Sad. He and Chuck Connors had a really good relationship on screen and off. RIP.
Didn’t recall that he was a Mouseketeer.
I thought I felt old before. Now I’m ancient.
I officially felt old a couple of years ago,when a young bunch of college students were interviewed about music groups...They all knew who the rolling stones were and none of them knew who the Beatles or Beach Boys were......
A few years ago, a retro TV station was broadcasting a clip of Johnny Crawford’s comments about The Rifleman as an ad for their broadcasting of the show.
Alzheimer’s sucks. For everyone. I am in line for it.
Met Johnny Crawford and Ken Curtis in 1960 both were at the rodeo in Big Spring TX. Johnny milled around and shook hands, Ken Curtis sang a couple of songs.
Tumbling Tumbleweeds Ken Curtis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWR6FLnPack
‘The Rifleman’ was more than just an action western. Every episode also taught a morality lesson. RIP Johnny, Chuck, and Paul (Paul Fix, the marshal).
First year of retirement only tv I watch is Gunsmoke (Miss Kitty still looks good) and The Rifleman, both great shows regarding doing the right thing and how you have to fight bad folks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvNB6j4B50E&list=PLqzuLG5hl2XN4fbXkTCc98q0wZpjysCwl&index=7
I remember watching The Rifleman as a 10-year old and thinking how I wanted to be like the young McCain, and also the character of Ernie Douglas, played by the young Barry Livingston on My Three Sons...Billy Mumy in Lost In Space, even the cartoon character of Jonny Quest...However, I did grow up watching the reruns of most of those and the real world was nothing at all like those portrayed in the old shows, especially Gilligan’s Island (So, nothing ever happened between Gilligan, Maryann and Ginger?...Okaaay)...On the other hand and at the same time there were the new shows like Laugh-In, Flip Wilson and the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, 60 Minutes, Pubic Television, Ed Sullivan, etc., that had less ridiculousness going for them, except for Sesame Street. I knew when I saw Sesame Street that things were changing. From Romper Room and Bozo the Clown to Sesame Street and The Electric Company, it was the first time I felt somewhat alienated by the popular culture. Fortunately though, I knew I could always count on one or more of my uncles to have the latest issue of MAD Magazine within reach. MAD is dead. Long live MAD!
DAMN! My wife is going to be so sad. He was her first TV crush.
I watched these reruns as a kid......interestingly, I never had the desire to take dad’s rifle and shoot anyone...
Ping
Not many knew Johnny had a pretty good voice. he recorded several song’s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eskOUoW5geY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdoyRkMLA0A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8p_VFB6mY8
This is a great video, not only could he sing an act he was a pretty good rodeo hand. A tribute from his brother Bobby Crawford.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vxLxPGMxgs
Ping
It’s my theory that Lucas McCain was the inspiration for Al Bundy’s favorite western hero, “Psycho Dad.” (”He’s quick with a gun, but he loves his son”)
Oh. Sad. I loved him. (My first boyfriend looked quite a bit like him.)
Cue the Happy Trails to You song.
Roy nods