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The Woman
Episode 32
Writer: Pat Fielder
Director: Arnold Laven
Original Air Date 05/05/1959

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
Patricia Barry as Adele 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).

Fern Barry as Townswoman

Fern Barry was an American film and television actress.  She appeared in nearly 50 television shows and movies in a career spanning more than 40 years.  Many of her acting roles were uncredited.  Working mostly during the 1930s, 50s and 60s, Barry appeared in several popular TV series, including and "The Donna Reed Show" (1960) and the popular crime drama series "Perry Mason" (1957–1966).  She made two appearances in The RIFLEMAN, portraying a townswoman in "The Woman" (episode 32) and Callie Sawyer in "The Horsetraders" (episode 60).  Barry also guest–starred in "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955–1961), "Wagon Train" (1957–1965) and "Rawhide" (1960).

Paul Carr as Garth Healey

Paul Carr made four guest appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying different characters in each episode.  He played Derek Hanaway in "Shivaree" (episode 19), Garth Healey in "The Woman" (episode 32), Fred Harris in "Letter of the Law" (episode 50), and Doug Carter in "Smoke Screen" (episode 68).

Mel Carter as Jed Healy
Mel Carter

Mel Carter made eight guest appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying different characters in each episode.  He played an outlaw on "End of a Young Gun" (episode 3), Walkerman in "The Safe Guard" (episode 8), a cowhand in "The Challenge" (episode 28), Jed Healy in "The Woman" (episode 32), Arnie Grady in "The Journey Back" (episode 115), Jeems in "Outlaw's Shoes" (episode 141), George Vale's partner Bo Jackman in "Lou Mallory" (episode 145), and Mark Jones in "Death Never Rides Alone" (episode 147).  Carter appeared in many television shows from the late 1950's through late 1980's.  In 1987, he co-starred with Chuck Connors in "Werewolf," an episode of the "Father Jude" series.

David Leland as Cousin Healey

David Leland was an American actor who worked primarily in television, appearing in 14 TV shows and movies during a decade-long career.  He appeared in the crime drama "M Squad" (1957–1960) and several westerns, including "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), starring Richard Boone, "Zane Grey Theater" (1956–1961), starring Dick Powell, "Bronco" (1958–1962), starring Ty Hardin, "The Restless Gun" (1957–1959), starring John Payne, "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958–1961), starring Steve McQueen, "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), starring John McIntyre and Ward Bond, and "Laredo" (1965–1967), starring Neville Brand, Peter Brown and William Smith.  Leland made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Cousin Healey in "The Woman" (episode 32).

Bill Quinn as Sweeney, the Bartender
Bill Quinn as Sweeney, the Bartender

Bill Quinn was an American actor whose early career began in the 1920's in silent films and ended with the 1989 science fiction film, "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier."  Perhaps, his best-known role was Mr. Ranseleer, Archie Bunker's blind friend in "All In The Family" (1971-1978).  He also was a regular character in the Carroll O'Connor spin-off, "Archie Bunker's Place."  Quinn's other television credits include roles in "The Odd Couple" (1970-1975), "McHale's Navy" (1962-1966), and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977), in which he play Mary Richard's father.  In 1971, he appeared in Universal Pictures' "How to Frame a Figg" starring Don Knotts.  Quinn was a regular character in THE RIFLEMAN, appearing in 40 episodes as Sweeney, the Owner/Bartender of the North Fork Saloon.

Glenn Strange as Stagecoach Driver
Glenn Strange

Glenn Strange was an American actor most well known for playing roles in the Western and Horror genres.  Growing up in New Mexico, he had been a rancher, cowboy and rodeo performer—a background that lent authenticity to the Western characters he played.  In the 1920's he learned to play the fiddle and guitar, and toured the country with a radio singing group, the Arizona Wranglers.  He came to Hollywood in 1930 with the ensemble and began landing small parts in "B" Westerns.  At 6' 5" tall, he had a large, rugged frame and heavy features—attributes that tended to typecast him as villainous and nefarious characters.  Later, a different Western characterization would supplant the archetypal villains he portrayed earlier in his career—Sam Noonan, the bartender on CBS's "Gunsmoke" (1961–1973) television series would become his most enduring TV personae.  He appeared in 215 episodes of "Gunsmoke."

Boris Karloff, the quintessential Horror genre star, portrayed Frankenstein's monster in three films, but in 1944 passed the baton to Strange, who played the monster role in three Universal films, "House of Frankenstein" (1944), "House of Dracula" (1945) and the camp horror-comedy film, "Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1948).  Ironically, in "House of Frankenstein" Karloff was cast as the villainous Dr. Niemann opposite Strange as the monster, formerly Karloff's signature character.

