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The Pitchmen
Episode 80
Writer: Jay Simms
Director: John Rich
Original Air Date 10/18/1960

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
John Milford as Marsh Watson
John Milford

John Milford was an American actor, whose long career, primarily in television, included more than 164 acting roles spanning five decades.  His first big break came with an uncredited appearance in the 1956 Oscar awarding winning film "Marty," starring Ernest Borgnine.  Milford appeared in every television genre, from crime dramas, including "The F.B.I." (1965–1974) and "Mannix" (1967–1975), among many others, to sci-fi adventures, including "The Six Million Dollar Man" (1974–1978) and its spin-off "The Bionic Woman" (1976–1978).  He appeared in many of the most popular series of their eras, including the sci-fi thriller "The Invaders" (1967–1968), sci-fi mini-series "The Planet of the Apes (1974), the family dramas "Little House on the Prairie" (1974–1983) and "Highway to Heaven" (1984–1989), and the sci-fi mystery "The X-Files" (1993–2002).

Milford played recurring roles in several series, including Ike Clanton for one season in "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961), Sgt. Kagey in "The Lieutenant" (1963–1964), Lt. Paul Hewitt in "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers" (1969–1972), and a co-starring role as Captain Dempsey in the action comedy "Enos" (1980–1981).  In addition to the Wyatt Earp series, Milford appeared in many of the most popular western series of the 1950s through '70s, including "Bonanza" (1959–1973), "The Virginian" (1962–1971) and "The Big Valley" (1965–1969).

John Milford made eleven appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Ross Porter in "The Blowout" (episode 43), Dub in "The Coward" (episode 53), Jonas Winters in "The Horsetraders" (episode 60), Bro Hadley in "A Time for Singing" (episode 64), Morgan in "Meeting at Midnight" (episode 74), Marsh Watson in "The Pitchman" (episode 80), Hadley in "Baranca" (episode 82), Jack Solby in "Dark Day at North Fork" (episode 100), Reade in "The Clarence Bibs Story" (episode 104), Jess Grady in "The Journey Back" (episode 115) and Lt. Price in "The Assailants" (episode 149).  Milford also appeared in two episodes of THE RIFLEMAN spin-off "Law of the Plainsman" (1959–1960).

Milford ran the Chamber Theatre on Cahuenga Blvd. West in Hollywood, where he helped many young actors get a start in the entertainment industry.  He is also credited with the original design for the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Danny Richards, Jr. as Swift Sullivan

Danny Richards is an American film and television actor.  He has appeared in nearly 30 movies and television shows in just over a decade.  He has guest-starred in a few popular shows, including the classic family comedy of the 1950s, "Leave It to Beaver" (1957–1963).  He also had a recurring role as Franklin Sanders in the short-lived drama "Willy" (1954–1955).  Richards made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Swifty Sullivan in "The Pitchman" (episode 80) and reprising that role in "Assault" (episode 102).

Bob Sweeney as Speed Sullivan

Bob Sweeney was an American film and television actor who also had a prolific career as a producer and director.  He appeared in more than 30 movies and television shows during a career spanning 30 years.  He graduated from San Francisco State College, then began working in radio as an announcer and comedian.  He is known for having lent his voice to the "Sweeney and March Show" (1944–1948), in which he co-starred with Hal March on CBS radio.

Sweeney produced or directed many popular television shows of the 1960s, 70s and early 80s, primarily comedies, including "The Patty Duke Show" (1963–1966), the first three seasons of the family comedy "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960–1968), the war comedy "Hogan's Heroes" (1965–1971), "The Doris Show" (1968–1972), the Marlo Thomas comedy "That Girl" (1966–1971) and several Aaron Spelling series, including "Fantasy Island" (1977–1984), "The Love Boat" (1977–1986) and "Dynasty" (1981–1989).  He also worked on several hit dramatic series, including the medical drama "Trapper John M.D." (1979–1986) and the crime drama "Hawaii 5–0" (1968–1980).

Sweeney had a few roles in memorable films, including Johnny Degnan in the drama "The Last Hurrah" (1958), starring Spencer Tracy and Pat O'Brien; Cousin Bob in the Alfred Hitchcock mystery drama "Marnie" (1964), starring Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, Diane Baker and Martin Gabel; and a minor part in the drama "A Raisin in the Sun" (1961), starring Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee.  He made multiple appearances in "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" (1950–1958), and also guest-starred in the family comedy "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" (1952–1966) and the suspense anthology series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955–1962), among many other shows.  He also had recurring roles playing Oliver Munsey in the family comedy "Our Miss Brooks" (1952–1956) and Gilly Box in the sitcom "Brothers" (1984–1989).  He also played the lead in his own comedy shows, "The Brothers" (1956–1957), co-starring Gale Gordon and Barbara Billingsly, and the title role in "Fibber McGee and Molly" (1959–1960), co-starring Cathy Lewis and Paul Smith.  Sweeney made two appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Speed Sullivan in "The Pitchman" (episode 80) and "Assault" (episode 102).

Paul Wexler as Cleek Watson

Paul Wexler was an American character actor of film and television who appeared in 60 movies and television shows during his 30-year career.  Tall and physically imposing, with a deep baritone voice, he was well-suited to play sinister characters and villains.  He made his film debut in the Bowery Boys comedy "Feudin' Fools" (1952), and his most notable film roles were Deputy Sheriff Slim Adams in the film noir thriller "Suddenly" (1954), starring Frank Sinatra and Hayden Sterling, and the arch villain Captain Seas in the adventure film "Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze" (1975), starring Ron Ely.  Most of his other film roles were minor, including an uncredited role in the Cecile B. DeMille Bible epic "The Ten Commandments" (1956), starring an all-star ensemble cast led by Charlton Heston; one of the voices in the Disney animated feature "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" (1961), starring Rod Taylor, Betty Lou Gerson and J. Pat O'Malley in the leading roles; and an uncredited role in the western "The Way West" (1967), starring Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark.

Wexler guest-starred in some of the most popular television shows of the 1950s through the 70s, including the long-running family drama "Lassie" (1954–1974), the Buck Henry spy spoof "Get Smart" (1965–1970), the police drama "Police Woman" (1974–1978) and the Aaron Spelling detective series "Charlie's Angels" (1976–1981).  Wexler made four appearances in THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Cleek Watson in "The Pitchman" (episode 80), Les Foster in "The Queue" (episode 110), Harris in "Sheer Terror" (episode 113) and Joe Weiden in "Outlaw's Shoes" (episode 141).  He guest-starred in several other popular westerns, including "Death Valley Days" (1952–1975), hosted by Robert Taylor, "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958–1961), starring Steve McQueen, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955–1961), starring Hugh O'Brian, "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957–1962), starring Dale Robertson, "The Guns of Will Sonnett" (1967–1969), starring Walter Brennan and Dack Rambo, and "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975), starring James Arness.


A fast-talking con man and his teenage son try to deal Lucas out of the mineral rights to his ranch.  The joke's on them, however, when they find that the gold they thought was on the property is "fool's gold" instead.