Secrets Of TV’s The Rifleman: More Than Just Guns And Good Times

The Town’s Blacksmith

Joe Higgins was a regular on The Rifleman. He played several characters on the show before finally landing the recurring role of Nils Swenson, the blacksmith. Higgins’ charming southern accent resulted in him being cast in several TV shows over the years. He appeared in The Dukes of Hazzard, and his most famous line was, “Boy, you in a heap of trouble,” which led to commercial success. He was hired by Dodge to play the Safety Sheriff in various print ads, commercials and public appearances during the 1970s and ’80s. Fun fact: He earned a Ph.D. in Aviation Education from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Higgins died of a heart attack in 1998.