As a little kid growing up on a small farm in the late 1950s I easily identified with this series. I begged my parents to stay up an extra half-hour to watch it.
Walter Brennen,the star and co-producer portrayed his character to the hilt. (It was his best performance,never to be equalled or surpassed in his later TV works "The Tycoon," and "The Guns of Will Sonnett.")

Ironically my family has roots traced to the West Virginia mountains...and my father at times when I grew up was just as cantankerous,outspoken and incorigable.
Growing up on a small farm sometimes left me
looked upon as the square peg or the "outsider looking in" by his peers at the local catholic grade school.
Kinda like that scene when Amos pays for Luke and Kate's first anniversary "honeymoon"
by splurging on an upscale swank hotel in the city causing the hotel staffers to do double takes when they arrived in that antique Ford with patches on the tires.

Never could understand why Kate and the kids were written out of the script when the series moved from ABC to CBS...until just today I found out on a fan's site that Kate and Little Luke passed away.(What about the elder Luke's little teenaged sister???)
Danny Thomas helped co-produce the final season on CBS but failed at saving it...which seems almost similar on the final season of Mork and Mindy when the couple gives birth to a fully grown adult growing in reverse played by an aging Jonathan Winters.

SHAZBOT!!!!!!!

In short(TV execs take note)....
DON'T MESS WITH A WINNING FORMULA!!!(duh!!!!!)

Right before TNN stopped showing this earlier this year, I got to see episodes from the last season for the first time. In the first CBS show, Hassie (Luke's sister) appeared, and was leaving for college. They mentioned that Luke was now a widower, and that Little Luke had joined the army.

With so many cast members absent for that final year, I don't know why they bothered with it. I understand that Kathy Nolan (Kate) left in a contract dispute (she wanted more money). I guess the kids were dropped to save money, too.

Danny Thomas helped co-produce the final season on CBS but failed at saving it...


Actually, Danny Thomas had a piece of The Real McCoys from day one. Marterto Productions, which had production co-credits, was named for Danny's two children Marlo (That Girl) and Terry Thomas.

It may have simply been that the show had run its course by then and they had run out of storylines for the kids. For that matter, Walter Brennan took part of the final season off as well, leaving the storylines to Luke and Pepino.

Actually Marterto Pdoductions was named for Danny Thomas' THREE children. Marlo, Terry, and Tony!

Actually, Danny Thomas had a piece of The Real McCoys from day one. Marterto Productions, which had production co-credits, was named for Danny's two children Marlo (That Girl) and Terry Thomas.

It may have simply been that the show had run its course by then and they had run out of storylines for the kids. For that matter, Walter Brennan took part of the final season off as well, leaving the storylines to Luke and Pepino.

Not to mention it was shot at Desilu Studios...

I never understood why CBS changed "The Real McCoys" as much as it had; it reminds me of when Jean Hagen left "Make Room for Daddy," when she, too, was killed off. However, as time proved, KathLEEN Nolan went on to other things beyond being Richard Crenna's "sugar babe."

P.S.: MARlo, TERry and TOny wasn't the only odd mangling of Thomas family names. TERRY Thomas had to change her first name to TERRE Thomas because the British comedian Terry-Thomas complained fans were confusing the middle Thomas child with him! :eek: