User Reviews

THE RIFLEMAN – "End of a Young Gun" – 1958

This is the third episode from the 1958 to 1963 western series, THE RIFLEMAN. Over the course of 168 episodes we follow the life of Lucas McCain and his son, Mark. They have just moved to the small western town of North Fork where they hope to start a new life. Chuck Connors headlines the series with Johnny Crawford as his son. Connors is a world class hand with a Winchester rifle which of course ends up getting him in no end of trouble.

There has been a bank holdup at the next town past North Fork. The gang of four men has led the posse on a mad dash into the hills around North Fork. The gang breaks up into pairs, then, head in opposite directions hoping to throw the posse off their trail.

Two of the bandits, brothers, Charles Cooper and Michael Landon head further up the hill area evading the pursuers. A short time later they hear someone calling for help. Landon stops and has a look over a cliff. Hanging on for dear life is Johnny Crawford. He had tumbled over the edge when thrown from his horse.

Cooper insists they keep moving but young Landon can't bring himself to leave the lad hanging. He grabs a rope, ties it off to a tree and climbs down to Crawford. Landon helps the boy up over the edge, then, goes to pull himself up. This however does not work and Landon ends up sliding down the cliff side and landing heavily at the bottom, breaking his leg.

Landon's brother, Cooper, and young Crawford retrieve Landon and take him to Connors' ranch. Connors, feeling indebted to Cooper and Landon for saving his son, Crawford, agrees to take care of Landon and not report it to the Law. Cooper says he will return in a month and rides off. Connors sets Landon's leg and puts him in a bed set up in the barn.

Landon recovers quickly from the injury and is soon helping out with minor chores etc. Landon takes a shine to a young woman, Carolyn Craig, who lives on a nearby ranch. The 19 year old bandit now decides that he has had enough of the criminal life.

Landon informs Connors that intends to tell his brother just that, when he shows. Several days later Cooper and the rest of the gang do indeed put in an appearance. They are not in the least ready to leave Landon behind. He knows too much. Guns are pulled and Connors is drawn into the fight. The gang are soon ready for a hole in the ground. Landon agrees to turn himself into the law. He wants a fresh start when he gets out.

This was the third episode and the iconic TV series The Rifleman. It guest-starred a very young pre-Bonanza Michael Landon. This episode mostly focused on Young Landon more than Lucas and his son. young Michael Landon plays in this episode a bad boy Gunslinger,Will Fulton. Landon's older brother Hank Fulton in this episide is played by Charles Cooper This was the first time they work together but throughout the years they would work once again together four times in the next 30 Years! The following year after this episode,1959, Landon was now established as Little Joe on Bonanza. Cooper guest-starred on season 1 episode 8 The Phillip Diedesheimer. 19yrs later in 1978, Cooper would guest star on Landon's Little House on the Prairie show in season 5 episode 10 Men Will Be Boys. 3yrs after that in 1981, Cooper would now co-star in Landon's Little House on the Prairie spin-off Father Murphy in Season One, 13 episodes, as The Sheriff. Landon directed many episodes on that show.