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Smoke Screen
Episode 68
Writer: Palmer Thompson
Director: Murray Golden
Original Air Date 04/05/1960

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
Richard Alexander as Nels/Nils Swenson/Swensen/Svenson, the Blacksmith
Richard Alexander

Richard Alexander was an American actor who worked in film and television for nearly 50 years.  Most of his roles were uncredited, but he appeared in numerous films, including "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1930), "Flash Gordon" (1936, 1938), "Zorro Rides Again" (1937) and "Requiem for a Gunfighter" (1965).  He also made numerous television appearances, frequently in Westerns, including "The Lone Ranger" (1950–1953), "The Gene Autry Show" (1950), "Dick Tracy (1950), "Hopalong Cassidy" (1952), "Death Valley Days" (1952) and his final role in "Petrocelli" (1971).

Alexander appeared in four episodes of THE RIFLEMAN and was one of seven actors to play Nels/Nils Swenson/Swensen/Svenson, usually also listed in the credits as the Blacksmith.  He appeared in "The Deserter" (episode 65), "Smoke Screen" (episode 68), "Meeting at Midnight" (episode 74) and "The Martinet" (episode 83).

William "Billy" Benedict as Dave Prentice

William "Billy" Benedict was an American television and film actor.  He appeared in 290 television shows and movies in a career spanning more than 50 years.  Benedict demonstrated an interest in acting early in life, participating in school productions and eventually making his way to Hollywood.  Many of his early film roles were uncredited as he began his career playing a variety of juvenile bit parts.  He made guest appearances in many popular series of the 1960s, including "Perry Mason" (1957–1966) and "Twilight Zone" (1959–1964).  Benedict made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Dave Prentice in "Smokescreen" (episode 68).  Other westerns in which he guest–starred include "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957–1962) and "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975).

Paul Carr as Doug Carter

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).

Johnny Collier as Howey

Johnny Collier is an American film and television actor who has appeared in nine movies and television shows in a little over 40 years.  He appeared in the popular family series "Leave It to Beaver" (1957–1963) and "Dennis the Menace" (1959–1963).  Collier guest-starred in one episode of THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Howey in "Smoke Screen" (episode 68).  He also made guest appearances in the westerns "Maverick" (1957–1962) and "Law of the Plainsman" (1959).

Warner Jones as Fred Tate

Warner Jones appeared in six television shows in four years.  He had recurring roles as Capt. Wilbur Scott in the adventure series "The Blue Angels" (1960–1961) and Henry McGill in the comedy series "Window on Main Street" (1961–1962).  He also guest-starred in the family comedy "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960–1968).  Jones made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Fred Tate in "Smoke Screen" (episode 68).

Douglas Kennedy as Crandell

Douglas Kennedy, born Douglas Richards Kennedy, was an American character actor of film and television.  He appeared in nearly 200 movies and television shows in a career spanning more than 35 years.  He was under contract to Paramount Pictures and later Warner Bros., but put his career on hold to serve as a major in the Signal Corps with the OSS and the Army Intelligence during World War II.  Upon returning and embarking on an acting career, he appeared in numerous thrillers and westerns, typically typecast as villains and, conversely, in westerns, as territorial marshals.  Kennedy was tall, handsome and ruggedly built, but instead of playing the leading man, his film roles were usually minor parts, including a hotel clerk in the crime thriller "The Mad Doctor" (1941), starring Basil Rathbone; a reporter in the crime drama "Strange Alibi" (1941), starring Arthur Kennedy; a horse show announcer in "Stallion Road" (1947), starring Ronald Reagan; and the voice of a radio concert broadcaster in the film adaptation of Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead" (1949), starring Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal.

Kennedy guest-starred in many popular shows of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, including the crime dramas "Dragnet" (1951–1959) and "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), the suspense series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955–1962) and the long-running family drama "Lassie" (1954–1974).  He also had a few recurring roles, including the title character in the short-lived western series "Steve Donovan, Western Marshal" (1955), Sgt. Fred Coombs in the crime drama "Code 3" (1957), Manuel in the Disney adventure series "Zorro" (1957–1959) and Sheriff Fred Madden in the western "The Big Valley" (1965–1969).  In 1973, he guest-starred in several episodes of "Hawaii 5–0 " (1968–1980), which were his last television appearances prior to his death.  Kennedy made one appearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Pete Crandell in "Smoke Screen" (episode 68).  He guest-starred in numerous other westerns, including "Hopalong Cassidy" (1952–1954), "The Lone Ranger" (1949–1957), "Annie Oakley" (1954–1956), "Cheyenne" (1955–1963), "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958–1961), "Bat Masterson" (1958–1961), "The Restless Gun" (1957–1959), "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955–1961), "Maverick" (1957–1962), "The Deputy" (1959–1961), "Rawhide" (1959–1966), "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), and "Bonanza" (1959–1973).

Jennifer (Jenifer) Lea as Marge Crandell

Jennifer Lea is an American actress who has worked primaily in television.  She has appeared in 24 movies and television shows in a decade-long career.  She guest-starred in a variety of popular television shows of the 1950s and 60s, including the suspense series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955–1962), the family comedies "My Three Sons" (1960–1972), "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962–1971) and "Family Affair" (1966–1971), as well as the crime dramas "M Squad" (1957–1960) and "Dragnet" (1951–1959).  Lea made one apprearance in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Marge Crandell in "Smoke Screen" (episode 68).  She guest-starred in several other westerns, including "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" (1955–1958), starring Dick Simmons, "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958–1961), starring Steve McQueen, "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957–1962), starring Dale Robertson, "The Deputy" (1959–1961), starring Henry Fonda, and "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), starring Richard Boone.

George N. Neise as Rodney Quentin

George N. Neise was an American screen and television character actor who appeared in more than 120 movies and TV shows in a career spanning more than 35 years.  Although most of his big screen roles were uncredited in his early career, and he was typecast cast in war-time pictures playing soldiers, when he moved to television, he played parts in every genre.  He appeared in the most popular sitcoms of the 1960s, including "Green Acres" (1965–1971), "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960–1968), "The Addams Family" (1964–1966), "Hogan's Heroes" (1965–1971) and "Get Smart" (1965–1970).  Neise made multiple appearances in many TV series, including the crime drama "The Untouchables" (1959–1963), the courtroom drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966), the sitcom "Mister Ed" (1957–1966), the western series "Death Valley Days" (1959–1970), the variety show "The Red Skelton Hour" (1962–1971), and the comic adventure series "Batman" (1966–1966).  He also had recurring roles in several TV shows, including Capitan Felipe Arrellanos in "Zorro" (1957–1961), Doctor Nat Wyndham in "Wichita Town" (1959–1960) and Colonel Thornton in "McKeever & the Colonel" (1962–1963).

Neise appeared in one episode of THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Roger Quenton in "Smoke Screen" (episode 68). Neise also guest-starred in many other popular westerns of the 1950s and 60s, including "Cheyenne" (1995–1963), "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), "Have Gun – Will Travel" (1957–1963), "Maverick" (1957–1962), "Bat Masterson" (1958–1961), and "Laramie" (1959–1963).


The beautiful, headstrong young daughter of a prosperous North Fork rancher is found murdered, and Lucas helps solve the mystery with a simple clue of a half-smoked cigar.