"THE RIFLEMAN" - BLOCKER TACKLED

'THE RIFLEMAN'
"The Sister"
Mark tries to set Lucas up with a pretty young woman he thinks would make a perfect wife for his Pa. Lucas soon finds himself contending with the two brothers of this young woman as well as some outlaws bent on killing him.
From "The Rifleman Episode Guide"

The strength of tele-genetics is not always a given; just because two characters look alike (due to the real world splainin of the same actor playing both roles), that doesn't mean that they have to be related.

I stated in a post a few days ago that Little Joe Cartwright and Will Fulton/Billy Mathis were father and son (although they never knew it), but that doesn't mean Hoss had to be the father of Peter Snipe from this episode of 'The Rifleman', even though Dan Blocker played both roles.

But Peter Snipe and Hoss Cartwright still could have been related. It's always pozz'ble, just pozz'ble, that the mother of Joshua, Rebecca, and Rhoda Snipe might have cheated on her husband with Gunnar Borgstrom, the brother of Ben Cartwright's second wife (as seen in the 'Bonanza' episode "The Last Viking".)

Gunnar Borgstrom

To me, it makes sense that the physical characteristics which made Hoss and Peter so... notable... would be passed down from all members of the Borgstrom family.

Also, Joshua Snipe may have gone on to become a Jesse James impersonator - not for any Wild West show, but to pursue a criminal career. (Why? Because that Jesse James who encountered the Martian Exigius 12½ in an episode of 'My Favorite Martian' in no way could have been the real deal! Especially since he was older than his "brother" Frank, also an imposter, when it should have been the other way around.)
BCnU!

"THE RIFLEMAN" - "NEW ORLEANS MENACE"

'THE RIFLEMAN'"New Orleans Menace"
A gambling czar, fleeing from New Orleans, stops at the McCain ranch with his following of bodyguards, henchmen and gamblers and decides to take the ranch off of Lucas’s hands.
From "The Rifleman Episode Guide List"

When Tiffauges was driven out of the Big Easy, it may have been Yancy Derringer who was the driving force.....

From Wikipedia:
Yancy Derringer is an American Western series that ran on CBS from 1958 to 1959, with Jock Mahoney (1919–1989) in the title role. It was produced by Derringer Productions and filmed in Hollywood by Desilu Productions. Derringer Productions consisted of half interest for Warren Lewis and Don Sharpe as executive producers, and a quarter interest to Jock Mahoney for starring in the series, and a quarter interest to Richard Sale and Mary Loos, husband and wife, as creators.


Yancy Derringer & Pahoo Ka-Ta-Wah

The Sales based the series on a 1938 short story that Richard Sale had written. In the 1930s, Sale was one of the highest paid pulp writers. Which story was never mentioned, but it was about a destitute aristocrat and troublemaker who returns to New Orleans three years after the Civil War. In the story, Derringer has no first name; "Yancy" was added for the TV series.

So Yancy Derringer's involvement in the background to this episode would have occurred twenty years after the events of his own series, even though the two shows aired at the same time......

Not that it means anything in the grand scheme of things, but "Tiffauges" is one of my favorite names to come out of the series. Perhaps out of TV Westerns as a whole. "Major Glenn Vanscoy" is another, from 'Gunsmoke'. (I'm a big fan of the aptness of names.)

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: GERONIMO

GERONIMO

AS SEEN IN:
"Gunsmoke: The Last Apache"

AS PLAYED BY:
Joaquin Martinez

From Wikipedia:
Geronimo ("one who yawns"; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent Native American leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought against Mexico and the United States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. Allegedly, "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a Mexican incident. His Chiricahua name is often rendered as Goyathlay or Goyahkla in English.

In 1886 Geronimo surrendered to U.S. authorities after a lengthy pursuit. As a prisoner of war in old age he became a celebrity and appeared in fairs but was never allowed to return to the land of his birth. He later regretted his surrender and claimed the conditions he made had been ignored. Geronimo died in 1909 after being thrown from his horse.

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TVXOHOF, 08/2011 - MARSHAL MATT DILLON

Unfortunate news this year dictated the choice for the TV Western induction into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame. A true giant among TV legends, both literally and figuratively, passed away a few months ago - James Arness, who starred for twenty seasons as Marshal Matt Dillon in 635 episodes of 'Gunsmoke', a record that will probably never be broken.

(Dr. Frasier Crane was seen on TV for 20 seasons, but in two consecutive TV series - 'Cheers' and 'Frasier', with additional appearances in episodes of 'Wings', 'Caroline In The City', and a Dr. Pepper blipvert. But nothing coming close to the number of episodes Arness garnered.)

Surprisingly, 'Gunsmoke' launched only one spin-off, 'Dirty Sally', although a lot of characters passed through Dodge who could have headlined their own series. And CBS never picked up on the idea to cross Matt Dillon over to their other TV Westerns which might have benefited from the publicity boost.

