Secrets Of TV’s The Rifleman: More Than Just Guns And Good Times

Adding Drama

Producer Arnold Laven decided to add a twist or two before going into full production. He made Lucas McCain a widower who was raising his son alone, and also changed McCain from a pistol sharpshooter to a dead shot with a rifle.

The first change resulted in Lucas McCain being ranked #32 on TV Guide’s list of the “50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time” published in the June 20, 2004 issue. Quite a progressive honor for a show that aired in the 1950s and ‘60s.