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Face of Yesterday
Episode 95
Writer: Palmer Thompson
Director: Joseph H. Lewis
Original Air Date 01/31/1961

Cast

Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain

Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain

Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance



Guest Cast
John Anderson as Hank Clay
John Anderson

John Anderson was an American actor who had a prolific career in both film and television spanning four decades.  He appeared in over 500 roles in film and television, frequently appearing in recurring roles, including in "The Twilight Zone" (1959–1964).  Anderson is perhaps best remembered for his television role as Harry Jackson, MacGyver's grandfather, in the popular Richard Dean Anderson series.  Anderson portrayed President Abraham Lincoln twice, in "The Lincoln Conspiracy" (1977) and in the series "The Voyagers!" (1980), and he portrayed President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1979 mini-series "Backstairs at the White House."  Among his many film roles, he appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 classic horror film, "Psycho," Sam Peckinpah's 1962 iconic western, "Ride the High Country," John Sturges's 1965 western spoof, "The Hallelujah Trail," and John Sayles' 1988 chronicles of baseball's 1919 World Series scandal, "Eight Men Out."  Anderson also co-starred with Chuck Connors in the 1962 film, "Geronimo."

Anderson made eleven guest appearances in all five seasons of THE RIFLEMAN, playing a different character in each episode.  He portrayed Owny in "The Retired Gun" (episode 17), Chet Packard in "Shivaree" (episode 19), Eli Flack in "The Hawk" (episode 29), Sully Hobbs in "The Patsy" (episode 41) , Cass Callicott in "Day of the Hunter" (episode 55), Jess in "Mail Order Groom" (episode 56), John Beaumont in "Shotgun Man" (episode 69), Hank Clay in "Face of Yesterday" (episode 95), Will Temple in "The Journey Back" (episode 115), John Gangling in "Incident At Line Shack Six" (episode 156), and Sam Gibbs in "Old Man Running" (episode 166).

Ben Cooper as Simon Lee
Ben Cooper as Simon Lee

Ben Cooper is an American television and film actor who has appeared in 80 movies and television shows during a 45-year career.  He has been a versatile actor, guest-starring in a variety of genres, including Rod Serling's sci-fi thriller "Twilight Zone" (1959–1964); the war drama "Combat!" (1962–1967), starring Vic Morrow; the iconic crime drama "Perry Mason" (1957–1966); starring Raymond Burr, and the Claude Akins comedy series "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo" (1979–1981), in which he had a recurring role as Waverly.

Cooper has appeared in several films, playing Turkey Ralston in the Joan Crawford western "Johnny Guitar" (1954), and Seaman Jack Hunter in the romantic drama "The Rose Tattoo" (1955), starring Burt Lancaster.  He played the leading character, Harold Norton, in the crime thriller "A Strange Adventure" (1956) and Bill "Kid" Carter in the western "Gun Fight at Comanche Creek" (1963).

Cooper guest-starred in one episode of THE RIFLEMAN, portraying Simon Lee in "Face of Yesterday" (episode 95).  He has made guest appearances in numerous other westerns, including "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957–1962), "Wagon Train" (1957–1965), "Bonanza" (1959–1973), "Laramie" (1959–1963), "Rawhide" (1959–1966), starring Clint Eastwood, "Gunsmoke" (1955–1975) and "The Virginian" (1962–1971).  In 2005, Cooper received the Golden Boot award for his significant contributions to the western genre.

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.

K. T. Stevens as Nancy Clay

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).

Joan Taylor as Milly Scott, Owner of the General Store
Joan Taylor as Milly Scott, Owner of the General S

Joan Taylor was an American actress born to a family in the entertainment business.  Her mother, Amelia Berky, was a vaudeville dancer and singer in the 1920s.  Her father operated a movie theater, which inspired in her an abiding interest in the movies from an early age.  Taylor came to Hollywood in 1946 and worked on the stage at the Pasadena Playhouse for four years.  Discovered by Victor Jory when she played Regina in "Another Part of the Forest," she was contracted to Paramount Studios where she appeared in several Western pictures.  She guest-starred in numerous television series in the 1950s and early 60s, retiring from acting in 1962.

Taylor appeared in 18 episodes of THE RIFLEMAN between 1960 and 1962, playing Milly Scott, Owner of the General Store, which she bought from Hattie Denton.  An attractive young woman who figured as a love interest for Lucas McCain, her character was introduced in "Miss Milly" (episode 84).


Lucas thinks he has seen a ghost when a young man challenges him to a gunfight.  The shock elicits a memory in Lucas' mind about a tragic episode of the Civil War when he was a Northern soldier, and he had to face and kill a confederate who looked exactly like the young gunman.  When Lucas learns that the gunman is, in fact, the son of the Confederate soldier, he goes to see the boy's mother and finds himself thrust into a life and death situation.