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Heller
Episode 62
Writer: Christopher Knopf
Director: Joseph H. Lewis
Original Air Date 02/23/1960

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
Sid Gillman as Ben Tooker, the Bartender

Sid Gillman, born Sidney Gillman, was best-known as an American football coach.  In 1983, Gillman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his work as a coach, followed by the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.  He appeared on television primarily from 1959 through the 1960s, usually in cameo appearances portraying a coach, including "Adventure Showcase" (1959) and "Alcoa Theater" (1960).  Gillman was one of four sports legends to guest star in THE RIFLEMAN.  He made only one appearance, portraying bartender Ben Tooker, in "Heller" (episode 62).

Don Grady as David Chase

Don Grady, born Don Louis Agrati, was an American composer and film and television actor.  He appeared in nearly 30 movies and television shows in a career spanning almost 30 years.  He is best-remembered for having grown up on television as a child actor.  He was a Mousketeer on "The Mickey Mouse Club" and had a recurring role as Robbie Douglas in the long-running family comedy "My Three Sons" (1960–1972), starring Fred MacMurray.  Grady made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Jeff Barrows in "The Patsy" (episode 41) and David Chase in "Heller" (episode 62).  He also guest-starred in many iconic westerns of the 1950s and 60s, including "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), starring Ward Bond and later John McIntire, and "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), starring Richard Boone, "The Restless Gun" (1957–1959), starring John Payne and Dan Blocker, "Wichita Town" (1959–1960), starring Joel McCrea, "Zane Grey Theater" (1956–1961), starring Dick Powell, and "Law of the Plainsman" (1959), starring Michael Ansara as Sam Buckheart (a character he also portrayed on THE RIFLEMAN).  Grady arranged and composed 19 television specials and documentaries, including writing and performing the music for the Blake Edwards comedy "Switch" (1991), starring Ellen Barkin and Jimmy Smits, and most recently the "AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Meryl Streep" (2004).  Grady passed away on June 27, 2012, at the age of 68.

Gigi Perreau as Heller Chase
Gigi Perreau as Heller Chase and Chuck Connors as

Gigi Perreau, born Ghislaine Elizabeth Marie Thérèse Perreau-Saussine, is an American film and television actress.  She has appeared in nearly 80 movies and television shows during a career spanning 70 years.  She made her film debut as the young daughter of scientist Marie Curie (portrayed by Greer Garson) in the biographical drama "Madame Curie" (1943), also starring Walter Pidgeon as Pierre Curie.  She was cast to play the role for her fluency in French.  At the age of ten, she was given the keys to the city of Pittsburgh for being the "top child movie actress of 1951," making her the youngest actress to receive the honor.  Like many actors who had successful careers as children Perreau struggled to maintain her popular appeal as an adult; although, her accomplishments were acknowledged later, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1960) and a Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award.

Most of Perreau's many film roles were minor, including an uncredited part in the war drama "The Seventh Cross" (1944), starring Spencer Tracy; Julie in the musical drama "Song of Love" (1947), starring Katharine Hepburn; the character Roberta Blaisdell in the comedy "Has Anybody Seen My Gal" (1952), starring Charles Coburn; Ellen in the romantic drama "There's Always Tomorrow" (1956), starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray; and Susan Hopkins in the war drama "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" (1956), starring Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones and Fredric March.

Perreau guest-starred in many television shows of the 1950s through the 70s, including the suspense series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955–1962), the long-running family drama "Lassie" (1954–1974), the legal drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), the family comedies "My Three Sons" (1960–1972) and "The Brady Bunch" (1969–1974), the war comedy "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." (1964–1969), and the police drama "Adam-12" (1968–1975).  She also played recurring roles as Pat Strickland in the comedy "The Betty Hutton Show" (1959) and Kathy Richards in the adventure series "Follow the Sun" (1961–1962).  Perreau made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Heller Chase in "Heller" (episode 62)and Carrie Battle in "Death Trap" (episode 109).  She guest-starred in several other westerns, including "Laramie" (1959–1963), starring John Smith and Robert Fuller, "Rawhide" (1959–1966), starring Clint Eastwood, and "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), starring James Arness.

K. T. Stevens as Muriel Bechtol

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).

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).

Peter Whitney as Andrew Bechtol
Peter Whitney

Peter Whitney was an American television and film actor whose large frame and heavy-set, swarthy appearance brought him many roles playing villainous characters in his early career.  Later, as a character actor, he made frequent appearances in television series, particularly the western genre.  Among his film credits, he appeared in "In the Heat of the Night" (1967), "The Great Bank Robbery" (1969), and "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" (1970).  Whitney made nine appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Tracey Blanch in "Eddie's Daughter" (episode 46), John Jupiter in "Mail Order Groom" (episode 56), Andrew Bechtel in "Heller" (episode 62), Otto Drosheck in "Strange Town" (episode 81), Vince Fergus in "The Queue" (episode 110), John Holliver in "Long Gun from Tucson" (episode 121), Neb Jackman in 'Lou Mallory" (episode 145) and "Which Way Did They Go?" (episode 167), and Vantine in "Gun Shy" (episode 153).


A teenage girl named Heller and her brother are badly mistreated by their drunken stepfather.  Lucas and the townsfolk become involved when the girl is caught stealing from the General Store.  In spite of warnings, the stepfather continues his cruel treatment of the children, driving them to desperation and planning his murder, until Lucas steps in and helps them resolve the situation.