Posted on 11/04/2021 9:35:37 PM PDT by ammodotcom
Known primarily for his turn as Lucas McCain on Rifleman, Chuck Connors was also a professional baseball and basketball player, longstanding and prolific character actor, and a conservative activist.
The Early Life of Chuck Connors
Born in Brooklyn in 1921, Connors was the son of two Irish immigrants from Newfoundland and Labrador, which were not at that time part of Canada yet. His father was a longshoreman and his youth was spent in an obsession with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Chuck Connors attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica School where he served as an altar boy. It was here that he began his baseball career, playing sandlot ball for the Bay Ridge Celtics, the team of the Bay Ridge Boys' Club, where he spent most of his free time. It was here that he first began to dream of playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Connors was originally slated to attend a vocational high school, but an athletic scholarship got him in the door of the prestigious Adelphi Academy. Here, he played baseball, basketball, and football, while also running track. Upon graduation, he received several scholarship offers but ultimately chose Seton Hall.
In 1942, Connors' country came calling and he enlisted in the United States Army. Connors saw his action stateside, serving as a tank instructor at West Point. He trained the then-famous Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis ("Mr. Inside" and "Mr. Outside") who played for Army's National Championship-winning 1944 and 1945 football teams.
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All the bad guys in The Rifleman were low lifes-white trash. His son Mark stood there and watched every time Lucas was in a life or death fight. Plenty of biblical scriptures/phrases. He did the work of Sheriff Micha even when Micha was there. I enjoyed it.
Search on: The Rifleman killed how many
Lucas McCain dispatches 120 people over 168 episodes, and in total, 245 people die.....
You did not want to be on his bad side.
Not to mention lopping the foot off of John Amos for attempting to leave the Roots plantation, setting the theme for all liberal whites in their attitudes towards uppity blacks that thought they didn’t know their place in the cotton field.
Wonderful actor who had charisma. Whether he played a good guy or a bad guy.. you believed him.
A story that every father should tell his sons...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukkKW8w1kFY&t=422s
I got to meet Chuck Connors briefly once. I asked him where the rifle was and he said it was over his fire place surrounded by pictures of five presidents. It was a great meeting.
Bookmark.
thanks for the post.
love the Rifleman. watched first run as a kid and many times since. God centered, inspiring, character building, merciful, just and fair. watching when i was laid up helped get me though some rough times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrOPVo5GFY4
The Rifleman: The Complete Rifleman Massacre
Thanks so much for reminding us old guys of Chuck Connors.
A favorite show of mine, color TV not needed. Right or wrong, yes or no, black and white, just fine for many of us less economically advantaged but just plain honest folks.
Was always partial to his “Branded” series - carried that broken sword with him, great backstory.
Connors was the first NBA player to break a basketball back board when he played for the Celtics. Don’t know if this happened on a dunk.
“The Rifleman” is a bit of pleasant diversion from the increasing darkness of the days.
His real first name was Kevin. Here’s a Gilligians Island type of question in regards to Rifleman. Miss Millie or Lou Mallory?
Imma have to go with Lou Mallory on this one.
Didn’t the same actress play Daniel Boone’s wife?
Lou!!
Excellent!
He does however violate rule one every time he twirls his rifle. One might try to emulate that twirl were it not for the risk of blowing off ones own arm.
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