Beginning in the late 1940's, Strange segued into television and for the rest of his career appeared in numerous shows, again, frequently appearing in Westerns.   He guest-starred in six episodes of THE RIFLEMAN, playing variations of the same character in each outing.  He was Cole, the stagecoach driver, in "Duel of Honor" (episode 7) and a shotgun guard on the stagecoach in "The Dead-eye Kid" (episode 20), then Joey, the stagecoach driver, in "The Woman" (episode 32), followed by appearances as an unnamed stagecoach driver in "The Blowout" (episode 43), "The Spiked Rifle" (episode 49) and "Miss Bertie" (episode 90).  Among the many television shows in which he appeared, Strange guest-starred in "Annie Oakley" (1954–1956), "Death Valley Days" (1954 1958), "The Adventures of Champion" (1955–1956), "The Cisco Kid" (1955–1956) and "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955 1960).  He passed away in 1973, ending his career playing Sam Noonan, the bartender on "Gunsmoke," whom he played for 12 years.

Hope Summers as Hattie Denton, Owner of the General Store
Hope Summers as Hattie Denton, Owner of the Genera

Hope Summers was an American actress of the stage, radio, film and television.  Her acting career began in the 1930's, when she worked primarily in community and stock theater and radio.  Her career was most active in the 1950's and 1960's, when she appeared in numerous films and television shows.   Her film credits include "Zero Hour!" (1957), "Inherit the Wind" (1960), "Spencer's Mountain" (1963), "The Hallelujah Trail" (1965), "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (1966), "The Shakiest Gun in the West" (1968), "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), "Charley Varrick" (1973) and her last movie, "Foul Play" (1978).

Summers began working in television in the 1950's, guest-starring in a wide variety of genres, but especially Westerns.  Her television credits include "The Loretta Young Show" (1956–1959), "Maverick" (1957) and "Wagon Train" (1957), "Gunsmoke" (1958–1963), "Dennis the Menace" (1959), "Petticoat Junction" (1963) and "The Phyllis Diller Show" (1966).  She played numerous memorable recurring roles in many hit television series, including "Hawkins Falls: A Television Novel" (1950).  Her best-known role was Clara Edwards, Aunt Bee's gossipy neighbor, in "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960-1968) and its spin-off, "Mayberry R.F.D." (1968–1971).  Summers appeared in 16 episodes of THE RIFLEMAN as Hattie Denton, owner of the General Store.  Hattie was first introduced in "Eight Hours to Die" (episode 6).  Her last regular television role was playing Olive in "Another Day" (1978).

James Westerfield as Old Man Healey

James Westerfield was a prolific American character actor of stage, film and television, as well as a director and producer.  His first love was the stage, and he produced and directed several plays on the summer theater circuit.  He appeared in more than 150 movies and television shows during his 35-year career.  Typecast as a heavy, Westerfield received two New York Drama Critics awards.  Although many of his film roles were uncredited, he appeared in many iconic films, often playing memorable characters, including the traffic cop in the Orson Welles adaptation of Booth Tarkington's "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942), starring Joseph Cotton, Dolores Costello and Anne Baxter and the biographical drama "The Pride of the Yankees" (1942), starring Gary Cooper; Henry Gilson in the noir film "Undercurrent" (1946), starring Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor and Robert Mitchum; Officer Hanson in the Disney comedy "The Shaggy Dog" (1959), starring Fred MacMurray, a role that he reprised in the Disney films "The Absent-Minded Professor" (1961) and "Son of Flubber" (1963), both starring Fred MacMurray; Jess Younger in the biographical drama "Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962), starring Burt Lancaster; a prisoner in the action film "Hang 'Em High" (1968), starring Clint Eastwood; and Judge Parker in the western "True Grit" (1969), starring John Wayne and Kim Darby.  Westerfield is best-remembered for his portrayal of Big Mac in Elia Kazan's award-winning crime drama "On the Waterfront" (1954), starring Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Rod Steiger and Eva Marie Saint.

Westerfield guest-starred in many popular television shows of the 1950s through the 70s, including the crime dramas "Richard Diamond: Private Detective" (1957–1960) and "Mannix" (1967–1975), the suspense series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955–1962), Rod Serling's anthology series "The Twilight Zone" (1959–1964), the family comedy "My Three Sons" (1960–1972), the western action adventure "The Wild Wild West" (1965–1969), the long-running family drama "Lassie" (1954–1974), and the fantasy comedy "Bewitched" (1964–1972).  He also had recurring roles playing John Murrel in the western "The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" (1963–1964), starring Dan O'Herlihy and Kurt Russell, and the character Mr. Turner in the comedy "Hazel" (1961–1966), starring Shirley Booth.  Westerfield made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Pa Healey in "The Woman" (episode 32) and Jake Preston in "The Fourflusher" (episode 72).  He guest-starred in many other westerns, including "The Lone Ranger" (1949–1957), "Zane Grey Theater" (1956–1961), "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), "The Texan" (1958–1960), "Bat Masterson" (1958–1961), "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958–1961), "The Deputy" (1959–1961), "Laramie" (1959–1963), "Maverick" (1957–1962), "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957–1962), "Rawhide" (1959–1966), "Daniel Boone" (1964–1970), "The Virginian" (1962–1971), "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), and "Bonanza" (1959–1973).


Miss Adams, the North Fork schoolteacher, is pressured to leave her job and the town.  She is accused of being too progressive, because she champions women's right to vote.  The mob against her is led by an influential rancher whose older son had studied at her school.  Lucas befriends her and learns that the real trouble stems from lies circulated about Miss Adams by the rancher's son. Lucas then faces the difficult task of persuading a father that his son has been dishonest.