Earlier today, we reported that CBS wants to revive the classic Western series, The Rifleman. They’ve signed Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier to a script deal and Harry Potter director Chris Columbus is on board to direct the pilot episode if the project gets that far.
As fans of the old ABC TV series know, the original Western is set in New Mexico and stars former pro-baseball player Chuck Connors as tough rancher named Lucas McCain. A widower, he’s a single dad to his only son, Mark (Johnny Crawford). Lucas is also a crack shot with a Winchester rifle but uses it only when necessary.
Connors died from lung cancer in 1992 but Crawford is still active in the industry. He continued to act when the show went off the air in 1963 and currently focuses on music. He’s a singer and leads the California-based Johnny Crawford Orchestra which specializes in vintage dance music.
Crawford tells us that he finds the possibility of a new Rifleman series “intriguing.” We asked if he’d be interested in being connected with a new show in some way and Crawford said, “I would love to be involved as an actor, director or music supervisor. I’ve always loved Westerns and I loved working on the original series.” He noted, “It was a great childhood.”
Crawford kept in touch with Connors up until the latter’s demise. They actually reprised their beloved roles not long before Connors died, in a 1991 Kenny Rogers TV movie called The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.
What do you think? If the new Rifleman series gets made, would you like to see Crawford involved somehow? In a cameo role or something more permanent?
YES we would love to see Johnny in a new Rifleman Series- He woukd be GREART. He could continue on as the adult Mark or reprise his on screen fathers Role- Chur=ck Connors old role. in any event He sould be involved-absolutely.
will be looking for a new Rifleman with Johnny!!
I have been in on a face to face conversation with Johnny about “going back to Northfork”. He has said many times he would like to be involved in some way with a revival of the show or a revisit years later. It would only make sense that “Mark” would continue to be the upstanding citizen that Lucas taught him to be, no matter what his position in the town would be…even if he continued to ranch and taught music…he was a pretty good young singer then too! We all know there will never be anyone to replace Chuck Connors… Read more »
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE RIFLEMAN AND JOHNNY CRAWFORD.. I STILL WATCH THOSE SHOWS ON AMC CHANNEL HERE IN DOVER. AND MY KIDS ALSO WATCH THEM AND ENJOY THEM AS WELL AS MY GRANDKIDS. PLUS I BOUGHT THEM ALL.. I JUST LOVE THAT SHOW, SO PLEASE DO A REAL GOOD JOB ON IT THEN.. BUT PLEASE KEEP JOHNNY CRAWFORD IN IT. AND PICK THE RIGHT STARS FOR THE ROWS. IT WILL TAKE A SPECIAL PERSON TO FILL CHUCK CONNERS SHOES.. SO GOOD LUCK. WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IT.
I THINK CRAWFORD SHOULD BE THE WIDOWED FATHER RAISING HIS OWN SON IN THE SAME HOUSE HE AND HIS DAD LIVED IN..RANCHING ON THE SAME LAND. THE END OF THE SHOW STAYS THE SAME WITH A WARM LIFE LESSON..PERHAPS CRAWFORD ADDING A LESSON HE LEARNED FROM HIS OWN PA…SHARING IT WITH HIS SON.
I think it would be great to remake the Rifleman and the have Johnny Crawford in it. I think there are many part in which Johnny could fill in a updated remake series. I know I would watch it.
I would love to see Johnny involved with the new Rifleman. I would wish that he had a permanent part. I still DVR the Rifleman and watch everyone I record. I love that show and always have. It brings back such great memories to see Johnny as Mark McCain. I loved his character on that show. Though they are trying to revive the show there will never be another Chuck Conners or Johnny Crawford.
Sincerely,
Dave Broyles
Facebook friend of Johnny Crawford 🙂
I think it would be pretty cool, to see what they could do with the Rifleman, it of course would be different, different times. It would be nice to have Johny involved somehow, awesome idea, give it a chance people. the original show will always be in our hearts, and memories.
I have an enduring devotion to “The Rifleman.” There is no better story ever told. However, the difficulty inherent in reboots, remakes, rehash is that, good or bad, or no matter who is portrayed in them is that they instantly render the original as a step-child, forever condemned to the realm of comparison. Hollywood, please honor your classics as such, and seek out fresh original plots. There are other stories waiting to be told. The legacy of classics deserves not to be obscured by reproduction driven by creative phobia and financial formulas. They may try, but “The Rifleman” cannot really… Read more »
It would be great to revisit The Rifleman. One of my favorite shows from my youth. Johnny would be a nice fit in the show as well.
I would love to see the series revived, but it would be hard to replace Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford. There is one actor I’ve seen recently, however, who looks a lot like Chuck Connors – he is Jacob Young, who played JR in All My Children.
Hawaii 5-0 revival workins, so why not “The Rifleman?”
YES!!! I think Johnny would be wonderful in it!! Great idea Tony of “Mark” being the Marshall!!!
i would love to see Johnny in it as a permanent character…It would just seem right to have him in it!!!
Johnny is a great guy and a great actor. Any association with the new show (especially in a permanent way) would be great for it…He’s also, probably, the only living link to the old show; and think of all of the “corporate knowledge” he has that would help the current producer, director, etc.
I couldn’t agree more Dave, who else could contribute and add more realism to the series than the star of the original?. I think it would be great to have Mark married with a son of his own and continue the legacy his Pa started in Northfork. I’m excited just thinking about it!
I love the idea of Mark being married with his own son. He could use all his knowledge his Pa taught him and pass it on to his own son. I still watch The Rifleman and remember having a crush on Mark when I was young. It’s a better show than some of the ones on tv now. Please do bring it back.
NO ONE CAN take the place of the rifleman with chuck conners he was one of a kind stop the reboot of this show i have the the rifleman on dvd from canada
If the show does materialize, Johnny now older, would be perfect in the role of the Marshall ? Dunno who in this world could fit in Chucks shoes, It’s a role nobody today can fit into, maybe David Hasselhoff???
I would LOVE to see Johnny Crawford on the new Rifleman. It would be great if he played a father with a son named Lucas. He’d me a great marshall too.
EPIC FAIL. PLEASE STOP WITH THE REBOOTS.