The Real McCoys

I watched this show fairly frequently as a child but now that I am an adult I appreciate it much more. I am so impressed with the acting and stamina of Walter Brennan. For a man in his late 60's, he had to memorize tons of dialogue and work so hard it must have been a strain on him, however it never showed in his performance. His wonderful love/hate friendship with George MacMichael (Andy Clyde) was a highlight of the show. I was very sorry when Kate left the show, though it wasn't the same, I still enjoyed it because I loved watching Walter. I am so glad that TNN is showing reruns of this show.

Any show with Walter Brennan is a winner! I was very little when this show aired. Walter Brennan was the epitome of a grandfather to me. I loved the way he walked, arms slightly bent, elbows back and kind of cocking them in the rhythm of his step.

Favorite episodes include Grandpa's games of checkers with George (Andy Clyde).

Brennan's Grandfatherly persona was showcased in this series. He disappeared for several years after the show's cancellation from television and resurfaced as a tough old hombre in The Guns of Will Sonnet, which was another great series.

The show declined over the years with cast members falling off like over-ripe cherries from a cherry tree. It finally died and made way for its successor, The Beverly Hillbillies.

When it aired on TNN a few years ago, it made for some wonderful memories of retro-t.v.

A pleasant thirty-minute bit of family values. Like all successful TV shows of the era, it included a "real star" in the cast - in this case, Walter Brennan. The show stressed family solidarity and doing the right thing. Each episode contained an understated lesson in life and living.

I had seen episodes of The Real McCoys as a very small child during the original airings in the early 1960's. Many years had passed before I had the chance to see it again. Except for the ill-advised sixth and final season, without the lovely and talented Kathy Nolan as Kate, it is a heart-warming and wonderful family show that all too sadly is of the kind that is no longer made anymore. It is just great that the entire series is being released on DVD. I will certainly add the first five seasons to my collection. As for the sixth season, the show had lost it's heart with the departure of Kathy Nolan. Not until Don Knotts left The Andy Griffith Show did such a loss cripple a show again. Yes, The Real McCoys was basically a comedy show, but it often had touches of realism and drama you never saw on the later classic The Beverly Hillbillies. It had solid acting throughout, even down to the supporting cast. It also had a heart.

I always loved this show, except for the final season. It was bad enough that Kathy Nolan left, but the kids (Hassie and Little Luke) were also phased out within a handful of episodes. Then, even Grandpa Amos McCoy was gone by the spring of 1963, leaving only Luke and Pepino for the final 13 episodes or so. The show was such a heart-warming sitcom until then, but the final season we had to witness the family disintegrate. Very depressing.