Arthur Gardner dies at 104; produced TV's 'Rifleman,' 'Big Valley'
Source: LA Times
For producer Arthur Gardner, known for his TV western series "The Rifleman" and "The Big Valley," life in the business was "a picnic," his favorite catchphrase..
Gardner, who was a voting member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences into his 100s, died Friday at Sunrise Beverly Hills Assisted Living. He was 104.
He died of natural causes, his son Steven said.
--snip---
At 18 he headed west to follow his dream of becoming an actor, changing his last name for fear of experiencing anti-Semitism. He landed a small part as a German student in the 1930 war film, "All Quiet on the Western Front."
During World War II he produced and directed Army training films, then teamed with Jules V. Levy and Arnold Laven to form Levy-Gardner-Laven Productions, debuting with the 1952 B-movie thriller about a serial killer, "Without Warning!."
He went on to make a series of movies with Burt Reynolds, including "Sam Whiskey," "White Lightning" and "Gator," which Reynolds directed. But Gardner is perhaps best known for having produced the popular 1950s series "The Rifleman," starring Johnny Crawford and Chuck Connors.
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-arthur-gardner-20141221-story.html
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)Just watched a Rifleman yesterday on METV, when I got home from work.
104 is a pretty good run.
Behind the Aegis
(53,823 posts)Seems to be a life well lived.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)and while it is sad to lose anyone, he will live on through his work.
pacalo
(24,721 posts)The tv roles had so much character back in those days. I love the METV network.
RIP, Arthur Gardner.
RKP5637
(67,030 posts)And often the sets were relatively uncomplicated. The intrigue was in the type of characters and the acting.
NBachers
(16,999 posts)Which is actually better than you'd expect it to be.