this opening is great, but I liked the original just as well, they are both good. whenever I see this show, I think about how I read that nakita kruschov, in his first visit to the U.S., all he wanted to do was meet chuck conners, and I think chuck gave him a cowboy hat. forget about kennedy, forget about nuclear politics, I wanna meet the Rifleman! (and marilyn monroe)
they could remake this show, I wish they would. put in AMC and this time no cheap sets with fake backgrounds
~Fuck CBS and stupid ass Hollywood.They can't leave original's alone.They are clearly running out of ideas so they go after the classics.Chuck Connors will always be the one and only Lucas McCain in The Rifleman.They should release all 1958-1963 The Rifleman 169 episodes on DVD in order or better yet,remaster them and release them on Blu-ray.
@Newtamaki Not only do they go after the classics, they end up screwing up the classics! I would rather see the disasters of their own devising rather than jack up classics. In fact, I would rather watch a classic than the train wrecks that they put on the air (namely reality shows)!
like another poster here said, he only used his gun if he had to.Just saw one tonight where his son thought they should shoot this deer, and he says no cause it will spoil before we get it back, and his son says right, only shoot what you need, what you can eat, and the father not only says yes, but he says yes, and DON"T YOU FORGET IT!"
that's what I like about this show. conservative values. guns are a tool and in of themselves don't cause violence. yes this isn't the old west anymore but...
Well, we can see that...now...it's nearly 50 years later. At the time, Chuck had sensible reasons not to come back. He'd been Lucas through all those episodes and long hours on the set ruined his marriage. He was probably getting a little (or more than a little) tired of the role. Johnny was becoming less and less believable as Lucas' naive, innocent, devoted son..and Connors wanted the show to "go out still on top"...these are just a few reasons I've heard. There were others, as well.
Some of you aren't old enough to appreciate what 'The Rifleman's moral is about.He was a man who 'carried' a rifle & knew how to use it when phycally threatened by others who had guns-then & only then did he use it.He usually tried first to solve problems with verbal communication,if threatened he resorted to his rifle to make his point clear.The title of the program is somewhat misleading-he was a man of value & morals,did not want to kill, but would,to protect his property & above all-his son!
Lucas is NOT supposed to look menacing-hes a single father caring for his son and property.He stands for what is right and wrong and teaches his son that. Why does the opening have to look like hes a gun toting badass that will shoot anyone that stands in his way for what he feels is right and just? All the eariler episodes has him doing whats right, standing up for whats right-not shooting them down cuz they disagree with him!.this opening to me says-I will shoot first and ask questions later.
@peguinetoes i agree that the opening gives the wrong impression of the show which is about a single father and his young son, i love this show and watch it on reruns everyday on MeTV!
@clergame Thumbs up....here, and in the video rating. I totally agree, except for the "blowing into the unloaded chamber" bit...Cool, but like another poster mentioned, a little on the almost-tacky side. This was one great opening, and every time I see a Season Five episode without it, I wish it had been left there and not plastered over.
@poughkeepsiejohn1 Are you sure this was ever used in the 5th season it looks like the opener in the 4 star theater pilot that they scrapped blowing into the gun was a little tacky
Good post.I always liked this 5th opener.It gives off a real sense of danger.It pretty much disappeared after the series was refurbished for the DVD era, not seen when the series thankfully reappeared on the Encore Channel a few years ago or since.The same thing seems to have happened with Get Smart.
You're absolutely right. According to Patricia Blair (Lou Mallory on the show), she, Johnny, Paul, and the rest of the regular cast had all signed on for another year...then Chuck didn't want another year. The ratings weren't the best, but ABC was struggling and needed any kind of hit they could get. Four Star Productions was going to film the next (1963-64) season in color, and ABC would have let the show have an entire hour....but I guess Chuck figured, "Enough is enough"....
@cansecofan Reruns of both "The Rifleman" and "Branded" are airing on MeTV. Check with your cable company to find out if it is available in your area. I myself get MeTV on ch. 308.
@DavelovesRealMusic I wish I knew....I mean, "Gunsmoke" and "The Big Valley" had more than one opening and these shows got to keep all the changed openings...seems like Gunsmoke had a new one every year after 1960, and yet all these got kept in syndication.
I guess it was easier for Four Star to just take out all the sponsor tags, plaster the same opening on every show, and just leave it at that...but I really wish they could've kept the 1962-63 one (less sponsor tags). It was so awesome.
