CBS TO REVIVE "The Rifleman"

[gregg75]

I guess this is just a pilot order and nothing more (at this time). Why don't they spice it up
this time and give him a son and a daughter?

http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/cbs...logridis-chris-columbus-and-carol-mendelsohn/

 

[ercjncpr]

WHY??? Why not Maverick again or best of all Wagon Train

 

[Ultimajock]

...actually, I'd rather they tried to update Branded or The Guns of Will Sonnett than The Rifleman -- but that's just my 2¢ ;D ...

 

[RicoGregg]

It's fine with me as long as they don't bring back that gawdawful theme song the original series used. I used to cringe when the closing credits played. It sounded like exit music for an 1880's barn dance.

 

[Bob1370]

Who's being cast to pay the role of Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors' starring vehicle in the ABC original)?
Lead actor means everything to the success of a show like this.

 

[LKellerIII]

It's fine with me as long as they don't bring back that gawdawful theme song the original series used. I used to cringe when the closing credits played. It sounded like exit music for an 1880's barn dance.

Everybody's different, I guess. That theme was kind of famous. I watched an episode of The Rifleman a few years ago on Encore Western. The show was ridiculously stupid. About the only thing about it I did like was that theme music - which was stuck in my head for a couple of days afterward.

I'll also point out that "music from an 1880s barn dance" would be fairly appropriate for a western set in the late 1800s.

And naturally, it's on You Tube;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkM0NT4YMlo

 

[gregg75]

His rifle shoots out 13 bullets in the opening. Would that really have been possible?

 

[LKellerIII]

His rifle shoots out 13 bullets in the opening. Would that really have been possible?

Probably not - but westerns were famous for this, you know - the hero firing 8 bullets with his "six-shooter" without re-loading.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Geez. They really ARE totally out of ideas.

Wake me when they sign Ashton Kutcher to play Captain Video.

 

[therealjm12]

There actually two versions of The Rifleman. The first season was mostly conceived by Sam Peckinpah. He wanted more and realistic violence. He fought with ABC and Four Star and lost. After he left the series it did become kinda sappy.

I have caught several episodes, lately on ME-TV and AMC. I can see the difference.

 

[gregg75]

It's kind of like Little House On The Prairie but with more violence. Each show seems to have
some kind of life lesson. I enjoy the show now but when I was a teenager I hated it.

 

[RadioStarOne]

I liked the show where Chuck and Johnny Crawford are out in the ranch field talking and a vehicle drives by out across the field. Chuck was good in the George Reeves Superman series as Sylvester J. Superman.

 

[Limp73]

Interesting note on the Chuck Conners apperance on the Adventures of Superman series...I saw that episode again in the 80s on WGN-TV...and yes he was mentioned in the closing credits. And according to Wikipedia, it was Herschel Burke Gilbert who directed the orchestras that played the Superman March theme and later for The Rifleman theme.

Gilbert in his day was a rather prolific musician...He played in the string section of the Harry James Band. He did countless TV themes including The Big Valley,Gilligan's Island,Gunsmoke among countless others.

Back in the 1950s and 60s it was the theme that sold the series..something that even carried over into the 70s....and Gilbert was in demand of his services. What made The Rifleman theme stand out so much was that it was a full orchestra with plenty of reverb to give it a bigger than life sound...which was common practice from record producers in that era which included the likes of Mitch Miller for the CBS labels and even Phil Spector's Philles Records.

You need the music to sell the show, examples....
The Lone Ranger (William Tell Overture)
Charlie's Angels
Hawaii Five-O
Happy Days
Touched By An Angel
...and I can go on.