Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Johnny Crawford, who became a child star as the son of 'The Rifleman,' dies at 75
Hat tip, Morgan White Jr, on the Morgan Show last night
I had no idea.
The Morgan Show is on Saturday Nights 9 to midnight.
Join the conversation.
Link to tweet
I searched before posting, and I still missed this existing thread:
Fri Apr 30, 2021: Johnny Crawford, original Mouseketeer and Rifleman star, dies at 75
Obituaries
Johnny Crawford, who became a child star as the son of ‘The Rifleman,’ dies at 75
By Harrison Smith
April 30, 2021 at 9:14 p.m. EDT
Johnny Crawford, who reigned as one of television’s most popular young actors while starring as Chuck Connors’s sensitive son on “The Rifleman,” then parlayed his screen success into a string of Top 40 hits as a teenage crooner in the early 1960s, died April 29 at an assisted-living home in the Sun Valley section of Los Angeles. He was 75. ... He had Alzheimer’s disease, said his wife, Charlotte McKenna-Crawford, and was in declining health after being hospitalized last year for covid-19 and pneumonia.
Mr. Crawford was 9 when he began performing on national television, appearing on “The Mickey Mouse Club” in 1955 as one of two dozen original Mouseketeers. Wearing mouse ears and matching white shirts, he and his castmates charmed an audience of young baby boomers while singing and dancing between serials and educational segments. Episodes began with a roll call and ended with a farewell song: “Now it’s time to say goodbye / to all our company.”
After the first season ended, Mr. Crawford was cut from the show. He suspected it was because he kept getting distracted while learning his dance steps, focusing instead on fellow Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. “That really broke my heart. .?.?. I was a has-been at nine,” he told an interviewer in 1982. “I told my agent that I would have worked at Disney’s for nothing. That’s when she told me that I was working for them for nothing.”
{snip}
John Ernest Crawford was born in Los Angeles on March 26, 1946. Both parents were occasional actors, and his mother was also a concert pianist. The family’s home was filled with old records, and by the time Mr. Crawford auditioned for “The Mickey Mouse Club” he had learned 1920s songs such as “Charley, My Boy” and “Mean to Me.” ... Rather than sing a popular standard, he auditioned by performing a tap-dance routine and fencing with his brother. He said he secured a spot as a Mouseketeer by imitating singer Johnnie Ray, performing the song “Cry.” ... Mr. Crawford later played a Native American in the adventure film “Indian Paint” (1965), appeared with Kim Darby in “The Restless Ones” (1965) and was shot by John Wayne in the western “El Dorado” (1966). He served two years in the Army and starred in the Oscar-winning short film “The Resurrection of Broncho Billy” (1970).
{snip}
Read more:
Chuck Connors, star of ‘The Rifleman,’ dies at 71
James Drury, star of long-running TV western ‘The Virginian,’ dies at 85
Ty Hardin, rugged actor who played Bronco Layne in TV westerns, dies at 87
Harrison Smith Follow https://twitter.com/harrisondsmith
Harrison Smith is a reporter on The Washington Post's obituaries desk. Since joining the obituaries section in 2015, he has profiled big-game hunters, fallen dictators and Olympic champions. He sometimes covers the living as well, and previously co-founded the South Side Weekly, a community newspaper in Chicago.
Johnny Crawford, who became a child star as the son of ‘The Rifleman,’ dies at 75
By Harrison Smith
April 30, 2021 at 9:14 p.m. EDT
Johnny Crawford, who reigned as one of television’s most popular young actors while starring as Chuck Connors’s sensitive son on “The Rifleman,” then parlayed his screen success into a string of Top 40 hits as a teenage crooner in the early 1960s, died April 29 at an assisted-living home in the Sun Valley section of Los Angeles. He was 75. ... He had Alzheimer’s disease, said his wife, Charlotte McKenna-Crawford, and was in declining health after being hospitalized last year for covid-19 and pneumonia.
Mr. Crawford was 9 when he began performing on national television, appearing on “The Mickey Mouse Club” in 1955 as one of two dozen original Mouseketeers. Wearing mouse ears and matching white shirts, he and his castmates charmed an audience of young baby boomers while singing and dancing between serials and educational segments. Episodes began with a roll call and ended with a farewell song: “Now it’s time to say goodbye / to all our company.”
