Adams

Patricia Barry, born Patricia White, is an American actress who has appeared in more than 130 television shows and movies in a career spanning 50 years.  Barry was signed to Columbus Pictures following her graduation from Stephens College, Columbia, MO.  She appeared in numerous TV series and soap operas popular in the 1950s through the 90s, including "Twilight Zone" (1959–1964), "Perry Mason" (1957–1966) "Dr. Kildaire" (1962–1965), "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers" (1972), "Columbo" (1975), "Charlie's Angels" (1976), "Guiding Light" (1984–1987) and "Murder, She Wrote" (1989–1994).  Barry also starred in her own TV series, playing the title role of Kate Harris in "Harris Against the World" (1965–1965).  She also appeared in two critically acclaimed made-for-TV movies, "First, You Cry" (1978) and "Bogie" (1980).  She made three appearances in The RIFLEMAN, portraying Adele Adams in "Three-Legged Terror" (episode 30) and "The Woman" (episode 32), as well as Laurie Hadley in "A Time for Singing" (episode 64).  Barry also guest-starred in other TV westerns, including "The Virginian" (1962–1971) and "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975).

George DeNormand as Townsman

George DeNormand was an American stuntman and actor.  Between his stunt work and his acting credits, DeNormand appeared in more than 300 movies and television shows during a career spanning 45 years.  He provided stunt work for several films, including the horror B-movie "Werewolf of London" (1935), starring Henry Hull and Warner Oland; the drama "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1939), starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara; and the adventure comedy "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (1963), starring an all-star ensemble cast.  He also appeared in several films as an actor, including playing minor parts in the mystery drama "Citizen Kane" (1941), starring Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton; the drama "A Raisin in the Sun" (1961), starring Sidney Poitier; and the superhero parody "Batman" (1966), starring Adam West and Burt Ward.  He guest-starred in a variety of television shows, including the family comedy "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960–1968), the crime drama "The Untouchables" (1959–1963), the adventure drama "The Fugitive" (1963–1967) and the western action adventure series "The Wild Wild West" (1965–1969).

In addition to his many appearances as a stuntman, DeNormand made two appearances as an actor in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying a townsman in "The Photographer" (episode 18) and "Outlaw's Inheritance" (episode 38).  He guest-starred in many other westerns, including "Zane Grey Theater" (1956–1961), starring Dick Powell; "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958–1961), starring Steve McQueen; "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955–1961), starring Hugh O'Brian; "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), starring Richard Boone; "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), starring John McIntyre and Ward Bond; "Bonanza" (1959–1973), starring Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Pernell Roberts; "The Virginian" (1962–1971), starring James Drury; "The Big Valley" (1965–1969), starring Barbara Stanwyck; and Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), starring James Arness.

Robert Foulk as Toomey the Blacksmith
Robert Foulk as Toomey the Blacksmith

Robert Foulk was an American actor who made over 200 appearances in film and television in the 1950's through the 1970's.  He also worked as a dialogue coach in his early career.  He was frequently cast in Westerns, including "Last of the Badmen" (1957), "The Tall Stranger" (1957), "The Left-Handed Gun" (1958), and "Cast a Long Shadow" (1958).   He played the recurring role of the Bartender in Joel McCrea's "Witchita Man" (1959) and the next door neighbor in "Father Knows Best" (1955-1959).  Foulk made five appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Toomey the Blacksmith in "The Second Witness" (episode 23), "Three Legged Terror" (episode 30) and "Outlaw's Inheritance" (episode 38).  He played two different characters, Johannson in "The Raid" (episode 37) and Herbert Newman in "The Lost Treasure of Canyon Town" (episode 99).

