The Big Valley theme

[1atheist2]

Good memories.

[williebobd]

I love this show. Watch it daily on INSP.



[painin2teeth]

Is this tara?

[RevRonL]

i was about 10 years old when this was on, and i thought Linda Evens was pretty hot then.

[shortbusbully]

I was named after Jarrod Barkley haha

[Pfeiferfox]

I used watched this film with my father a long time ago....but I remember so much. Thanks for it.

[TheHearst49]

House was on the Republic Lot,stood till 1975,they reused the wood,for other houses,

[86celtics]

Today, Playboy would've offered Linda Evans big bucks to show the goods and I would've bought the issue.

[RhiannonVampire]

I'm 16 and I love watching The Big Valley. Seriously, why can't tv shows today be this good?!?!

[rocketvon]

Miss Barbara wore a snap on tool on set at all times, and was legendary with that thang. Heath (Lee Majors), was the "bastard" child in the story, but you gotta be as old as me to know this. Rocky

[grangeender1]

I was about 11 when this aired and I had a crush on Barbara Stanwyck, not Linda Evans.

[tihkon2]

Heath (Lee Majors) was my first TV crush. :-D

Beautiful young man.

[Dameesha]

please someone pick the show back up please .

[Dameesha]

i miss the show .

[Lisica2008]

@Dameesha If you get ME TV channel in your area, you can see The Big Valley Monday through Saturday.

[Dameesha]

@Lisica2008 I live in phila and this show came on once on a channel called TVLD tvland and they havent showed it sense everytime i turn to that channel roseanne is always on now...so idk

[Tmontana44]

Hold on...I don't remember seeing The Big Valley on Encore. Hmm.

[zoznack]

Linda Evans...what a babe (back in the day). She should have done more film work rather than disappear for 20 years...the world needed to see her body more.

[MyLalinea]

peter breck sounds familiar but don't know from what.

[Pizuzuzimmer]

The young Linda Evans...wow.

[desenreda]

oh man!! takes me back to my childhood when i was 7 and my dad would watch the rerun every Sunday evening! now he's far gone and this makes me recall those days where the world seemed to be a friendly place

thanks for posting..

[LBF522]

What was there birth order? I know Jared was the oldest.

[Neville6000]

@cutandpaste1: And the reason the sales are so poor is because this show is not rerun enough like it should be (probably)-look at the way CBS Television Distribution reruns Star Trek compared to how Fox Television Studios reruns this show, and then you can see why it's not a big seller on DVD. BTW, not EVERYTHING on TV now is reality TV-take a look at most of the sitcoms and drama shows on, especially Westerns like Deadwood and Dead Man's Gun.

[Neville6000]

@cutandpaste1: 'The Girls Next Door' sells-this probably doesn't or won't, even if it was advertised a lot. That's why (with the exception of shows like Star Trek:TOS) you won't see a lot of old shows on video.

[catamitecowboy]

I sure wish Encore would go digital! I haven't seen this show on a tv screen in 5 yrs.

[finnemccool]

@catamitecowboy I saw it on Encore around a year ago, but the programming changed to the Virginian and Wagon Train.

[ClearwaterMMA]

Stanwyck was a lesbian in real life.

[thanhmap100]

I like this.

[angy333blaublau]

VIVA LA GRANDE VALLATA !

[ftlshome1]

one comment when shows themes had balls to them

[itschelseabxtch95]

This was the original theme music of The Big Valley series in 1965. Great music by Elmer Bernstein beginning and ending music. Classy ****

[jarwillnc]

@itschelseabxtch95 I liked this original theme much better than what later followed. There were times I hoped to be playing in a pops orchestra concert and this theme appear in a western medley. Either our music budget couldn't afford the good arrangements or our conductor lacks in his choices. lol

[gabrielczinn]

velhos tempos, bons tempos.

[topknotchsteez98]

Barbara was a hightly first rated actress, uncanny on-screen personal and emotion and she possessed a beautiful ass that was dignified and delightful.

