The Rifleman
A widowed rancher and his son, opened by twelve rounds fired down a street in under ten seconds.
The Rifleman opens with a main title sequence of 21 seconds.
At 21 seconds, it opens well under the 50-second median for drama sequences in this catalogue.
It arrived on ABC in 1958, when American Bandstand, The Lawrence Welk Show and The Edge of Night were also on the network.
The opening titles
Season 1
21sPosted by Crackle, which holds the series — a rights-holder upload for a 1958 western.
More drama opening titles from the 1950s
1 sequenceBonanza
A burning map and four men riding out of it — one of the first title sequences designed to show off colour television, which is precisely why it looks like that.
- Season 1
2 sequences
As the World Turns
The turning globe that gave American daytime its most-copied image, over fifty-four years.
- Season 41
- Season 52
2 sequences
Guiding Light
Seventy-two years on radio and television between them — the longest-running story ever told in any medium.
- Season 44
- Season 51
1 sequenceRawhide
A cattle drive that never arrives, with Frankie Laine's theme and a young Clint Eastwood.
- Season 1
1 sequenceWagon Train
A wagon company crossing to California, and the series Gene Roddenberry pitched Star Trek against.
- Season 1
1 sequenceHave Gun – Will Travel
A gunfighter who advertises in the newspaper, and one of the first westerns to open on a business card.
- Seasons 1–6