Dennis Hopper as Johnny Clover
Dennis Hopper as Johnny Clover posing with Chuck C

Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker, and artist.  Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors Studio.  He made his first appearance as an actor in 1955, appearing in two films co-starring James Dean, "Rebel Without a Cause," and "Giant."  Over the next ten years, Hopper appeared frequently on television in guest roles, and by the end of the 1960's had played supporting roles in several films.  He directed and starred in "Easy Rider," winning an award at the Cannes Film Festival.  He also was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as co-writer of the film's script.  Hopper appeared in THE RIFLEMAN pilot episode, "The Sharpshooter," in the title role.  He also appeared in "Three-Legged Terror" (episode 30) as Johnny Clover.  By mid-career, he was unable to build on his early success for several years, until a feature role in "Apocalypse Now" brought him back to public attention.  He subsequently appeared in "Rumble Fish" and "The Osterman Weekend."   Hopper received critical recognition for his work in "Blue Velvet" and "Hoosiers," the latter film garnering him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.  He directed "Colors," portrayed King Koopa in the film version of "Super Mario Brothers," and he played the villain in "Speed."  Hopper's latest work included a leading role in the television series "Crash."  Hopper was a prolific photographer, painter, and sculptor whose works have been exhibited world wide.

John Hoyt as Gus Fremont

John Hoyt, born John McArthur Hoysradt, was an American stage, film and television actor.  He appeared in nearly 240 movies and television shows during a career spanning 40 years.  A Yale graduate, Hoyt worked as a history instructor, acting coach and nightclub comedian prior to devoting himself to acting full-time.  In 1937, he joined the Orson Welles Mercury Theatre.  He had roles in several memorable films, including Spencer in the drama "Brute Force" (1947), starring Burt Lancaster and Hume Cronyn; Decius Caesar in the historical drama "Julius Caesar" (1953), starring Louis Calhern, Marlon Brando, James Mason and John Gielgud; Caius in Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of "Spartacus" (1960), starring Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier and Jean Simmons; and the space commander in the romantic comedy "Desperately Seeking Susan" (1985), starring Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn and Madonna.

Hoyt guest-starred in many popular television shows, including the undercover police drama "M Squad" (1957–1960), the anthology series "Playhouse 90" (1956–1960), the Disney adventure series "Zorro" (1957–1959), the classic family comedy "Leave It to Beaver" (1957–1963), the suspense anthology series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955–1962), the crime drama "The Untouchables" (1959–1963), Rod Serling's iconic anthology series "The Twilight Zone" (1959–1964), the legal drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), the crime drama "Arrest and Trial" (1963–1964), the medical drama "Dr. Kildare" (1961–1966), the espionage series "I Spy" (1965–1968), the sci-fi cult classic "Star Trek" (1966–1969), the adventure drama "It Takes a Thief" (1968–1970) and the sci-fi adventure series "Battlestar Galactica" (1978–1979).

Hoyt made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Fremont in "Three-Legged Terror" (episode 30) and Capt. Josiah Perry in "The Martinet" (episode 83).  He guest-starred in many other westerns, including "The Deputy" (1959–1961), starring Henry Fonda; "Death Valley Days" (1952–1975), hosted by Robert Taylor; "Rawhide" (1959–1966), starring Clint Eastwood; "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), starring James Arness; "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), starring John McIntyre and Ward Bond; "Bonanza" (1959–1973), starring Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Pernell Roberts; and "The Big Valley" (1965–1969), starring Barbara Stanwyck.


Lucas and Mark find the North Fork schoolhouse in complete shambles and learn from the teacher, Miss Adams, that the damage was done by Johnny, an 18-year old who lives with his mean bully of an uncle.  Later in the day, Johnny shows up in a North Fork saloon, dead drunk and waving a gun.  Disarmed and sobered by Lucas, Johnny admits to having ransacked the schoolhouse to steal drawing material.  He has a real artistic talent, but his uncle refuses to permit him to continue with school.  Lucas offers the boy a job on his ranch and a chance to finish his education.  The boy eagerly accepts, but a critical situation develops when the boy's uncle comes after him with a gun.