@WonderWomanFan4life I have looked everywher.I do not think anyone owns it..the Dvds were released by MPI and they said they do not have the films so they will nlot be releasing a box set of the complete series--so right now..it doesnt seem to be owned by anyone...last resort is contacting AMC they show edited versions on Sat mornings.
well son you best hop on that pony and ride it to the finish line. as my Granma used to say MAKE HASTE!!I hope you get it done quickly. if you need my help just email me. thanks for the info. I loved the Rifle mand and that sexy MARK Mccain when I was 5 years old I thought he was the CATS meeeeeow!! my first crush
@WonderWomanFan4life Hi,,will do what I can lol...If someone is interested my version would be of the first season style..very intense, violent..not for family viewing....I dont want a wimpy family friendly Rifleman..I want the old Sam Peckinpah..an eye for an eye Rifleman....Mark would be more active..less a bystander.
@westpoint64 Four Star made the same mistake with another one of their series,THE DETECTIVES. They lopped off the dynamic 1st and 2nd Season opening sequence , with Robert Taylor and his men shooting on the firing range, and placed the lame , jazzed-up 3rd season opener on the 1st and second season shows, changing the name to "CAPTAIN OF DETECTIVES" . Stupid move. Even stupider: They won't release "THE DETECTIVES" on DVD !!!
@williamg2552 It wasnt the firing range it was a simulator shooting blanks at a screen shoot dont shoot training they have to make a descision whether to shot or not they could have a movie of a child aiming a toy gun at them
This later opening is even nastier than the original early seasons opening that is the only one played and what most people know from the syndication reruns. The Four Star westerns like The Rifleman and The Big Valley et also had killer music during the episodes. Taut, tense and which added much tension, atmosphere and suspense to the already great stories.
~Wow,this intro is actually a lot better than the first one.
Lucas walks into the light out of the darkness and fires what appears to be 12 shots from his 1892 44.40 Repeater Rifle.Too awesome.Thank You for the upload.The quality of the video is pretty decent for old late 1950's footage.
@Newtamaki Yeah, it's a pretty intense opening, huh? In its own way, it sort of reminds me of the beginning of Gunsmoke or Have Gun, Will Travel. Really gets your attention, alright! You're right, the quality of the footage is pretty good. It's from the 1962-63 television season, the last season the show ran on ABC.
~I see.It would of had another season or a few more episodes because apparently they were going to start shooting new episodes in color,not black and white anymore but Chuck Connor's pulled out of the project and went on to star in a few films during those years.Still,all those Rifleman episode from 1958-1963 were fantastic.I've seen all of them and I buy them on DVD and I actually bought a book of Chuck Connors called ''THE RIFLEMAN'' which talks about Chuck and this show.
@Newtamaki I agree that it's better. I know they only used it for one season (the last) but I honestly don't know why it got plastered over so completely. Apparently there were a few episodes from '62 that hadn't been plastered over but they were a few years back. Why?
YOU WANT SOME OF THIS!!!
W44F 2 months ago
@W44F I know. That's the look he gives at the end.
hanoc101 2 weeks ago
This is like the film-noir version of the song!
johnnynoirman 2 months ago
That's some badass dude!
k4nbc 2 months ago
this opening is great, but I liked the original just as well, they are both good. whenever I see this show, I think about how I read that nakita kruschov, in his first visit to the U.S., all he wanted to do was meet chuck conners, and I think chuck gave him a cowboy hat. forget about kennedy, forget about nuclear politics, I wanna meet the Rifleman! (and marilyn monroe)
they could remake this show, I wish they would. put in AMC and this time no cheap sets with fake backgrounds
fredgarv79 3 months ago
@fredgarv79 A remake is on the way. It will be on CBS.
williamg2552 2 months ago
@williamg2552
~Fuck CBS and stupid ass Hollywood.They can't leave original's alone.They are clearly running out of ideas so they go after the classics.Chuck Connors will always be the one and only Lucas McCain in The Rifleman.They should release all 1958-1963 The Rifleman 169 episodes on DVD in order or better yet,remaster them and release them on Blu-ray.
Remaking an awesome series?fuck that.
Newtamaki 2 months ago 2
@Newtamaki Not only do they go after the classics, they end up screwing up the classics! I would rather see the disasters of their own devising rather than jack up classics. In fact, I would rather watch a classic than the train wrecks that they put on the air (namely reality shows)!