After the first season ended, Mr. Crawford was cut from the show. He suspected it was because he kept getting distracted while learning his dance steps, focusing instead on fellow Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. “That really broke my heart. .?.?. I was a has-been at nine,” he told an interviewer in 1982. “I told my agent that I would have worked at Disney’s for nothing. That’s when she told me that I was working for them for nothing.”
{snip}
John Ernest Crawford was born in Los Angeles on March 26, 1946. Both parents were occasional actors, and his mother was also a concert pianist. The family’s home was filled with old records, and by the time Mr. Crawford auditioned for “The Mickey Mouse Club” he had learned 1920s songs such as “Charley, My Boy” and “Mean to Me.” ... Rather than sing a popular standard, he auditioned by performing a tap-dance routine and fencing with his brother. He said he secured a spot as a Mouseketeer by imitating singer Johnnie Ray, performing the song “Cry.” ... Mr. Crawford later played a Native American in the adventure film “Indian Paint” (1965), appeared with Kim Darby in “The Restless Ones” (1965) and was shot by John Wayne in the western “El Dorado” (1966). He served two years in the Army and starred in the Oscar-winning short film “The Resurrection of Broncho Billy” (1970).
{snip}
Read more:
Chuck Connors, star of ‘The Rifleman,’ dies at 71
James Drury, star of long-running TV western ‘The Virginian,’ dies at 85
Ty Hardin, rugged actor who played Bronco Layne in TV westerns, dies at 87
Harrison Smith Follow https://twitter.com/harrisondsmith
Harrison Smith is a reporter on The Washington Post's obituaries desk. Since joining the obituaries section in 2015, he has profiled big-game hunters, fallen dictators and Olympic champions. He sometimes covers the living as well, and previously co-founded the South Side Weekly, a community newspaper in Chicago.
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Thu Mar 26, 2020: Born on this day, March 26, 1946: Johnny Crawford, of "The Rifleman"
Tue Mar 26, 2019: Happy 73rd birthday, Johnny Crawford.
{Edited: it's 2019. He's 73. Thanks.}
73? Johnny Crawford? Mark, from "The Rifleman?" Yep.
I know: "how did that happen?"
Johnny Crawford
Crawford in 1963
Born: John Ernest Crawford; March 26, 1946; Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died: April 29, 2021 (aged 75); United States
Relatives: Robert L. Crawford Jr. (brother)
Crawford and Chuck Connors in The Rifleman (1960)
John Ernest Crawford (March 26, 1946 – April 29, 2021) was an American actor, singer, and musician. He first performed before a national audience as a Mouseketeer. At age 12, Crawford rose to prominence playing Mark McCain in the ABC Western series The Rifleman, which he was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor at age 13.
Crawford had a brief career as a recording artist in the 1950s and 1960s. He continued to act on television and in film as an adult. Beginning in 1992, Crawford led the California-based Johnny Crawford Orchestra, a vintage dance orchestra that performed at special events.
{snip}
Early life
Crawford was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Betty (née Megerlin) and Robert Lawrence Crawford Sr. His maternal grandparents were Belgian; his maternal grandfather was violinist Alfred Eugene Megerlin. In 1959, Johnny, his older brother Robert L. Crawford Jr., a co-star of NBC's Laramie series, and their father Robert Sr. were all nominated for Emmy Awards (the brothers for acting, and their father for film editing).
Career
Crawford began his career as a child actor. One of The Walt Disney Company's original Mouseketeers in 1955, he has acted on stage, in films, and on television.
Disney started out with 24 original Mouseketeers, but at the end of the first season, the studio reduced the number to 12, and Crawford was released from his contract. His first important break as an actor followed with the title role in a Lux Video Theatre production of "Little Boy Lost", a live NBC broadcast on March 15, 1956. He also appeared in the popular Western series The Lone Ranger, in 1956, in one of the few color episodes of that series. Following that performance, the young actor worked steadily with many seasoned actors and directors. Freelancing for two and one-half years, he accumulated almost 60 television credits, including featured roles in three episodes of NBC's The Loretta Young Show and an appearance as Manuel in "I Am an American", an episode of the syndicated crime drama The Sheriff of Cochise. He starred as Bobby Adams in the 1958 drama Courage of Black Beauty. He appeared as Tommy Peel in the 1958 episode "The Dealer" in Tales of Wells Fargo, a CBS television series. By the spring of 1958, he had also performed 14 demanding roles in live teleplays for NBC Matinee Theatre, appeared on CBS's sitcom Mr. Adams and Eve, in the Wagon Train episode "The Sally Potter Story" (in which Martin Milner also appeared), and on the syndicated series Crossroads, The Sheriff of Cochise, and Whirlybirds, and made three pilots of television series. The third pilot, which was made as an episode of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, was picked up by ABC and the first season of The Rifleman began filming in July 1958.
