The Rifleman was only part of Chuck’s acting legacy; the actor was featured in several films and television programs throughout his long and successful acting career. Once Connors knew that he wasn’t going to fulfill his life as a professional baseball player, he immersed himself in the Hollywood life after being cast in the 1952 film Pat and Mike. Other films include South Sea Woman, Trouble Along The Way, Old Yeller, The Hired Gun, The Big Country, Move Over Darling and even Airplane II: The Sequel.
Television was a massive part of his professional career. Besides The Rifleman, Connors played a part in The Adventures of Superman as the role of Sylvester J. Superman, Lou Brissie on television hit Crossroads, Dear Phoebe, Tales of Well Fargo, Hey, Jeannie!, The Loretta Young Show and so many more credible TV shows. He even made it onto Lucille Ball’s Here’s Lucy!
Just like any television show, The Rifleman welcomed several famous faces to boost rating and viewings during its era. And thanks to Chuck’s professional background, some of the stars were professional athletes like future Hall of Famers (at the time) Duke Snider and Don Drysdale. Since the show ran for five years, there were over 500 guest appearances by big name actors like Sammy Davis Jr., John and Richard Anderson, Warren Oates, Robert Vaughn, comedian Buddy Hackett and hundreds more.
There was no doubt that Chuck loved sports and baseball in particular and was a bit disappointed when he realized that it was time to give it up. We love this quote that credits the sport with every ounce of his success in Hollywood.
With such popularity, especially in the Western portion of the television spectrum, merchandise sales played a part in the growing fame of the show. With the birth of DVD collections per season, apparel, accessories, mugs, calendars, zippo lighters, books, and prints, The Rifleman will never die. Still available on their official site, on eBay and several other sites, the show’s merchandise still holds significant value as one of the greatest Western shows of all time.