'Rifleman' star coming to town: Johnny Crawford to take part in equine fundraiser on Saturday
PINON HILLS — Several celebrities and a wave of horse lovers plan to descend on Tania Bennett's Mustang-Spirit Equine Rescue facility next weekend for an Open House & Used Tack Sale Fundraiser.
Actor Johnny Crawford, one of the last surviving cast members of the TV western series "The Rifleman," told the Daily Press he plans on meeting and greeting "new friends and fans" at the event.
“I’ve always loved horses and I think Mustang-Spirit Rescue is doing a good job by saving these beautiful animals,” Crawford, 70, said. “I love horses so much that I may take one of them home.”
Organizers of the event said tack items for sale include saddles, blankets and other items. The event will include various booths, arts, crafts and horse-related items.
Other guests and presenters include country rock singer Al Anthony, actor and screenwriter Patrick Kilpatrick, Tonya Littlewolf from Wolf Mountain Sanctuary, Native American musician Pat Redbone Vegas, DJ Acela from Redbone Radio, Pastor Wiley Drake, actors David Hill and Rene Michelle Aranda, and actor/activist Randal Massaro.
Crawford starred in the role of Mark McCain, the young son of Lucas McCain, played by Chuck Connors, in "The Rifleman," which was set in the 1870s and 1880s. The show first aired in 1958 and made an almost five-year run.
According to Crawford, most of "The Rifleman" was filmed in Los Angeles County, except for episode 48, which was shot in the High Desert in the late ‘50s.
“We filmed the entire episode of ‘The Ordeal’ in Apple Valley,” Crawford said. “The story was very dramatic and extremely powerful, and it mostly involved Chuck and myself. The photography in the episode was also very beautiful.”
Before his role in "The Rifleman," Crawford was one of Walt Disney's original Mouseketeers in 1955. As a teenager, Crawford was popular during the early '60s and became recording star who generated five Top-40 hits.
“I plan on bringing my guitar and playing a few songs, and I’ll be bringing my trick rope,” said Crawford, who currently operates Crawford Music Services, creating vintage dance band arrangements, popular in the 1920s and '30s. “I love rodeos, roundups and everything western — there’s a special and unique smell about it."
After his teen years and two years of military service, Crawford enjoyed acting in plays and competing in professional rodeo events as a trick roper, winning awards in several JR and RCA rodeos across the country. His small stature prevented him from living his dream of steer wrestling, Crawford said.
Crawford said he was reunited with Connors as "father and son" in a TV episode of "Guns of Paradise" in the early ‘90s. Connors and Crawford also starred in the TV movie "The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw," which also featured Kenny Rogers and Reba McEntire. Crawford, an Emmy-nominated actor, also worked with John Wayne in the movie "El Dorado."
“Those westerns, including 'The Rifleman,' taught us all life lessons,” Crawford said. “Those lessons are still very relevant today.”
The fundraiser and open house is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Mustang-Spirit Equine Rescue, located at 13150 Oasis Road in Pinon Hills. The barbecue begins at noon, offering the choice of cheeseburger, hamburger, vegan burger or grilled chicken, with chips, drink and cookie for a $6 donation. For more information, call 760-807-7558.
Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