Crawford in The Rifleman in 1961
Crawford was nominated for an Emmy Award as Best Supporting Actor at age 13. He received the nomination for his role as Mark McCain (the son of Lucas McCain, played by Chuck Connors) in the ABC series The Rifleman. Crawford also played a young boy named Clay Holden, who befriends Connors in a 1965 episode of “Branded”. Throughout The Rifleman's five seasons, a remarkable on-screen chemistry existed between Connors and Crawford in the depiction of their father-son relationship. They were still close friends when Connors died on November 10, 1992, and Crawford gave a eulogy at Connors' memorial service.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Crawford had wide popularity with American teenagers and a recording career on Del-Fi Records that generated four Billboard Top 40 hits, including the single "Cindy's Birthday", which peaked at number eight in 1962. His other hits included "Rumors" (number 12, 1962), "Your Nose Is Gonna Grow" (number 14, 1962), and "Proud" (number 29, 1963).
Late in 1961, Crawford appeared as Victor in the episode "A Very Bright Boy" of the ABC sitcom The Donna Reed Show. His brother Robert had also been a guest star on The Donna Reed Show. Once in 1964 and once in 1965, Crawford appeared on the NBC education drama Mr. Novak playing JoJo Rizzo.
Crawford played Jeff, Wilbur's neighbor in Mister Ed - season six, episode two (1965) - who was more interested in pop music than his algebra.
Among his films, Crawford played an American Indian in the unique adventure film Indian Paint (1965). He played a character involved with a disturbed young girl played by Kim Darby in The Restless Ones (1965), and played a character shot by John Wayne's character in El Dorado (1966). He played young deputy Billy Norris in The Big Valley episode "The Other Face Of Justice" in 1969.
While enlisted in the United States Army for two years, Crawford worked on training films as a production coordinator, assistant director, script supervisor, and occasional actor. His rank was sergeant at the time of his honorable discharge in December 1967.
In 1968, Crawford played a soldier wanted for murder in "By the Numbers", an episode of the popular television series Hawaii Five-O.
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy was a USC student film Crawford agreed to do as a favor to his close friend, producer John Longenecker. It won the 1970 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Subject.
{snip}
Crawford in 1963
Born: John Ernest Crawford; March 26, 1946; Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died: April 29, 2021 (aged 75); United States
Relatives: Robert L. Crawford Jr. (brother)
Crawford and Chuck Connors in The Rifleman (1960)
John Ernest Crawford (March 26, 1946 – April 29, 2021) was an American actor, singer, and musician. He first performed before a national audience as a Mouseketeer. At age 12, Crawford rose to prominence playing Mark McCain in the ABC Western series The Rifleman, which he was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor at age 13.
Crawford had a brief career as a recording artist in the 1950s and 1960s. He continued to act on television and in film as an adult. Beginning in 1992, Crawford led the California-based Johnny Crawford Orchestra, a vintage dance orchestra that performed at special events.
{snip}
Early life
Crawford was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Betty (née Megerlin) and Robert Lawrence Crawford Sr. His maternal grandparents were Belgian; his maternal grandfather was violinist Alfred Eugene Megerlin. In 1959, Johnny, his older brother Robert L. Crawford Jr., a co-star of NBC's Laramie series, and their father Robert Sr. were all nominated for Emmy Awards (the brothers for acting, and their father for film editing).
Career
Crawford began his career as a child actor. One of The Walt Disney Company's original Mouseketeers in 1955, he has acted on stage, in films, and on television.
Disney started out with 24 original Mouseketeers, but at the end of the first season, the studio reduced the number to 12, and Crawford was released from his contract. His first important break as an actor followed with the title role in a Lux Video Theatre production of "Little Boy Lost", a live NBC broadcast on March 15, 1956. He also appeared in the popular Western series The Lone Ranger, in 1956, in one of the few color episodes of that series. Following that performance, the young actor worked steadily with many seasoned actors and directors. Freelancing for two and one-half years, he accumulated almost 60 television credits, including featured roles in three episodes of NBC's The Loretta Young Show and an appearance as Manuel in "I Am an American", an episode of the syndicated crime drama The Sheriff of Cochise. He starred as Bobby Adams in the 1958 drama Courage of Black Beauty. He appeared as Tommy Peel in the 1958 episode "The Dealer" in Tales of Wells Fargo, a CBS television series. By the spring of 1958, he had also performed 14 demanding roles in live teleplays for NBC Matinee Theatre, appeared on CBS's sitcom Mr. Adams and Eve, in the Wagon Train episode "The Sally Potter Story" (in which Martin Milner also appeared), and on the syndicated series Crossroads, The Sheriff of Cochise, and Whirlybirds, and made three pilots of television series. The third pilot, which was made as an episode of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, was picked up by ABC and the first season of The Rifleman began filming in July 1958.
