The Rifleman (1958)
A classic American Western following widowed rancher Lucas McCain and his son Mark as they navigate justice and frontier life in 1880s New Mexico.
The Rifleman - Series Information
- Original Title: The Rifleman
- First Air Year: 1958
- Last Air Year: 1963
- Created by: Sam Peckinpah
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Western, Family
- Content Rating (US): TV-PG
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (30 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 5
- Number of Episodes: 168
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- First Air Date: September 30, 1958 (United States - TV-PG), September 30, 1958 (Canada - PG), September 30, 1958 (Germany - 12), September 30, 1958 (France - 12), September 30, 1958 (Australia - PG), September 30, 1958 (Spain - 13)
- Networks: ABC
- Production Companies: Four Stars Productions
- Production Countries: United States of America
The Rifleman - Plot
The Rifleman is an American Western television program starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son, Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show was filmed in black-and-white, half-hour episodes. "The Rifleman" aired on ABC from September 30, 1958 to April 8, 1963 as a production of Four Star Television. It was one of the first prime time series to have a widowed parent raise a child.
The Rifleman - Trailer
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The Rifleman - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Sam Peckinpah
Main Cast
- Chuck Connors
- Johnny Crawford
- Paul Fix
- Joe Higgins
- Bill Quinn
- John Milford
- Harlan Warde
- Chris Alcaide
- John Anderson
- Peter Whitney
Writers
- Cyril Hume
- Ed Adamson
- Sam Peckinpah
- George W. George
- Robert Culp
The Rifleman - FAQs
Where can you stream The Rifleman today?
The Rifleman is available on multiple streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, fuboTV, Philo, and Pure Flix via subscription. Free ad-supported options include Tubi TV, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Plex, and Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, making it widely accessible.
Was The Rifleman one of television's first single-parent shows?
Yes. The Rifleman was among the first prime-time series to center on a widowed parent raising a child alone. Lucas McCain's role as a devoted single father to young Mark was groundbreaking for late-1950s television and gave the show a distinctive emotional depth beyond the standard Western format.
Who are the main actors in The Rifleman?
The series stars Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. Supporting cast includes Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance, Joe Higgins as Nils Swenson, Bill Quinn as Frank Sweeney, and John Milford, Harlan Warde, Chris Alcaide, John Anderson, and Peter Whitney.
Who created The Rifleman TV series?
The Rifleman was created by Sam Peckinpah, who would later become one of Hollywood's most celebrated directors. Peckinpah developed the concept and wrote several early episodes, establishing the show's tone of moral complexity and frontier justice before departing the production.
How many seasons and episodes does The Rifleman have?
The Rifleman ran for 5 seasons and 168 episodes in total. Season 1 had 40 episodes, Season 2 had 36, Season 3 had 34, Season 4 had 32, and Season 5 had 26. The series aired on ABC from September 30, 1958 to April 8, 1963.
Is The Rifleman based on a true story?
No, The Rifleman is a fictional drama. The characters of Lucas and Mark McCain are original creations by Sam Peckinpah. However, the show is set against the historically authentic backdrop of the New Mexico Territory in the 1880s, grounding its stories in the real social and cultural landscape of the American frontier.
What is The Rifleman TV series about?
The Rifleman follows Lucas McCain, a widowed rancher and expert marksman raising his young son Mark in the frontier town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory during the 1880s. Each episode blends Western action with father-son drama, exploring themes of justice, integrity, and moral responsibility on the American frontier.
What is the content rating for The Rifleman?
The Rifleman carries a TV-PG content rating, reflecting its family-friendly approach to Western storytelling. While the show features gunfights and frontier violence typical of the genre, its focus on fatherhood, moral values, and community makes it appropriate viewing for families and younger audiences.
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