MrMarksdaddy 2 months ago 2
like another poster here said, he only used his gun if he had to.Just saw one tonight where his son thought they should shoot this deer, and he says no cause it will spoil before we get it back, and his son says right, only shoot what you need, what you can eat, and the father not only says yes, but he says yes, and DON"T YOU FORGET IT!"
that's what I like about this show. conservative values. guns are a tool and in of themselves don't cause violence. yes this isn't the old west anymore but...
fredgarv79 3 months ago
Well, we can see that...now...it's nearly 50 years later. At the time, Chuck had sensible reasons not to come back. He'd been Lucas through all those episodes and long hours on the set ruined his marriage. He was probably getting a little (or more than a little) tired of the role. Johnny was becoming less and less believable as Lucas' naive, innocent, devoted son..and Connors wanted the show to "go out still on top"...these are just a few reasons I've heard. There were others, as well.
westpoint64 3 months ago
Some of you aren't old enough to appreciate what 'The Rifleman's moral is about.He was a man who 'carried' a rifle & knew how to use it when phycally threatened by others who had guns-then & only then did he use it.He usually tried first to solve problems with verbal communication,if threatened he resorted to his rifle to make his point clear.The title of the program is somewhat misleading-he was a man of value & morals,did not want to kill, but would,to protect his property & above all-his son!
peguinetoes 3 months ago
Lucas is NOT supposed to look menacing-hes a single father caring for his son and property.He stands for what is right and wrong and teaches his son that. Why does the opening have to look like hes a gun toting badass that will shoot anyone that stands in his way for what he feels is right and just? All the eariler episodes has him doing whats right, standing up for whats right-not shooting them down cuz they disagree with him!.this opening to me says-I will shoot first and ask questions later.
peguinetoes 3 months ago
Comment removed
10skylark 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@peguinetoes i agree that the opening gives the wrong impression of the show which is about a single father and his young son, i love this show and watch it on reruns everyday on MeTV!
10skylark 3 months ago
Badass opening. Thumbs up if you agree!
clergame 3 months ago
@clergame Thumbs up....here, and in the video rating. I totally agree, except for the "blowing into the unloaded chamber" bit...Cool, but like another poster mentioned, a little on the almost-tacky side. This was one great opening, and every time I see a Season Five episode without it, I wish it had been left there and not plastered over.
westpoint64 3 months ago
at 0:09 is the menace theme that you usually hear when the rifleman is going to blow villians away
spacepatrolman 4 months ago
This version is better because it seems to have a more dark, noirish quality to it. And Chuck Connors looks more menacing, too.
poughkeepsiejohn1 4 months ago
@poughkeepsiejohn1 Are you sure this was ever used in the 5th season it looks like the opener in the 4 star theater pilot that they scrapped blowing into the gun was a little tacky
spacepatrolman 4 months ago
Good post.I always liked this 5th opener.It gives off a real sense of danger.It pretty much disappeared after the series was refurbished for the DVD era, not seen when the series thankfully reappeared on the Encore Channel a few years ago or since.The same thing seems to have happened with Get Smart.
imcdownsound 5 months ago
You're absolutely right. According to Patricia Blair (Lou Mallory on the show), she, Johnny, Paul, and the rest of the regular cast had all signed on for another year...then Chuck didn't want another year. The ratings weren't the best, but ABC was struggling and needed any kind of hit they could get. Four Star Productions was going to film the next (1963-64) season in color, and ABC would have let the show have an entire hour....but I guess Chuck figured, "Enough is enough"....
westpoint64 5 months ago
@westpoint64 Right and it was a bad decision. Chuck ended up doing Branded which was a flop.
cansecofan 3 months ago
@cansecofan Reruns of both "The Rifleman" and "Branded" are airing on MeTV. Check with your cable company to find out if it is available in your area. I myself get MeTV on ch. 308.
dagdogg 1 week ago
Chuck was bad ass!
herbiesnerd 5 months ago
Why isn't this version syndicated?
DavelovesRealMusic 6 months ago
@DavelovesRealMusic I wish I knew....I mean, "Gunsmoke" and "The Big Valley" had more than one opening and these shows got to keep all the changed openings...seems like Gunsmoke had a new one every year after 1960, and yet all these got kept in syndication.