Crawford in The Rifleman in 1961
Crawford was nominated for an Emmy Award as Best Supporting Actor at age 13. He received the nomination for his role as Mark McCain (the son of Lucas McCain, played by Chuck Connors) in the ABC series The Rifleman. Crawford also played a young boy named Clay Holden, who befriends Connors in a 1965 episode of “Branded”. Throughout The Rifleman's five seasons, a remarkable on-screen chemistry existed between Connors and Crawford in the depiction of their father-son relationship. They were still close friends when Connors died on November 10, 1992, and Crawford gave a eulogy at Connors' memorial service.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Crawford had wide popularity with American teenagers and a recording career on Del-Fi Records that generated four Billboard Top 40 hits, including the single "Cindy's Birthday", which peaked at number eight in 1962. His other hits included "Rumors" (number 12, 1962), "Your Nose Is Gonna Grow" (number 14, 1962), and "Proud" (number 29, 1963).
Late in 1961, Crawford appeared as Victor in the episode "A Very Bright Boy" of the ABC sitcom The Donna Reed Show. His brother Robert had also been a guest star on The Donna Reed Show. Once in 1964 and once in 1965, Crawford appeared on the NBC education drama Mr. Novak playing JoJo Rizzo.
Crawford played Jeff, Wilbur's neighbor in Mister Ed - season six, episode two (1965) - who was more interested in pop music than his algebra.
Among his films, Crawford played an American Indian in the unique adventure film Indian Paint (1965). He played a character involved with a disturbed young girl played by Kim Darby in The Restless Ones (1965), and played a character shot by John Wayne's character in El Dorado (1966). He played young deputy Billy Norris in The Big Valley episode "The Other Face Of Justice" in 1969.
While enlisted in the United States Army for two years, Crawford worked on training films as a production coordinator, assistant director, script supervisor, and occasional actor. His rank was sergeant at the time of his honorable discharge in December 1967.
In 1968, Crawford played a soldier wanted for murder in "By the Numbers", an episode of the popular television series Hawaii Five-O.
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy was a USC student film Crawford agreed to do as a favor to his close friend, producer John Longenecker. It won the 1970 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Subject.
{snip}
Here he is at age 8 or 9:
1955 DuPONT CAVALCADE THEATER - "The Boy Nobody Wanted" - Johnny Crawford
4,959 views•Sep 19, 2018
Saturday's World
3.64K subscribers
Starring Johnny Crawford, Virginia Gregg, Roy Barcroft, Ron Hagerthy, Jean Inness, James Nolan and Milton Frome.
Here he is as a Mouseketeer:
MickeyMouseClubChannel
Published on Feb 3, 2017
This is the recycled roll call segment featured every Friday on the first season (1955-1956) for Talent Round-Up Day. According to Annette Funicello's autobiography, "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes", this was the first number she ever took part in with the mouseketeers.
Featuring:
Karen Pendleton
Cubby O'Brien
Doreen Tracey
Mark Sutherland (in for Lonnie Burr for some reason)
Darlene Gillespie
Johnny Crawford
Nancy Abbate
Mike Smith
Annette Funicello
Don Underhill
Sharon Baird
Bobby Burgess
Roy Williams
and Jimmie Dodd.
WARINING: THIS CHANNEL IS NOT AFFILIATED OR ASSOCIATED WITH THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY IN ANY WAY. ALL CONTENT ON THIS CHANNEL IS OWNED BY THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY.
They grow up so fast:
davekcomics
Published on Oct 24, 2008
kim darby and johnny crawford
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy:
The Resurrection of Broncho Billy 1970 - Cortometraje
7,275 views•Oct 6, 2016
Cortos En Corto
644 subscribers
{snip}
Finally, even though "The Rifleman" shows up every Saturday afternoon on TV, don't expect to see these scenes anytime soon:
Danny B
Published on Jul 31, 2014
Classic