[ClearwaterMMA]

I remember everyone liked Bonanza and i liked the Big Valley better. i was a little kid and thought Heath was the coolest guy in the world. did any of you know that he ( Lee Majors) beat out Burt Reynolds for this part? i heard that before.

[hanoc101]

This show was a rip-off of Bonanza in a way but I preferred it over Bonanza.

[RImusclebear]

@hanoc101 In those days they didn't call it a rip off they called it a formula western,

[frank47hammer]

@hanoc101 much better than Bonanza

[EruditeScythian]

Wait a minute! Is this the same Linda Evans from Dynasty???

[Juliaflo]

@EruditeScythian Yes, it is. And I knew of her when she was going by her given name, Evanstad.

(Uh-uh, don't try to figure out my age, LOLOLOL).

[RJRanke]

@EruditeScythian

Wouldn't you know someone from a wealthy family(The Barkleys)would end up with another wealthy family(the Carringtons)?

[Neville6000]

@EruditeScythian: Yes.

[frank47hammer]

@EruditeScythian Of course, she is the same

[biggus8888]

How friggin' hot was Linda Evans??

[jaybd107]

LBF actually 3 are alive. Majors, Evans and Breck.

Heath was iligitimate son of husband

[jaybd107]

Heath was a half brother or adopted if I recall. He was not a Barkley. And actually if you watched many show during the seventies, large stars were always billed similarly. Many guest stars were billed as "Special Guest Star" at the end of all the other "Guest Stars" being introduced. Barbara Stanwyck most definitely deserved such billing base on her career. Though I was younger back then, I'm sure the fact that she was "the" star of actors on that show is what drew them towards it to begin with

[mthivier]

Not only was Stanwyck the *star* of "Big Valley", but from what I understand, also had a hand in the creation of the series. Supposedly she had loved westerns, but was annoyed that, other than "Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty, women rarely featured prominently in them, and requested that a western series be developed as a vehicle for her.

[LBF522]

Hollywood is bad at remakes but how would a remake of Big Valley be?  Only two actors from the original are still alive.

[BROADTRAIN1979]

yeah lee majors the king!!

[STEPcoach]

do you realize that Dallas was a remake of this show? the tough brother (Nick/JR), the nice brother (Jarred/Bobby), the matriarch (Victoria/Miss Ellie), the bastard/missing brother (Gary/Heath), I guess Audra's part was transformed into Pamela Ewing (?). There was also a missing patriarch. I always wondered which family, the Barkleys or the Ewings were more powerful (richer, more influential) if money was standardized over the time periods. The there were the Cartwrights ... who was the biggest?

[ming746]

@STEPcoach iNTERESTING QUESTION. I love both shows. I know that after the asian oil deal the ewings were said to be billionairs so i am guessing the ewings. they had oil land and cattle where the barkleys just had cattle and land and other merchant goods.Lee Majors was always great.

[mthivier]

@STEPcoach actually, on Dallas, the illegit/bastard son (the "Heath" character) could be considered to be Ray, the ranch hand, who was later revealed to be Jock's son. And, like Victoria, Miss Ellie accepted him into the family.

[nightswimmer99]

@mthivier that was a bad decision on the script writers' part. In the pilot episode, Ray was messing around in the hayloft with Lucy Ewing, who turned out to be his niece when they revealed him as Jock's son. Yuck. 

[jwklf]

Still SUCH a great show with so many legendary stars. From Colleen Dewhurst as Gang Leader Annie to Bruce Dern as 5 different characters over the series. Sadly, principal production on the big screen version begins this summer (release date 2011) staring Jessica Lang, Lee Majors as Tom Barkley, Travis Fimmel as Heath and Bruce Dern (again) as George Adams(??)!

[HaywardSouth]

@jwklf Maybe if the movie generates enough interest, Fox will release the rest of the series on DVD.

[Neville6000]

@HaywardSouth: It just might.

[Neville6000]

@jwklf : For all we know, it might be a success, so stop being such a gloomy Gus and be glad that the Western is back, OK?

[paullytigereyeroot55]

Love that Linda Evans!

