There are 4 Big Valley Themes. Each season introduced the same theme with different settings and different pictures of the cast. In Season One Stanwyck is wearing her long hair piece; Season two has her seated on a sofa with a serene expression; Season three has her in the blue turtleneck...the season on this video; Season 4 has her in brown with a longer version of the music. This theme is from Season 3.
I've watched most episodes of The Big Valley over and over. They were that good. The first episode was especially good, as Heath appears and claims his birthright. Another fav is when Jarrod defended Warren Oates in a murder case.
Happy 50 to The Big Valley, one of my dad's favorite TV Westerns I use to watch this in reruns on Pat Robertson's CBN later The Family Channel, but when the network became Fox Family and now abc family, that's when the show went into reruns on Encore Westerns, The Hallmark Channel, INSP, and Me-TV God Bless The Cast for a job well done and, who would've thought that Linda Evans and Lee Majors would find great success after The Big Valley with other hit abc shows In the 70's, Lee Majors played the title role to The Six Million Dollar Man and in the 80's, Linda and Lee would have great success with 2 popular TV Dramas Linda would become best known as Krystle Carrington on the Prime Time Soap Opera Series Dynasty Produced by the late Aaron Spelling and Douglas S. Cramer and Lee became best known as The Fall Guy produced by the late Glen A. Larson R.I.P. to Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Long and Peter Breck Nick Barkley was somebody you didn't mess with
+T-Bone Hubbard, That was a great summary that you gave us! Thank you! Even though The Fall Guy ran a little longer than TSMDM, I think that Lee is more well known for TSMDM. Also, Linda and Lee would reunite on an episode of The Love Boat another Spelling - Cramer production. Again, thank you for the Excellent Summary you provided!! The cast of The Big Valley was superb!
I have loved The Big Valley since I was just a young kid in the early 1970's. Heath "Lee Majors" was always my favorite because my favorite show at the time was The Six Million Dollar Man. Now, I am lucky to watch it on "ME" T.V. on Channel 14 in Indio, Ca. The cast for The Big Valley had 5 stars in it along with many future stars playing various roles. Thanks again! Keith Johns of Indio, Ca.
We had just moved to a small town of Newark,NY.. outside of Rochester.. My parents purchased a most beautiful Brick house. My sister and I hadnt attended school due to us moving at Christmas Break . It was snowing of course.. We had a rotary antenna and our first Color TV.. We found a new show The Big Valley.. When it was over.. I rotated the Antenna toward Saracuse.. We watched another episode.. I really miss those days
It's hard to choose which Barkley I like best. They were all such great actors! Additionally, BV had it all: cinematography, scenery, story/plot, guest stars, background music etc...
I had such a mad crush on Linda Evans in the early 70s when I first started watching the reruns, she was the main reason. But as I look on it now, I think it was a great TV show, and it's too bad there is nothing like that on now.
The Big Valley never came close to attaining the ratings success of the top two westerns, Gunsmoke and Bonanza, or even the success of Wagon Train and Rawhide, but it became a durable powerhouse in the syndication market and essentially floated it's production company and syndicator--Four Star, for years. The Big Valley was Four Star's only off network, color show and having run 4 years, it was enough episodes for the lucrative strip, syndication market, as was the Rifleman, though the latter was black and white, which somewhat curbed its value in a new color world. Still, like the Big Valley, the Rifleman has been very durable, though it is no longer a part of the Four Star, now Fox library. ABC was very much a third place network in the 60's. Had the Big Valley run on NBC or CBS, the ratings and run might have been stronger but no one can deny its huge popularity in syndication or even today. It just lives on
+Doug Finlay, Since you mentioned Gunsmoke, the only reason why it didn't get cancelled a lot sooner was because the wife of some network executive in the 60's liked Gunsmoke over Gilligan's Island. They didn't have enough room for both, and Gilligan's Island always won its time slot unlike Gunsmoke. Had it not been for that Exec's wife, Gunsmoke would have ridden off into the sunset much sooner, but Gilligan's Island ended up sinking instead. Once Gilligan got cancelled, Gunsmoke jumped up big time in the ratings from barely being in the top 30 to the top 5! In fairness to Gunsmoke, I can't really say if it was a better show than The Big Valley because I've never seen a full episode of Gunsmoke. When I was a kid, I just thought it was lame, and I don't want to catch up and watch 20 years of Gunsmoke as an adult. I enjoyed watching Bonanza, and I always thought the cast of Bonanza was terrific. As a kid, watching reruns, I never understood what happened to Adam and why did Candy start appearing on the show? Thank you for your comment.
It’s funny how color and syndication don’t necessarily the popularity of the shows in their original runs. Wagon Train was a MUCH bigger hit than Big Valley, yet we didn’t see it nearly as often in syndication. Big Valley has had much greater staying power.
I don't remember Jarrod actually involved in that many action scenes. Seems to me that as the smart one, he tended to talk a lot, while Nick (and Heath to a lesser extent) let their fists do the talking.
Heads up all you Big Valley fans! A Big Valley big screen movie is in the works! Filming starts soon with Susan Sarandon as Victoria. Lee Majors is also suppose to make an appearance, along with key roles from Richard Dreyfuss and Bruce Dern (both were in an episode of the original series) and Billy Bob Thornton, and the movie also starring Ryan Phillipe (maybe playing Heath??). How exciting is that? I hope they bring back the theme song as well!
