Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: 'Rifleman' star Connors dies at 71 Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 14:23:38 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION \SS (WS) \HD 'Rifleman' star Connors dies at 71 \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES (AP) - Actor Chuck Connors, best known as the fast-shooting Lucas McCain on the long-running television series "The Rifleman," died yesterday of lung cancer. He was 71. Mr. Connors, who also appeared in at least 28 movies, died about 2 p.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said hospital spokesman Ron Wise. He entered the hospital a week ago. Mr. Connors, who was married and divorced three times, was survived by four sons. The Brooklyn-born Mr. Connors was a professional baseball player with the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago Cubs before he went to the old Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. Better known for his humorous sideline antics than his baseball prowess, the 6-foot-5 Mr. Connors picked up movie role in "Pat and Mike" in 1952, "Target Zero" in 1954, "Hold Back the Night" in 1956 and "The Big Country" in 1958. But his career didn't take off until the "Rifleman" TV series, which ran from 1958 to 1963. Mr. Connors, playing a New Mexico homesteader raising a son by himself, battled villains with the aid of a lever-action Winchester rifle altered to fire as fast as he could cock it. Johnny Crawford played his son, Mark. In a 1983 Associated Press interview, Mr. Connors said he didn't mind being remembered most for "The Rifleman." "It's no problem at all for me. My whole ability to make a living is derived from the fact that I was the Rifleman," the actor said. Mr. Connors also starred in the "Arrest and Trial" TV series in 1963 and the "Branded" series in 1964-65. His numerous TV guest-starring roles included the Emmy-nominated role as the lustful slave owner Tom Moore in the miniseries "Roots." Mr. Connors was in the TV movies "Banjo Hackett" in 1976, "Nightmare in Badham County" in 1976, "Standing Tall" in 1978 and "The Tourist Trap" in 1979. A longtime friend of Ronald Reagan's, Mr. Connors said he rejected a career in politics "because from being around so many politicians, I became a little cynical about politicians in general." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM