Westerns reached their peak popularity in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s, particularly on television. Thousands of kids across the country dreamed of being cowboys when they grew up. Cowboy hats and toy guns were almost a given in any kid's bedroom.

This enthusiasm for the West and its cowboys helped keep Westerns riding high on television, especially shows like The Rifleman, which ran for five seasons, Gunsmoke, which lasted more than 20 seasons, and Bonanza, which ran for 14.

But the Western format couldn't last forever. According to a 1961 interview with The Austin Daily Herald, ambushed by sitcoms, cartoon characters and television families, Westerns had started disappearing from TV screens in large numbers.

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Some worried that Westerns would become a long-forgotten genre, replaced by the Beavers and Bradys of the television world. Chuck Connors, who played Lucas McCain on The Rifleman, however, wasn't worried at all.

"I'm fed up with all this talk that Westerns are dying," Connors said. "Westerns will never die. It would be a national tragedy if they did!"

"This kind of talk is nothing new," Connors continued. "For years, people have picked on Westerns. And for years, it has been the backbone of this industry. Well, it's about time someone defended it."

Connors insisted that the country needed Westerns. To him, the genre represented a code of morals and law. Westerns weren't just entertaining; they were a learning experience. 

"What does the Western do?" Connors said. "It reminds us men used to have guts, women were steadfast and people did things for themselves. We've said some things about human beings, things that need saying."

As for family-friendly shows, Connors didn't necessarily hate them, but he struggled to understand their purpose.

"Situation comedies where kids have got a golden opportunity to learn that mom's a clever schemer and dad's a hopeless goof," Connors said. "If that's safe, we'll take something more dangerous instead."

Apparently, Connors wasn't ready to trade his six-shooter for a sitcom laugh track! For Connors, those values were just as important to him as they were to his character and, in his view, the world.

"In the West, by and large, there was more courtesy and respect than today — another reason we need the Western now," Connors said. "Maybe they can get along without Westerns. But the question is: Can the rest of us?"

Do you think the world needs another Western today?