I guess it was easier for Four Star to just take out all the sponsor tags, plaster the same opening on every show, and just leave it at that...but I really wish they could've kept the 1962-63 one (less sponsor tags). It was so awesome.
westpoint64 5 months ago
@westpoint64 Do you have any idea who currently owns the rights? I am interested in submitting a script for a movie based on the show....
DavelovesRealMusic 5 months ago
@DavelovesRealMusic
did you contact imdb or writers guild, screen actors guild ask them some questions i am sure they can point you in right direction
WonderWomanFan4life 5 months ago
@WonderWomanFan4life I have looked everywher.I do not think anyone owns it..the Dvds were released by MPI and they said they do not have the films so they will nlot be releasing a box set of the complete series--so right now..it doesnt seem to be owned by anyone...last resort is contacting AMC they show edited versions on Sat mornings.
DavelovesRealMusic 5 months ago
@DavelovesRealMusic
well son you best hop on that pony and ride it to the finish line. as my Granma used to say MAKE HASTE!!I hope you get it done quickly. if you need my help just email me. thanks for the info. I loved the Rifle mand and that sexy MARK Mccain when I was 5 years old I thought he was the CATS meeeeeow!! my first crush
WonderWomanFan4life 5 months ago
@WonderWomanFan4life Hi,,will do what I can lol...If someone is interested my version would be of the first season style..very intense, violent..not for family viewing....I dont want a wimpy family friendly Rifleman..I want the old Sam Peckinpah..an eye for an eye Rifleman....Mark would be more active..less a bystander.
DavelovesRealMusic 5 months ago
@DavelovesRealMusic what do you want mark to do play with the bodies like jeffrey dalmer
spacepatrolman 4 months ago
@westpoint64 Four Star made the same mistake with another one of their series,THE DETECTIVES. They lopped off the dynamic 1st and 2nd Season opening sequence , with Robert Taylor and his men shooting on the firing range, and placed the lame , jazzed-up 3rd season opener on the 1st and second season shows, changing the name to "CAPTAIN OF DETECTIVES" . Stupid move. Even stupider: They won't release "THE DETECTIVES" on DVD !!!
williamg2552 2 months ago
@williamg2552 It wasnt the firing range it was a simulator shooting blanks at a screen shoot dont shoot training they have to make a descision whether to shot or not they could have a movie of a child aiming a toy gun at them
spacepatrolman 2 days ago
@spacepatrolman That was in the second season. In the first season it was a firing range.
williamg2552 2 days ago
This later opening is even nastier than the original early seasons opening that is the only one played and what most people know from the syndication reruns. The Four Star westerns like The Rifleman and The Big Valley et also had killer music during the episodes. Taut, tense and which added much tension, atmosphere and suspense to the already great stories.
MisterMasterShafter1 6 months ago
"Lucas Boy was one bad mother"
"Hush yo mouth"
"Well I'm talkin' 'bout Lucas Boy"
Man he is kick ass bad!
2010metsfan 7 months ago
i got one word for that....daaaaaaaaaaamn:)
sexymama1966 10 months ago
~Wow,this intro is actually a lot better than the first one.
Lucas walks into the light out of the darkness and fires what appears to be 12 shots from his 1892 44.40 Repeater Rifle.Too awesome.Thank You for the upload.The quality of the video is pretty decent for old late 1950's footage.
Newtamaki 1 year ago
@Newtamaki Yeah, it's a pretty intense opening, huh? In its own way, it sort of reminds me of the beginning of Gunsmoke or Have Gun, Will Travel. Really gets your attention, alright! You're right, the quality of the footage is pretty good. It's from the 1962-63 television season, the last season the show ran on ABC.
westpoint64 7 months ago
@westpoint64
~I see.It would of had another season or a few more episodes because apparently they were going to start shooting new episodes in color,not black and white anymore but Chuck Connor's pulled out of the project and went on to star in a few films during those years.Still,all those Rifleman episode from 1958-1963 were fantastic.I've seen all of them and I buy them on DVD and I actually bought a book of Chuck Connors called ''THE RIFLEMAN'' which talks about Chuck and this show.
Newtamaki 7 months ago
@Newtamaki I'd like to get a copy of that book. Where did you find it?
2010metsfan 6 months ago
@2010metsfan
Amazon.com
Newtamaki 6 months ago
@Newtamaki I agree that it's better. I know they only used it for one season (the last) but I honestly don't know why it got plastered over so completely. Apparently there were a few episodes from '62 that hadn't been plastered over but they were a few years back. Why?
westpoint64 3 months ago