[Festizzle]

Ya gotta love Linda Evans.

[NickCave13]

Linda Evans was so hot but that sure changed in a hurry.

[ToughXArmy69]

Four Star was like Desilu, an independent TV company of quality shows. Four Star productions were such as Wanted Dead or Alive, Rifleman, Burke's Law,

The Rogues, The Big Valley. Desilu merged into Paramount but Four Star had no such happy ending, after Dick Powell died the studio floundered, and ceased operations.

PS One poster wanted to know why Stanwyck was billed as' Miss Barbara Stanwyck', a way of special tribute. Susan Hayward was billed as Miss Susan Hayward in Valley of the Dolls

[Neville6000]

@ToughXArmy69: Actually, Four Star went on, but at a reduced level, making some TV movies, until the late 80's/early 90's when it was absorbed by New World Pictures, which in turn was absorbed by News Corporation, which also owns 20th Century Fox. The shows contain the 20th Television logo nowadays.

[hanoc101]

@Neville6000 Didn't Four Star produce the Rifleman too?

[Neville6000]

@hanoc101:Yes, it did.

[mindeloman]

What was the deal with heath? Was he a bastard son? I remember Victoria was not his mother. That's kinda risque' for back then.

[hanoc101]

This show was kind of a retread of the Bonanza idea - a rich landowner and his( in this case her) three sons, but I liked The Big Valley much more.

[angy333blaublau]

CHE BELLA LA GRANDE VALLATA !

[MisterMasterShafter]

The Big Valley theme music aside, this series' episodes had some of the finest musical scores I've ever heard on TV in my life. Much of the music from the episodes is to this day still stuck in my mind, and I'm glad. Scores from eps like "By Force and Violence" and many others were just amazing. Brimming with tension and suspense. The Rifleman, also made by Four Star, had fantastic scores too. BV was a quality show from top to bottom, and should have gonet at least another two or three seasons.

[crazedfemale]

I loved this show - when I was growing up the show was in the first reruns and I thought Heath was so hunky and Linda Evans so beautiful. I didn't know who Barbara Stanwyck but mom told me she was a big movie star. I guess having her on the show would be like Meryl Streep on CSI.

[2nd2nun1]

Why was Barbara Stanwyck introduced as "Miss?" Was this because she was such a legendary movie star and she needed a more refined title for television? And...why is Lee Majors' character billed only as "Heath" and no Barkley last name? He was a Barkley brother, right?

[spudtv]

Because I guess the story goes that Mr. Barkley had an affair and Heath was born........so he would be a half brother.

and I think you're right about the Miss question.

[2nd2nun1]

Ahhh, ok. That explains the "isolated' name. You are indeed right. Thanks!

[frieda406]

@spudtv she was also known as missy on every movie set for years and years.

no one was better than barbara stanwyck.

[freddie4416]

because miss stanwyck was the greatest actress. thats why they refer to her as miss barbara stanwyck!!!

[stevethedrums]

@2nd2nun1 Actresses, or just that be female actors, are always referred to as miss, even if they are married.

[Beautifulmusiclistnr]

@2nd2nun1 Heath was a Barkley. His father, Tom, apparently had an affair with some lady at one time as Spudtv mentioned, and Victoria allowed him to live there with them. Of course, in the first episode he kisses Audra his own sister!!!

[Renagade70]

@2nd2nun1 It was out of respect for her.. I've heard from Linda Evans that Barbara Stanwick made it her business to know everybody involved in the show and their families. She went out from them so they returned the favor by putting up the credits as Miss. Linda Evans is in her 60's and still looking damn good.

[someonespadre]

@2nd2nun1 It was common back then to refer to actresses using their original name as Miss Stanwyck or Miss Bacall, etc.

[someonespadre]

I live in the Big Valley (Sacramento, CA).

[freegance]

@someonespadre

LOL ! Wish i was there .....great memories from my childhood ...I never forget these times

[Iron4343]

@2nd2nun1 People under 20 back then didnt have last names.... :)

[bepobepa]

@2nd2nun1

Since 1920, the custom in Hollywood studios was to call and refer to all movie actresses as "Miss", whether they be married or not, whatever their age.