Well, dad's shows were Bonanza and Gunsmoke. We all had to watch those because of only one telly, but I also enjoyed both. Grandma was a Big Valley and The Virginian type of gal, so when I stayed with grandma I had to switch. LOL
I love Big Valley!;) I have season 1 and was sad that it stopped rite there.but now I'm happy that someone is doing the other seasons on here!;) and maybe someday there be where I can order them!;) thanks for posting this clip!;)
One thing I never understood about this show: It is supposed to take place in California's Central Valley, which is nearly pancake-flat. But most of the scenes appear to be in mountainous or hilly country.
Excellent series - compulsively watchable with great acting performances. Still looks good after all these years - tribute to its quality. Movie version possible? Obviously different cast required, but could be a winner.
He did. The four stars referenced in the company name were Niven, Dick Powell, Charles Boyer and Ida Lupino, although Lupino did not have an ownership stake. Powell was the driving force and the company declined after his death in 1963. It was eventually sold to New World Pictures, then News Corp.
Your point about about the directors shooting for the typical 1960's TV screen is well taken. Also, while I was aware of Long's health problems, his fear of horses is news to me.
Jarrod: the law of the land Nick: the strength of the land Heath: the love and care of the land Audra: the beauty of the land Victoria: the Majesty of the land The music compliments each person shown. That's how I see it.
And then they basically did the same thing on Dallas twenty years later, with ranch hand Ray Krebbs turning out to be Jock's bastard son. Miss Ellie, graciously accepted him, just as Victoria had done.
"The Big Valley" hoped to capitalize on "Bonanza" & it succeeded. It wasn't a clone, yet it shared the dynamic of a willful, single parent, with adult children who wouldn't go away.
Long's stuntman (who gave him the Golf book) and friend was Richard Cangey who subsequently went to work on The Wild Wild West and talks about his days on both shows in an excellent book he wrote "Inside the Wild Wild West". Great book if you can find it.
redoing of the theme score for the 1967-1968 season and also for the final season as well for the 1968-1969 by Elmer Bernstein. Produced by Four Star Productions and was in full color for ABC. Notice the ending FOUR STAR logo.
always loved this show as a kid and even now in my 50's. one thought has crossed my mind, on the lighter side of things... though sure some may get all bent over it.... 'Did Silas get to use the Barkley's out house or did he have to have his own.... Humm, the weird things that crosses one's mind. Loved all the charactors and actors, even at times in the land of make believe that this would be the family to be part of, nice thought, but back to the real world
There is a misconception about these themes. Each season had different opening credits. This is the opener from the 3rd Season. In the Fourth Season the music was even more brassier than this one and Miss Stanwyck was in a brown outfit. I don't know why they are showing only the openers from Season One and Three and skipping 2 and 4. I prefer this opening.
@marekerhardt That's really the same house? If so, that makes 2 connections to GWTW: the DoP, Wilfrid M. Cline, was the cinematographer on GWTW . . . Which is another reason this show is superior to Bonanza -- its style and camera work made it more like a weekly motion picture than a TV series.
I read Niven's "The Moon is a Balloon" 20 years ago. He likely wrote of "4 Stars Productions" there. They needn't make women any prettier than a young Ida Lupino. Poor Charles Boyer...
The stirring, brassy version of the theme used for season 1 was far superior. This version has a distinct "elevator music" sound to it, and the decision to pose the cast in front of phony painted backdrops only heightens the effect. And what the hell is Barbara Stanwyck wearing? Not exactly typical 1870's garb! It looks like they caught her on the way to lunch at the Brown Derby.
@GlobalDating I may have to agree with you, and the reason is because when they reproduce these classic series and movies, they try to gear towards the younger crowd; but they forget about those of us who grew up with these classics. For example, I thought the remake of True Grit should have kept Glen Campbell's theme song. I mean, why not?? The lyrics were perfect; and even if they didn't use the same GC version, they could have played the tune in the background a bit. Hawaii 5-0 kept theirs
I know they made shorter credits for syndication purposes that would run in under a minute, but I thought they only had two "longer" credits in Seasons 1 and 2, and 3 and 4.
Lee Majors & Peter Breck seem to do their own stunts at least some of the time, but Richard Long never does. Long appears very uncomfortable in any sort of scene that requires action, even something as simple as holding a gun. As for the stuntmen being visible, I find that it varies from episode to episode. Some directors were very good at blocking & shooting scenes so that the double was barely noticeable while others were not.
I wish Linda would’ve mixed up her hair styles on Dynasty the way Joan Collins did, and worn her hair off her face more often, a la Audra Barkley instead of the same old side bangs. She had stunning bone structure
Was gonna say "I'll pretend I didn't read that";-) I disagree. Never saw a scene in any of his works where RL looked uncomfortable. Seemed to have a very easy screen presence. He had fight scenes that were fine and he was pretty athletic. Seemed no better or worse than the others in gun play. They all had doubles and you can pick them out all over the place. This is me, representin' my main man. Having said that, let me say this; BARKLEY BOYS ARE BAD ASS! Peace.
I agree the theme from Seasons 1 and 2 was superior. As for the backdrop, all westerns and TV shows had bad backgrounds back then due to the limits in technology. They also seemed to use stunt doubles way more back then. Check out any of the fight scenes and you can clearly make out the doubles.
@WilsonBen11 Your comments are ignorant and abusive. Abusive and or threatening language is grounds for suspension from RU-vid. I will have you suspended if you don't stop contacting me with this type of behavior. All of your accounts where you essentially say the same thing. It's funny how brave people are when they have the distance the Internet affords them to be out of arms length of people they choose to insult.
