Reviews

Although I am still trying to track down the male singer of the theme song I have a music sheet from ITC and the song was written by Joe and Marilyn Hooven. All credits list Merle Haggard as composer and singer. He had not started his singing career till 1962, however 20 years later he did write and sing the title song to the similar truck driving series "Movin' On"(74-76). Raoul Kraushaar appears in the end credits on some end credits, but no mention of the song. The series was very good for it's time and covered various issues. It's a shame it hasn't been issued on DVD along with "Hawkeye" etc. Anyone remember who actually sang the song to "Cannonball"?

I have now watched the complete series plus the two pilots on "The Rifleman" and have found most of the episodes good to excellent. However this last episode I found really poor. They must have run out of ideals. I also think that the music was tracked as it is so completely different from all the other episodes. I times I thought it was a comedy show with some idiot making noises! A great theme by Leonard Rosenman conducted by Herschel Gilbert. You can see where Maurice Jarre and the producers of "Cimarron Strip" got their inspiration. Overall a very good series which should have be renewed for a second season.