[lmx370]

I believe Silas's real name was Napolean Whiting, not Silas.

[recaulkulous]

I used to stay home "sick" just to watch the Big Valley from 11:00 am till noon.... Sometimes I still do!

[sneezersneezer]

I love The Big Valley. God help me, I love it so!

[LBF522]

Loved watching this show with my mom. It was wonderful.

[tednguyen]

these were the days before i watched porn

[freddie4416]

i loved the big valley so much. audra and victoria were my favorites. when my sister got married and got pregnant, i said to her if you have a girl why don't you name her audra!! well she had a girl and she named her audra.

[LBF522]

That is nice. Thanks for that. It was a very good show. Audra was a younger version of Victoria in the beginning then they reduced her to the damsal in distress.

[freddie4416]

hi lbf522. just want to let you know i went to see linda evans and joan collins in legends when the came to boston. i got lindas autograph and had my picture taken with her as many others did. she was great. joan was a bitch. she would not take any pictures with anybody but did sign some autographs. take care.

[LBF522]

I am happy for you that you were able to meet them.  That is nice.

[JONROSE44]

One of the best TV theme music ever....the 3rd and 4th season theme music is even better.....LOVE this !!!!

[spm62]

I agree,one of the best tv themes ever. A lot of the 50 and 60 westerns had great themes. Watching these old westerns brings back memories of my childhood and my dad watching these old westerns. I love them.

[Aeiras2]

Love the music. It´s very touching. Used to watch it with my grandma in Buenos Aires countryside. Absolut wonderful memories and great series script. All casted perfecty. (Now enjoy the DVD)... :)

[CaptBeauregards]

I would stay home from school... just to watch Linda Evans.. when she looked like THIS!!!!

[GOOSEYGOOSE9]

the big valley made stars of

Richard Long "Nanny And The Professor"

Peter Breck "The Secret Empire"

Lee Majors "The Six Million Dollar Man"

Linda Evans "Dynasty"

More Of An Action Series Than A Western Soap Opera.

[Juliaflo]

I remember---

Richard Long from 'Bourbon Street Beat'

Peter Breck from 'Black Saddle'

Lee Majors when he was using his real name, Lee Yeary, in a movie with Joan Crawford (I think)

Linda Evans when she used her real name, Linda Evenstad, in an episode of 'Bachelor Father'.

If that dates me, so be it. (I still won't reveal my age, LOL).

[mrvjn3]

Lee Majors,dont forget Owen Marshall ,and The Fall Guy.

[luvindogadis411]

Awesome show.

[naeema]

I love this show.

[FireitupBedford]

Me to that's when they used to make great tv shows unlike todays trash...

[Sorayn]

Agreed. I think TV started dying in the late 80's and has been falling ever since.

50,60,70 to mid 80's produced a lot of quality TV.

I myself don't even own a TV these days because ther eis just too much bullshit on.

[valenzr08]

Lo mejor de lo mejor...lastimosamente ya no la transmiten en español...unicamente el Gran Chaparral y Bonanza, pero esta que era la mejor, ya no la pasan...Linda Evans, la mujer más hermosa que he visto...hizo honor a su nombre.

[Franherrada]

Excelente serie, que incluía la exaltación de valores intrínsecos notables como la rectitud, la honorabilidad, la fortaleza de lazos afectivos familiares, etc. También presentaba guiones ingeniosos y grandes actuaciones de sus protagonistas. Como regalo, la belleza , juventud ,y simpatía de Audra (Linda Evans). Gracias por permitirnos recordarla. Francisco de Argentina.

[Aeiras2]

Tal cual! Muy buena , la veia con mi abuela. Ahora me la compre x DVD. Vale la pena!

[Franherrada]

Gracias Aeiras2. Siempre es bueno enterarse que existe otras personas que piensan y sienten cómo uno mismo.. Abrazos desde San Juan.

