The Big Valley

(left to right: Jarrod, Heath, Audra,

Victoria and Nick)

Text and photos courtesy of Sierra

The Big Valley portrayed the adventures of the Barkleys, a wealthy ranch family in California's Central Valley in the 1870s. The Barkley holdings, all 30,000 acres, included mines, vineyards, orchards, cattle, and property in Mexico. "The Big Valley" was the first and only Western TV series built around a strong female character. Another important plot device in the series was the presence of Heath, the illegitimate son of the dead patriarch Tom Barkley. His life experiences, which contrasted so sharply from the other family members, were the source of many story lines. The series debuted on ABC on September 22, 1965, with a total of 112 episodes; it was cancelled in 1969 from the producer's choice, not because of ratings.

Barbara Stanwyck - Victoria Barkley, widow of Tom, and who was nobody's fool. 
Richard Long - Jarrod Barkley - oldest son who was a lawyer who split his time between the Barkley interests and other legal cases.
Peter Breck - Nick Barkley - second oldest son who ran the Barkley ranch holding. His ranching image is in sharp contrast to the older brother's urbanity.
Lee Majors - Heath - the illegitimate son who shows up in the pilot episode "Palms of Glory". Initially an angry young man, Heath mellows into "the silent man" type, and become an effective foil to Nick's outbursts.
Linda Evans - Audra Barkley - Only daughter, who showed much spunk and energy in the first year but whose character was less well-defined as the show went on

For more information go to: Kellie's The Big Valley Web Site

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