The Tragic Death of Former Child Star Johnny Crawford ('The Rifleman'): Three Years Later

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Former child star Johnny Crawford was born on March 26, 1946, in Los Angeles, California, where he died tragically on April 29, 2021, from Alzheimer's disease and after contracting COVID-19. The talented actor was best known for his work on the classic TV family-geared Western, The Rifleman, starring Chuck Conners.

A Closer Look

Johnny Crawford's maternal grandfather, Belgian violinist Alfred Megerlin (1880-1941), was concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic (1918-22), the Minneapolis Symphony (1923-26) and The Los Angeles Philharmonic (1927-29).

In 1955, Crawford was one of the original members of Walt Disney's Mouseketeers.

In the 1960s, Crawford had five Top 40 hits, including his recording of "Cindy's Birthday" which, in 1962, peaked at #8 on Billboard's Top 40.

Beyond The Rifleman, which originally aired from 1958 to 1963, Johnny Crawford made countless TV appearances, including The Donna Reed Show, Murder, She Wrote, and more.

Crawford also performed on the big screen in feature films such as The Thirteenth Floor (1999) and Hellboy (2004). While serving in the Army in the late 1960s, he appeared in several period training films.

In 2006, Crawford directed a live orchestra using authentic period orchestrations for the premiere screening of the newly restored silent version of Chicago (1927) at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles.

A Treasured Role on Screen and Off

However, it was Johnny Crawford's performance as Mark McCain, the TV son of Chuck Connors on The Rifleman that left an indelible mark with audiences.

Crawford also made an impression on Connors in real life. The two actors shared a father-son-like relationship off-screen, and in many ways, Connors was a surrogate parent, acting mentor, and close confidante to Crawford.

The bond between the two thespians was so strong that when Connors passed away in 1992, Crawford served as a pallbearer at his television father's funeral.

Conclusion

As with many former child stars of his era, Johnny Crawford sometimes struggled with finding acting jobs in his later years. But unlike many of his former peers, his diverse talents allowed him to thrive in other endeavors.

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