The one-hour episodes follow the lives of the Barkley family, one of the wealthiest and largest ranch-owning families in Stockton, led by matriarch Victoria Barkley (Barbara Stanwyck), her sons Jarrod (Richard Long) and Nick (Peter Breck), daughter Audra (Linda Evans), and their half-brother Heath (Lee Majors).

Although he is never shown in the series (other than a painting and a statue), the character of Thomas Barkley is referred to as a major plot point many times.

In addition to the Barkley family members, the episode plots typically revolved around morally conflicted protagonists and antagonists, a common theme in the mythology of the American West in the 19th century.

[2]The TV series was based loosely on the Hill Ranch, which was located at the western edge of Calaveras County, not far from Stockton.

In the first episode, titled "Palms of Glory", the grave of Thomas Barkley (1813–1870) is shown after he is mentioned to have fought the railroad 6 years before.

In the second-season episode "Hide the Children", Nick makes reference that President Ulysses Simpson Grant is in the White House.

In the fourth- and final-season episode "They Called Her Delilah", the telegram Jarrod received from Julia Saxon dated April 27, 1878, can be seen on screen.

In the episode "The Jonah", the band at a town dance can be heard playing Johann Strauss II's "Emperor Waltz" or "Kaiser-Walzer".

[5][6] Wilfred M. Cline, Technicolor associate cinematographer on Gone with the Wind (1939), was director of photography for several Big Valley episodes, together with Chas E.

[8] The theme music was composed by George Duning, who scored the pilot and 58 episodes; Lalo Schifrin was responsible for the third season, and Elmer Bernstein for the fourth.

For at least the first pilot episode, the theme music starts with a more relaxed woodwinds introduction leading into the title refrain at a moderate tempo.

The final refrain (when Miss Barbara Stanwyck's credits are shown), includes an underlying Spanish rhythm outlined with tambourine that is similar to that of The Magnificent Seven main title.

The Big Valley was cancelled in 1969 as the TV Western craze began to fade, and to make room for more modern series.

The Big Valley also was ranked as one of the top-five favorite new shows in viewer TVQ polling (the others were Get Smart, I Dream of Jeannie, Lost in Space, and F Troop).

After Lloyd Bridges' character frets about a pilot who cracked under pressure, Johnny says: "It happened to Barbara Stanwyck!"

In 1966 and 1968, the American Cinema Editors named Valley the year's Best Edited Television Program (for the episodes "40 Rifles" and "Disappearance", respectively).

In July 2009, it was reported in The Los Angeles Times that filmmakers Daniel Adams and Kate Edelman Johnson were producing a feature adaptation of The Big Valley with production to begin in April 2010 in New Mexico and Michigan.