[rayssonation]

Four Star Productions not only produced this show but also the western "The Rifleman",and also "Burke's Law","Honey West","The Thrillseekers",and "The Lloyd Bridges Show". "The Big Valley" was the only Four Star/ABC production produced in full color.

[rayssonation]

"The Big Valley" was the only western produced by Four-Star Productions that was filmed in full color. The theme score from the 1965-1966 composed by George Duning,and later on by Elmer Bernstein.

[hanoc101]

If I am not mistaken Four-Star Productions produced the Rifleman too. My favorite tv western of all time. This is number two.

[lordnilo]

EN CHILE SE LLAMABA "VALLE DE PASIONES", YO LA VI CUANDO ERA CHICOMEN LA DECADA DE LOS 80s QUE RECUERDO VERLA NUEVAMENTE...

[walkandlookup]

creo que se llamó así en todo el mundo latino, excelente serie, ¡que tiempos aquellos!

[Juliaflo]

Pop quiz--Who is the father of Norman S. Powell?

[smartcooky99]

Powell's father was George Barnes, a cinematographer of the Silent Film era... and his mother was Joan Blondell, and American actress.

[Juliaflo]

Actually, Norman Powell's father was Dick Powell by the marriage to Joan Blondell.

[smartcooky99]

No. Dick Powell was Norman's STEP father. Norman was born 2 November 1935, the son of Joan Blondell and George Barnes. They divoced in 1936, and he was adopted by Joan's second husband, Dick Powell, in February 1938.

[Juliaflo]

I did not know. Thank you. (Maybe I should probe that Database more often).

[russellrenee]

So many great actors in the show from James Whitmore to Bradford Dillman and James Gregory and Robert Walker, Jr. Julie Harris to pretty Leslie Parrish. My favorite was Nick remember the one when Heath and Nick fought over Katharine Ross. Even Ron Howard was in the series.

[Juliaflo]

Pop quiz--Which of the Big Valley stars is known by birth name?

[russellrenee]

Could that be Peter Breck who was born in Haverhill, MA my kinda town. I loved the Big Valley growing up. I watched the reruns in the early 70's and wish they would bring it back .

[Juliaflo]

Actually, Peter Breck and Richard Long.

Barbara Stanwyck, nee Ruby Stevens

Lee Majors, ne Harvey Lee Yeary

Linda Evans, nee Linda Evanstad

[newall7]

used to watch it as a kid and loved it

didnt realise linda evans was in it

[LBF522]

I once wished for a remake but seeing how badly Hollywood does those, never mind.

[medusalis]

Linda Evans and Lee majors, So beautiful!

[josiedonn15]

Richard Dreyfuss was in this.

xx

[russellrenee]

Dreyfuss played Lud the moody boy who hated charity. Diane Ladd played his mom and her husband Bruce Dern was in lots of episode. I loved the names of each episode one with Dern was Four Days to Furnace Hill. I still remember most of the titles.

[hobartmark]

JUST THE THEME SONG MAKES YOUR SPINE TINGLE. Go 6 million dollar man.

[scotnick59]

Now THERE was a show!!

My very favorite TV show of all-time: it offered classy performers and colorful storylines which were original and usually had a moral ending - exquisite -and they don't make shows like this anymore - very sad!

[ninelivecat]

The Vig Valley was before my time but its excellent

[snowgirl1052]

Yes, I agree--I loved Peter Breck. His Nick was very sexy....I never missed an episode, unless Nick wasnt in it.

[lostseagirl]

I know right? 8D

[LBF522]

My only thing is that I wish they had done a flash back or two of Tom Barkley to let us see what he was like.

[lmx370]

If you want to see what Tom Barkley looks like just look at the portrait of him hanging in the gun room. They really keep the camera on the portrait of Tom in the episode Heritage. He looks nothing like his children. Eugene looks the most like him, the other Barkleys are all much better looking especially Heath of course. I can just stare at him all day long. OH MY GOD WHAT A HUNK.

