The Rifleman was a quality show. The chemistry between Johnny Crawford and Chuck Connors was so realistic that they truly seemed like father and son. Johnny Crawford was an excellent and so incredibly believable and talented actor not to mention an extremely good singer as well. He never got the acknowledgment that he should have which to me is truly a shame. While the Rifleman was only a half hour show, the story lines and lessons learned were excellent. Too bad there aren't simple yet quality shows like this on the air so that older and younger people alike could both learn how to deal with their feelings and each other. The world might just be a better and kinder place.
I read that the father/son relationship wasn't just on the set, the close relationship on the set was also similar in real life. I read a story (sorry, source may have been an interview with JC or CC), that Johnny would often spend time with Chuck and his family (3 sons, if I remember correctly), even a number of camping trips. Johnny took Chuck's death very hard :( He was a great "kid" actor and I think still performing music : facebook.com/actorjohnnycrawford/
Panic is right. The early shows of the 50,60s, were a lot more tolerable to watch if for no other reason but that thair clean. Most of shows on now are full of to much ego, dirty language, boring plots, and lousy acting. Except for child actors they can"t be lousy.
My wife and I met Mr. Crawford and his lovely wife ( his childhood sweetheart ) at the Lone Pine Western Film Festival. Both of them are lovely people.
He was so good on The Rifleman, I remember one particular episode where Mark was repulsed by his father's rifle and he didn't want to go near it because in the opening scene one of his friends was accidentally killed by it when another friend picked it up and shot him. Mark had such anguish in this episode and at the end he saved the day. Try and find that episode.
The first season of The Rifleman was the best - Crawford was young looking enough to really convincingly look up to his dad, yet experienced enough as an actor to expertly play the role.
"Mark" was my first crush, before Paul McCartney, and " The Rifleman" was my inspiration to head to Arizona, in 1979. Rest in Peace, Johnny Crawford, you were a fine lad, on the screen and in real life.🙏
I have all the seasons of Rifleman and watch them still. The relationship between Father and Son was so beautiful. They have a FAITH series that I have very good. Rifleman wasn't just your typical western there were lessons of real life on them with integrity, passion, truth. Loved Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford was a wonderful actor and his voice was even better.
Jonny was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s at the time of the interview. Jim Longworth obviously knew this and helped Johnny along. I think he did an excellent job and helped Johnny along and made him look great.
I think he played a sincere and vulnerable and loving kid so well because that's what he is. (This interviewer really takes a double bogie when he discusses the Playboy).
It seems that in this interview Johnny was in the very early stages of "Alzheimer's Disease"? In any case I wasn't born when *The Rifleman* was aired but I did watch the reruns and just recently started watching the reruns this month *December 2020* . It surpasses by the far the *Crappy Reality Shows* that soil the TV screens today. *Johnny was a cute boy and still a cute man today* . He has kept his *Boyish Charm* .
How lovely to hear Johnny talk about his career. He has lost none of his charm and humility over the years. Too bad Longworth keeps interrupting, though. His impatience is irritating to the viewer and disrespectful to his subject.
Thank you for sharing this Jim. With all respect sir, I truly hope you learned from rewatching this, you interrupted him countless times & worse, constantly commandeered the interview. it genuinely seems less an interview & more a 'self promotion' demo reel sir. For what it's worth, I too suffer from the exact same problem in everyday conversation, so I know how difficult it can be to bite your tongue, but please, if you care about the quality of ur content & professionalism, please, work on actually letting your guests provide the dialogue & you provide the forum. 😝
I met Johnny Crawford last year (2017) at the Kanab, Utah Western Stars Roundup and it was a big thrill. Been a fan of The Rifleman series going back to the late 50s when I was just a couple of years younger than Johnny was at the time. Now both of us are much older, he in his early 70s and I hit 69 in July. I watch the show everyday on MeTV as I walk the treadmill at my local YMCA. Admittedly, both of us have slowed down a tad. But I don't think either of us are complaining.
JOHNNY CRAWFORD I LOVE YOUR VOICE YOU HAVE AMAZING TALENT YOU WHERE CUTE WHEN YOU WHERE LITTLE I ALSO LOVE WESTERN I LIKE THE RIFLEMAN YOU AS MARK MCCAIN AND CHUCK CONNORS
@@grantross2609 I kind of think that was probably a suggestion from his agent so as not to get stereotyped but I agree that it didn’t help any in the long run.
Unhfortunately, his acting career never really took off. I suspect there were (are) specific reasons for that. But he seems rather well with his music career as a composer and orchestra leader.
I loved the rifleman BUT I kinda wish the writers had a story that continues into each episode. Like today. The rifleman's storyline for an episode will start a script and end it in that episode and by the next episode we won't ever see the actors from the past episodes.
me & my adventures .....a couple yrs ago I would go riding a bike w/ my late friend Eric he asked me if i' d go to his girlfriends place w/ him. I said to him I would if his girl would,nt get upset that I hang w/ him he assured me she was cool & after they spent time together talking while I sat enjoying the moonlight he & her came to speak w/ me we were talking about our favorite childhood shows & I said my favorite or at least one of them was the Rifelman & I almost couldn,t believe it that Eric,s girl was Chuck Cornnors cousin. distant but cousim nevertheless. small world. I knew she was,t making it up because she really resembles him freak me out
Wm Wardwell i have always been a big fan of Johnny, but when i seen this interview i could not believe it was him. he looks ill. so thin, and pail. the hat is almost to big for his head. i can not get over how he looks. i wonder if his brother Bobby is still living.
Did you hear that? Oh, that was my entire perception of Johnny Crawford crashing to the floor..in a good way. :) *I have only known of J.C. in the series "The Rifleman" and to learn about him, his life after the show...I'm just so, blown away by all that he has become, how he has evolved and how he has succeeded since he was the o'r the top, super-sweet son' co-star on that wildly popular cowboy/western show and I swear I didn't know of anything about him, but who he was when he was playing Mark. I've watched every episode and really enjoyed Mark's role, I thought him very good. Could even make me cry..I know, silly! :) Really, I am happy to have stumbled onto this channel and I thank you for this informative short interview/bio on Johnny Crawford. Appreciated in Michigan :) Kim M.
