Johnny Crawford, Original Mouseketeer & 'Rifleman' Actor, Dies at 75
Johnny Crawford has sadly died.
The actor, who rose to fame in the 1950s as an original Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club and as the star of The Rifleman, passed away at the age of 75 on Thursday (April 29), his website confirmed.
“It is with great sadness and heaviness of heart that the Johnny Crawford Legacy team announce the passing of Johnny Crawford. He passed away peacefully this evening, April 29, 2021 with Charlotte, his wife, by his side. More will be posted on the News & Event page later. For now, our prayers are with the Crawford family,” the website announced.
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His death follows an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, as well as a recent battle with COVID-19, via the site.
“Sadly, Johnny was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and he was living in a memory care residence before contracting COVID-19, then pneumonia. After a temporary placement at a skilled nursing facility, he was recently moved to an excellent smaller care home close to his wife. He has his loving family supervising and his friends doing window visits for his safety. As cruel as Alzheimer’s disease is, Johnny still has that warm smile and sparkle in his eyes, and he’s surrounded by people who love him unconditionally,” the website reads.
In addition to his role on The Mickey Mouse Club‘s first season, he also guested on shows like The Lone Ranger, The Frank Sinatra Show, The Danny Thomas Show and Wagon Train. He was also an Emmy nominee for his work in The Rifleman.
Along with acting, he also recorded several albums with singles including “Cindy’s Birthday,” which reached #8 on the charts in June of 1962. In later years, he performed with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks and The Johnny Crawford Dance Orchestra. He also served in the U.S. Army.
He also starred in shows like Rawhide, Hawaii Five-O, Little House on the Prairie and Murder She Wrote. He co-starred with John Wayne in 1967’s El Dorado and Victoria Principal in 1973’s The Naked Ape.
Our thoughts are with Johnny Crawford‘s loved ones at this difficult time.
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