User Reviews

THE RIFLEMAN – Guilty Conscience – 1962

This is the 137th 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 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.

The daily stage pulls into North Fork and starts off loading passengers. Last off, are a young teen aged lad, Tom Nolan, and his mother, Lee Patrick. Patrick takes one look at Town Sheriff, Paul Fix, lets out a scream and faints dead away. Patrick is grabbed up by Chuck Connors and carried into a nearby store.

Several minutes later, Patrick returns to the street, points at Fix and says he is the man who abandoned her and her son 15 years before. Needless to say that Fix is as startled by this as all the rest of the townsfolk. Fix denies the matter and takes off to his room.

Later on he asks Connors to watch the Sheriff's office for a few days while he tries to get the "wife" deal straightened out. The next morning, while going through the new wanted posters that just came in, Connors and son, Johnny Crawford get a rude shock. One of the posters has a picture of a man who is the spitting image of Fix. The man goes by the name, "Charming Billy" and is wanted for "wife desertion" among other things.

Turns out this Billy is working as a card sharp in the next town over. Connors saddles up and pays the burg a visit for a talk with Billy. Fix is getting along great with Patrick and wonders if maybe he did know Patrick back in his drinking days. He admits there is a spell of years he does not recall.

Connors corrals "Charming Billy" and brings him back to North Fork. Patrick of course realizes that she made an error. Nolan steps up and knocks Bill down with a couple of punches. "That is for running off on us." Bill is however a changed man and is willing to give the marriage thing another go around. Patrick and Bill kiss and make up.

Next day they head off to start a new life. Fix is left standing there wondering if maybe he should start looking for a Mrs.

This is a surprisingly good episode that gives Paul Fix a chance to flex his comic side for once. He plays the dual role quite well.