The Riflemanmay be Chuck Connors' claim to fame and his greatest contribution to the genre, but it’s not the only Western show he made that’s worth watching. In addition to his very successful, five-season stint as Lucas McCain in the hit ABC series, Connors starred in a different Western show titledBranded. Of course, it never achieved the reputation ofThe Rifleman.
Though Chuck Connors appeared in somememorable Western movieslikeThe Big Country, he was never recognized as an A-list actor or a headline attraction in feature films. Rather, Connors was known mostly for his TV work, specifically his role inThe Rifleman.The Riflleman’sstatus as one of the most popular Western shows of the late 1950s and early 1960s helped make Connors a household name at the time. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the lengthy run achieved by otherclassic Western TV shows, such asGunsmokeorBonanza.This was partially made up for by Connors' involvement with another Western series.
What Chuck Connors' Branded Show Was About
Chuck Connors Played An Ex-Soldier “Branded” As A Traitor
Two years afterThe Riflemanended in 1963, Connors landed the lead role of Jason McCord, a black-and-white Western show from NBC.Connors' character was introduced as a disgraced officer in the United States Army. Having been wrongly accused of desertion, McCord was court-martialled and vilified, all because he had decided to take the fall for his commanding officer’s mistakes. This event served as the basis of the show, as it resulted in McCord sharing a number of adventures in places where he’s known as a traitor and a coward.
How Branded Compares To The Rifleman
Branded Offers A Different Kind Of Chuck Connors Western Show
Conceptually,Brandedis quite different fromThe Rifleman, but shares enough in common with it to make it a compelling replacement for the series. Its biggest and admittedly most obvious connection is Chuck Connors;BrandedandThe Riflemanare the only two Western shows that shine the spotlight on the actor,allowing him to bring his natural, rugged persona to the small screen, with Westerns being the perfect fit for his specific style and image.
Brandedhad a two-season run on NBC, lasting for 48 episodes in total.
Brandedstands apart fromThe Riflemanin that it makes McCord a drifter. WhereasThe Riflemanhas a set cast of characters and relationships that McCain develops while on his ranch with his son,Brandedsees Connors' character meet new faces from episode to episode, sending him to new places on a regular basis. This paves the way forBrandedto offer different kinds of adventures and challenges for its hero, but still with Connors playing the hero and interacting with prominent Western guest stars.
The Rifleman
Cast
The Rifleman is a Western television series starring Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain, a skilled marksman who raises his son Mark in the town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis, the show explores themes of justice, morality, and fatherhood against the backdrop of the American frontier.
