The Real McCoys

At least one TV historian summed up the series this way: "There was no 'very special' episode or message; watching it was as relaxing as sitting in a rocking chair on a farm."

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

The lyrics of the series' theme song: I want you to meet the family known as The Real McCoys / They came from West Vir-gin-ee to stay in sunny Cal-i-for-ni-ay / 'Ole Grandpappy Amos and the girls and boys of the family known as The Real McCoys / Kate, what a housekeeper, doing the thing she loves / No girl can beat her on looks and the same can be said for 'her style of' cooks / Grandpappy Amos and the girls and boys of the family known as The Real McCoys / They must live as good people and live happy like children with toys / 'Ole Grandpappy Amos is the head of the clan, he roars like a lion but is gentle as a lamb / His grandson Luke beams with joy since he made Miss Kate Mrs. Luke McCoy / They share each other's sorrows, they enjoy each other's joys / They fight and fuss like all other families but with Grandpappy Amos and the girls and boys of the family known as The Real McCoys things are never serious.

LIFE & FAMILY · SOURCED

When the series moved from ABC to CBS for its sixth and final season, some continuing characters were dropped. For instance, Luke's wife Kate had died, and his brother Little Luke had been sent to boarding school and was never seen again.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Richard Crenna was only 32 years younger than his on-screen grandfather, Walter Brennan.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Richard Crenna was the only actor to appear in all 224 episodes of the series.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Many TV viewers previously knew Richard Crenna as the high-pitched high school student Walter Denton on Our Miss Brooks (1952); when that series first aired, they were quite surprised to hear his natural, rich, smoke-cured voice.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Richard Crenna was 18 years older than Lydia Reed and 20 years older than Michael Winkelman, who played his siblings.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Producer Sheldon Leonard, who rarely had a bad word to say about other actors, said he hated the racist Walter Brennan. Leonard deliberately distanced himself from the series and left the work to Irving Pincus. Since Pincus was Jewish and Brennan was known to be a virulent anti-Semite, this may have been a "parting shot" from Leonard.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Luke McCoy shares his name with his younger brother, Little Luke. The first episode explains that Luke's parents were so excited when Little Luke was born that they forgot they already had a son named Luke.

EASTER EGGS & REFERENCES · SOURCED

Sponsored by Ralston-Purina.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Although Amos McCoy is thought to be Luke McCoy's grandfather, the truth is that Walter Brennan was young enough to be Richard Crenna's father; Walter was only 32 years older than Richard. In Appalachia, the family's birthplace, this was not unusual. Many girls married at 12 or 13, so a father with a daughter could easily become a grandfather before age 30, and grandmothers were often a few years younger than he was.

LIFE & FAMILY · SOURCED

Writer Everett Greenbaum said that Walter Brennan made racist and anti-Semitic remarks on set.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

Air dates and episode sequences for Seasons 3-6 on may differ from other sources, but all have been verified to be in original broadcast order and the original air dates taken from contemporary printed sources. Season 3 episodes aired at 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays on ABC. Season 4 episodes aired at 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays on ABC. There was no broadcast on April 20, 1961. The season started somewhat late because of the 1960 Writers Guild strike. Season 5 episodes aired at 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays on ABC. There was no television broadcast on October 19, 1961. On July 5, 1962, the series went into summer reruns. Season 6 episodes aired at 9:00 p.m. on Sundays on CBS. On June 23, 1963, the 90-minute, 15th-anniversary episode of The Ed Sullivan Show pre-empted The Real McCoys. That night's planned episode, The Peacemakers, aired the following Sunday, June 30. Money From Heaven aired across the United States on November 4; however, in some California markets the episode was pre-empted by a speech by Richard Nixon, who was running for governor of California. In those markets the episode aired the following night.

DEEPER MEANING · SOURCED

At the start of the final season, Little Luke had joined the Army. As a result, he was no longer on the program.

INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED