Johnny Crawford, former child star, dies at age 75
May 9, 2021 1:04 AM Subscribe
John Ernest Crawford, March 26, 1946 - April 29, 2021. One of the original Mouseketeers when The Mickey Mouse Club premiered in 1955, Johnny was best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayal of young Mark McCain on the TV western The Rifleman. (1958-1963).
The heart and soul of the show was the loving relationship between Mark and his widowed father, played by the late Chuck Connors. The chemistry between the two actors carried over into real life; they became such good friends that Crawford delivered the eulogy at Connors’ funeral in 1992.
Crawford was also a talented singer who came from a musical/show business family. He scored eight Billboard Top 100 hits as a teen crooner and later formed The Johnny Crawford Dance Orchestra, specializing in Big Band jazz and swing music.
He had been living with Alzheimer’s since 2019
and recently contracted COVID-19 and pneumonia.
The heart and soul of the show was the loving relationship between Mark and his widowed father, played by the late Chuck Connors. The chemistry between the two actors carried over into real life; they became such good friends that Crawford delivered the eulogy at Connors’ funeral in 1992.
Crawford was also a talented singer who came from a musical/show business family. He scored eight Billboard Top 100 hits as a teen crooner and later formed The Johnny Crawford Dance Orchestra, specializing in Big Band jazz and swing music.
He had been living with Alzheimer’s since 2019
and recently contracted COVID-19 and pneumonia.
This is one of those shows I found on some seniors channel during working at home and looking for soothing things like Columbo. It too was surprisingly soothing at the time.
Interesting to read in one of the interviews of him connecting with stars from the 1920s. I guess this is really nearing the end of the line for close oral transmission of stories from that age.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 2:26 AM on May 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Interesting to read in one of the interviews of him connecting with stars from the 1920s. I guess this is really nearing the end of the line for close oral transmission of stories from that age.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 2:26 AM on May 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
"The Rifleman" was one of Leonid Brezhnev's favorite TV programs.
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posted by zaixfeep at 6:05 AM on May 9, 2021 [3 favorites]
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posted by zaixfeep at 6:05 AM on May 9, 2021 [3 favorites]
M-I-C..See ya real soon...K-E-Y...Why? Because we like you. Farewell and thanks, Johnny Crawford.
posted by briank at 6:24 AM on May 9, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by briank at 6:24 AM on May 9, 2021 [4 favorites]
Oddly, I had just been reading about The Rifleman maybe a week ago. Growing up in the seventies, I was not around for the boom of westerns on TV (I guess the marathons of Gunsmoke and Bonanza were just stumbling across the finish lines on wobbly legs when I was a kid.). However, The Rifleman was in syndication and turned up every afternoon at 5:00 PM or something, so I saw a bunch of them.
I had no idea Crawford was a Mouseketeer as well.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:43 AM on May 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
I had no idea Crawford was a Mouseketeer as well.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:43 AM on May 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
Lucas and Mark are great characters and The Rifleman is always a good watch.
Always like one thing they did on that show: Lucas and Mark live in a simple ranch house with a barebones interior, except for Lucas' big old leather chair.
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posted by Fukiyama at 8:00 AM on May 9, 2021
Always like one thing they did on that show: Lucas and Mark live in a simple ranch house with a barebones interior, except for Lucas' big old leather chair.
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posted by Fukiyama at 8:00 AM on May 9, 2021
He was my first imaginary boyfriend. So sad about his Alzheimer’s. RIP
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posted by dbmcd at 8:40 AM on May 9, 2021 [5 favorites]
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posted by dbmcd at 8:40 AM on May 9, 2021 [5 favorites]
My age, a fond element in the wallpaper of my tadpole days.
RIP
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posted by mule98J at 9:32 AM on May 9, 2021 [4 favorites]
RIP
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posted by mule98J at 9:32 AM on May 9, 2021 [4 favorites]
The Rifleman was an odd combination of wholesome grounding, where Crawford's role was the drive for the moral foundation, and also surprisingly violent action, where Crawford's role was also to witness his father shoot people to death on a regular basis. I don't know how the show's creators thought this could be congruent, or if it ever mattered, as we all watched it regardless.
Though in my mind, his greatest achievement was getting a chance to ride Joy Harmon's bikini in the camp classic, Village of the Giants.
