These three actors from The Rifleman were family in real life

Paul “Micah Torrance” Fix had his in-laws on the show multiple times.

Fans of The Rifleman know actor Paul Fix as Marshal Micah Torrance. He was a reliable friend and ally to Lucas McCain in the fight to keep the peace in North Fork.

What fans might not know is that Fix acted alongside members of his extended family in three different Rifleman episodes.

Prolific western character actor Harry Carey Jr. appeared twice on the show— as two different Army Lieutenants with orders to bring in a deserter. Carey played Lt. Paul Rolfe in “The Deserter” and Lt. Vaughn in “The Journey Back.” But what does Harry Carey Jr. have to do with Paul Fix? Carey married Paul Fix’s daughter, Marilyn. They wed in 1944 and over 15 years later, father and son-in-law acted together in the same TV western.

But Harry wasn’t the only member of the Carey family to be in The Rifleman. His mother, Olive Carey, played rowdy Ma Wilson in the season one episode “Shivaree.” The episode stars Paul Carr (Lt. Kelso in the Star Trek episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before”) and Luana Anders (Miss Clark from The Andy Griffith Show) as a young couple forced to marry by a raucous group of cowboys who want to throw a party.

Olive Carey’s career first started in silent films (where she met actor Harry Carey Sr.) and continued throughout the 1960s. Harry Carey Jr. had over 100 credits to his name, including nine John Wayne films. In one of those films, The Searchers (1956), Harry’s mom, Olive, played his mom onscreen as well.

The family connections between actors on The Rifleman is quite fitting for a show that, despite its action and drama, is ultimately about family.


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7 Comments

DAX 50 months ago
I really wish this app would have been available a bit longer ago, my dad would have loved it! We used to watch The Rifleman together all the time! ❤
Dale 50 months ago
Speaking of John Wayne and the Rifleman cast. Johnny Crawford (Mark McCain) appeared with the Duke in the 1967 movie El Dorado. Unfortunately, Johnny's character didn't make out so well.
Espinozav077 50 months ago
This is what I like about Me TV ?!?!
Did not know about this. I knew Harry Carey Jr. was in a lot of John Wayne films, but did not know that Olive is he's real mom, and the sheriff from the rifle man. Amazing.
ChuckBurger 50 months ago
Great Channel I Payed Extra Money for a Upgrade to Get Your Channel
UTZAAKE 50 months ago
Harry Carey Jr. was not nicknamed Skip.
MikefromJersey UTZAAKE 50 months ago
His nick name was Dobe. John Ford liked to have him on his sets not just for his acting ability and the fact he was Ford's buddy Harry's son, but because of his singing ability. The same with Ben Johnson, Dobe and Ben could hold their own with the Sons of the Pioneers.
BigE 50 months ago
Paul Fix also acted with John Wayne in The Sons of Katie Elder.
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