At least, not until long after the series ended, and even then Arness' participation was outside his control. AS part of their celebration of fifty years on the air, (TV-wise), CBS had the producers for some of their then-current hit shows digitally insert classic TV characters into scenes with the new stars. Some were seen as dreams or fantasies; others had to be regarded as ghosts, time travelers or electro-magnetic vibratory feed-back. But Marshal Matt Dillon has to be considered as actually being present in the saloon as he passed through Colorado Springs, Colorado, on his way back to Dodge City.

Sadly, because of the rights involved, these inserts had to be excised before the first repeats, and they don't show up in syndication or on the DVD collections. Even so, Matt Dillon did show up in an episode of 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman', and that stands as a qualification for entry into the Hall.

James Arness also played Matt Dillon in a series of TV movies in the 1990's; each of which stands apart from the main series of 'Gunsmoke' as a qualification.

"Gunsmoke: Return To Dodge"
"Gunsmoke: The Last Apache"
"Gunsmoke: To The Last Man"
"Gunsmoke: The Long Ride"
"Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice"

So Matt Dillon more than meets the requirements for TVXOHOF entry.

Matt Dillon is also a multi-versal, beginning life as a radio character voiced by William Conrad. There are comic books as well based on the characters from the TV show, and perhaps even novelization tie-ins to boot.

And then there's his presence on the big screen in "Alias Jesse James" starring Bob Hope. Marshal Dillon, along with other TV cowpokes, surreptitiously came to the rescue near the end of the movie.

As I said, James Arness is a TV giant and Matt Dillon is a towering legend in the tele-folks pantheon. This induction into the TV Crossover Hall Of Fame is just a small testament to the legacy he left us.

A tip of the Stetson to you, Sir.

BCnU!

"THE RIFLEMAN" - THE PILOT EPISODE

Since we've provided you the chance to see the pilot episode of 'Sugarfoot', it seems only fittin' that we do the same for the pilot program of 'The Rifleman', considerin' that's the focus of this month's salute to the TV Western.....

BCnU!

"THE RIFLEMAN" - THE OPENING CREDITS

Here's the original opening theme song for 'The Rifleman':

And here's how it was changed up for the fifth season:

Finally, here's a little trivia question about those opening credits.....

BCnU!

"SUGARFOOT" - "BRANNIGAN'S BOOTS"

One of the first posts I put up for this month-long salute to 'The Rifleman' was about guest star Dennis Hopper's character Virgil Tippert in the pilot episode and his resemblance to a Billy The Kid impersonator in the pilot episode of 'Sugarfoot'.

So here's "Brannigan's Boots", that first 'Sugarfoot' episode which also has Arthur Hunnicutt, that great old character actor, as Pop Purty. This was also my introduction to an actor named Ainslie Prior, whom I think could have played a TV relative to Ed McMahon's televersion......

Enjoy!

BCnU!

"GUNSMOKE" - IN THE BEGINNING

Since we usually fill up the weekends with videos lately, here are a couple about 'Gunsmoke', from the first year the show was on. (Let's just say I'm older than the show by a few months.....)

I realize the focus should be on 'The Rifleman', but since John Wayne was invoked yesterday for our tribute to Lucille Ball's 100th birthday, proper respect should be given to a TV Western in which he was involved.  (Plus there's another good reason coming up later today.....)

First up, the televersion of John Wayne proved to be a tele-cognizant serlinguist, meaning that not only could he talk directly to the people in the Trueniverse (like Rod Serling, George Burns, and Garry Shandling), but he actually knew he was living in a TV-based universe........

And here are the opening credits from the premiere season of 'Gunsmoke':

 
BCnU!

THE EMMETT DALTON MUSICAL TRIBUTE

Here's a musical tribute to Larry Wilcox and his portrayal of Emmett Dalton in "The Last Ride Of The Dalton Gang"......

BCnU!

Toobworld note: Post #6700!

AS SEEN ON TV: EMMETT DALTON

EMMETT DALTON

AS SEEN IN:
"The Last Ride Of The Dalton Gang"

AS PLAYED BY:
Larry Wilcox

From Wikipedia:
Emmett Dalton (May 3, 1871 – July 13, 1937) was an American outlaw, train robber and member of the Dalton Gang in the American Old West. Part of the ill-fated Dalton raid on two banks in Coffeyville, Kansas, he survived despite receiving 23 gunshot wounds. After serving 14 years in prison for the crime, Dalton capitalized on his notoriety to author books and become an actor in Hollywood.

The Dalton Gang's criminal enterprise was ended on October 5, 1892 when they attempted to rob two banks at once in Coffeyville, Kansas. Four of the gang were killed in the ensuing gun fight. Emmett Dalton survived the raid but received 23 gunshot wounds . He was given a life sentence in the penitentiary in Lansing, Kansas and pardoned after fourteen years. He moved to California and became a real estate agent, author and actor, dying at the age of sixty-six. He was married to Julia Johnson Dalton, who survived him. They had no children.

In 1918, he portrayed himself in the movie version of his book "Beyond the Law".

In 1931, he published "When the Daltons Rode", which was later made into a 1940 movie starring Randolph Scott. Emmett Dalton was portrayed by Frank Albertson.

There's a tribute video to Wilcox' portrayal.....

BCnU!