So sad to see his decline in the last couple years. Such a cruel way to wind down a lifetime. RIP.
posted by 2N2222 at 10:01 AM on May 9, 2021 [5 favorites]
Though in my mind, his greatest achievement was getting a chance to ride Joy Harmon's bikini in the camp classic, Village of the Giants.
So sad to see his decline in the last couple years. Such a cruel way to wind down a lifetime. RIP.
posted by 2N2222 at 10:01 AM on May 9, 2021 [5 favorites]
I watched the show and had a Rifleman lever action cap gun when I was a kid, but never got the hang of spinning it. More memories of Johnny Crawford on YT.
posted by cenoxo at 6:01 PM on May 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by cenoxo at 6:01 PM on May 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
The Rifleman was an odd combination of wholesome grounding, where Crawford's role was the drive for the moral foundation, and also surprisingly violent action, where Crawford's role was also to witness his father shoot people to death on a regular basis. I don't know how the show's creators thought this could be congruent, or if it ever mattered, as we all watched it regardless.
I’ve read that Sam Peckinpah, who helped create the show, originally wanted the Mark character to grow more hardened by the harsh realities of frontier life as he grew older, but the rest of the powers that be wanted to keep the family aspect of the show more gentle and family-hour-friendly. That conflict led Peckinpah to cut ties with The Rifleman and create the grittier The Westerner.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:18 PM on May 9, 2021
I’ve read that Sam Peckinpah, who helped create the show, originally wanted the Mark character to grow more hardened by the harsh realities of frontier life as he grew older, but the rest of the powers that be wanted to keep the family aspect of the show more gentle and family-hour-friendly. That conflict led Peckinpah to cut ties with The Rifleman and create the grittier The Westerner.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:18 PM on May 9, 2021
As a kid I was disgusted by Mark's whining and submissiveness.
Of course, if I'd been Mark, Luke would've had to spend time every few episodes apologizing to neighbors or townspeople for something I'd done -- and then I'd have died of Scarlet Fever.
posted by jamjam at 3:57 PM on May 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Of course, if I'd been Mark, Luke would've had to spend time every few episodes apologizing to neighbors or townspeople for something I'd done -- and then I'd have died of Scarlet Fever.
posted by jamjam at 3:57 PM on May 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Interesting tidbit on his Wiki:
Crawford played a key role in the early career of entertainer Victoria Jackson of Saturday Night Live fame. After the two appeared together in a summer stock production of Meet Me in St. Louis, he presented her with a one-way ticket to California and encouraged her to pursue a careeer in Hollywood. This led Jackson to early appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, then she was cast as a regular on SNL.
posted by fairmettle at 2:07 AM on May 11, 2021
Crawford played a key role in the early career of entertainer Victoria Jackson of Saturday Night Live fame. After the two appeared together in a summer stock production of Meet Me in St. Louis, he presented her with a one-way ticket to California and encouraged her to pursue a careeer in Hollywood. This led Jackson to early appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, then she was cast as a regular on SNL.
posted by fairmettle at 2:07 AM on May 11, 2021
an odd combination of wholesome grounding ... the drive for the moral foundation, and also surprisingly violent action
Musings on the Cowboy Code of the West according to Gene Autry (quoted below), the Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the Texas Rangers, Wild Bill Hickok, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, and many others:never were existed in comics, pulp novels, movies, and TV.
posted by cenoxo at 5:58 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Musings on the Cowboy Code of the West according to Gene Autry (quoted below), the Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the Texas Rangers, Wild Bill Hickok, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, and many others:
- A cowboy never takes unfair advantage - even of an enemy.
- A cowboy never betrays a trust. He never goes back on his word.
- A cowboy always tells the truth.
- A cowboy is kind and gentle to small children, old folks, and animals.
- A cowboy is free from racial and religious intolerances.
- A cowboy is always helpful when someone is in trouble.
- A cowboy is always a good worker.
- A cowboy respects womanhood, his parents and his nation's laws.
- A cowboy is clean about his person in thought, word, and deed.
- A cowboy is a Patriot.
posted by cenoxo at 5:58 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
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G'night Mark, Pa will be waitin' up fer ya.
Loved The Rifleman series.
posted by fairmettle at 1:39 AM on May 9, 2021 [5 favorites]