[LBF522]

Yes I do remember that portrait of Tom Barkley. But I guess what I meant was a flashback of Tom like they did with Ben Cartwright's wives.

[kxx46]

I actually saw that portrait on "Dallas"

as it was Miss Ellie's father.

The portrait of "Judge Baldwin" on "The Waltons" was the same as "Bruce Wayne's" father on "Batman" !

So the portraits really make their rounds !

[lmx370]

I also noticed Tom's portrait on Dallas. He replaced the one of Jock Ewing which was moved to Ewing Oil. Also the Barkley ranch was used in Golden Girls when Blanch visited her hometown.

[weewillie601]

My absolute favorite of all the great westerns of the era. Adore Peter Breck. I wonder why he never had his own show - tall, dark, handsome, SUPER SEXY, complex in real life as well as on the show, talented. PERFECT. Somebody messed up letting him get away.

[LBF522]

I have always wondered also. The rest of the cast did go on to have other shows.

[kxx46]

Peter Breck was in the original "Benji" movie.

[audiophile55]

This brings back such great memories. We used to watch this at 4:00 pm, in the afternoons in the early 70's. One of my most vivid memory is around Thanksgiving and Christmas,it would still be daylight when it came on, and almost dark when it ended, at 5.

[LBF522]

Loved this show.

[lostseagirl]

Amg, BEST SHOW EVAAARRRRR!

[scotnick59]

You said it, lostseagirl: nothing ever compared to it!!!!!!!!!!

[jimthewriter]

This must be from the first season. I see they have Eugene listed in the opening credits. That boy must have liked Harvard so much that he decided to stay there forever!

[Sohaila95]

Nick is my Barkley crush! He was yummy! I love a hot blooded man with a temper! Lol!

[hazkurtz]

I loved this TV drama. Especially,I prefer linda Evans ,very cute.

[herculestarzan01]

Uma das melhores séries de faroeste já exibidas pela TV

[Sudoxation]

I just had to see this, it reminds me of Saturday mornings when I was little and my parents would watch all these Westerns. I use to hate it, but now I have some great memories :)

[TheBigValley]

I never tired of reviewing this memorable television series

[gwtwcarlos]

I have a question to all of you...That mansion from BIG VALLEY..is the same used in GWTW? Tara?...I think it,s the same....THANKS. Carlos

[jimthewriter]

Not the same. Look very different. Tara has 4columns, BV has 5 columns. Windows and doors don't match. Different sets on different studio backlots.

[wbaker7]

for that matter does the other brother, Eugene ever appear in the credits? and what the hell happaned to him? for such a close family they let him fall off the face of the earth.

[wbaker7]

even when i was a little kid and watching this show on its first run i noticed Heath didnt have a last name on the credits and i said to my parents Why Not? and it was "Uh, you know". I think the best episode was with Wn Shatner as Jerads old law school chum turned bank robber.

[wbaker7]

how come Heath doesn't get a last name in the credits? jeeeeez do they have to rub it in that he was a bastard?

[kbirdusa]

Good point - totally contradicts Victoria's declaration, from practically other episode, that "you're just as much as Barkley as they are!" Uh, not according to the opening credits, Vicky!

[wbaker7]

who sponsored this show, agri-business?

[chickenwings313]

My all time favorite show.

[battlestarmarc]

great t.v. show.

[racefan1701]

They also used to show the stars' names in the closing credits, although in Big Valley they did it in Seasons 1 and 2, and not in 3 and 4.

[minngophers21]

Television shows were special then. This was one of the best. Notice that in credits all the characters had the Barkley name except Heath, was he or wasn't he a true Barkley? If Nick is willing to accept him, then so am I.

[spudtv]

I noticed that in the older theme too.

[nancyzeetoo]

Yes. They never gave him the name in the credits. Personally, I thought they were all a little too fond of him too quickly - especially Victoria. And Nick only hated him for a few minutes. It might have been more interesting if they'd made his transition into the family a lot longer and rockier.

[LBF522]

Yes realisticly, it would have been Victoria who should have accepted the last if at all. But the show was still good.