The Real McCoys (1962)

The year 1962 was the one that finally toppled the once top-5 rated rural comedy The Real McCoys.  After peaking at #5 in the ratings for 1960-61, it slipped to #14 the following season, as its competition on Thursday at 8:30 stiffened from the unrated Bat Masterson and Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre to the suddenly popular new program Dr. Kildare on NBC. At the end of its fifth season, ABC sold the series to CBS, which slotted it against even tougher competition on Sunday evening at 9:00 opposite the #4 rated program in all of television, Bonanza. In announcing the network switch in its March 17, 1962 issue, TV Guide noted that while agreeing to continue doing the show, Walter Brennan would appear in only a dozen episodes, while co-stars Richard Crenna and Kathy Nolan would carry the bulk of the rest. Neither of those conditions ended up playing out--Nolan left the cast before the season began due to contract demands that weren't met, which is probably why Brennan wound up appearing in 23 of the 39 episodes.

It was perhaps inevitable that Nolan and Brennan would eventually split. In an April 7, 1962 feature story in TV Guide, Nolan describes the camaraderie of the group, "We're a pretty dull group for stories because we all like each other and get along beautifully." But the same article describes Nolan's character as being quick-minded and "its inherent trouble-making capacity for any unwary male who might happen along, whether personally or professionally." As a sign of her determination and capability, she would go on to serve as the first female President of the Screen Actors Guild in 1975. Given the show's success over its first 5 seasons, it is not surprising that Nolan would have wanted a bigger share of the profits after becoming a household name. In the May 12, 1962 issue of TV Guide, a news item reports that Nolan's contract negotiations had grown difficult. After producer Irving Pincus reported a few months earlier that the two parties had agreed to double her salary and give her a percentage of the show, her attorney was reported to have added another 17 demands, including a bigger and better dressing room, car service with a chauffeur, script approval, and the opportunity to direct some episodes (something co-star Richard Crenna also sought and received). Nolan is quoted in the news item as saying the chauffeur demand was false and that she only sought concept approval, not script approval. But the upshot was that she said she would not be doing the series in its final season, which reportedly prompted Brennan to quip, "The tail ain't goin' to wag the dog." But the show was not better off without her, as it limped through the final season into obscurity.

When Nolan, Crenna, and Tony Martinez, who played farmhand Pepino, reunited to talk about the series long after Brennan had died, they all spoke warmly about the series with no mention of how Nolan's departure signaled its death knell. They even went so far as to suggest that Nolan's character Kate injected a proto-feminist perspective into the series by standing up to Brennan's Amos character. Granted, Kate McCoy is often the only one to call out Amos' often deceptive or vindictive behavior, but The Real McCoys advanced the feminist perspective about as much as The Flintstones. The very first episode of 1962, "The Washing Machine" (January 11, 1962), is a case in point. The story begins with Amos and Luke returning home crowing about getting a better price on a produce sale than they expected. Kate, who has been toiling with the laundry in their absence, reminds them that they had promised to buy her a washing machine the next time they got any extra money, and it just so happens there is an affordable used model at the local appliance store. But in typical fashion Amos and Luke hem and haw before admitting they have already spent the extra money on farm equipment that will benefit their workload. Fed up with their empty promises, Kate rounds up other neighbor women without washing machines to pool their money and buy the used machine, which they agree can reside at the McCoy home since Kate came up with the idea. Amos objects to Kate "going behind his back" to make a family decision, since he says he is the head of the household and therefore gets to make all the decisions. But Kate has used her own money, not the family's, and besides the machine is delivered before Amos can do anything about it. If the story had stopped here, one could argue that Kate was a shining example of women's rights, but of course the whole arrangement backfires because the other women in the deal take advantage of Kate, hanging out at her house playing cards, eating her out of house and home, and even barging over to do their laundry on the day that is supposed to be reserved for her. Meanwhile, Amos keeps needling Luke about being a woman because his wife has overruled him, so Luke marches in to tell Kate that he is going to assert his male privilege and tell her that the washing machine arrangement has got to end. She is already worn down by the debacle and agrees with him that she should just follow orders from the men, but she tells him that it means he will have to tell the other women the deal is over, which he is unable to do because they just ignore him. So the task falls to Amos, who decides to tell the women that he is going to charge them for all the food they have eaten at his house over the last several weeks, just as if they had gone to a diner or coffee shop. Since the bill he arrives at is more than their original investment in the washing machine, the other women are happy to walk away and leave the washing machine with Kate. When she later tries to ask Luke how he was able to strike such a good deal, he reminds her of her earlier agreement to just let the men of the house handle all the financial matters. So the moral offered to viewers of this episode is that a woman is not sophisticated enough to work out a business deal without suffering unintended consequences and that only a man like Amos can work out a deal that is to the family's advantage--hardly a victory for the cause of women's rights.

The only other 1962 episode from Season 5 to focus on Kate, "Who's Margie?" (March 1, 1962), has her jump to a jealous conclusion when she hears Luke utter the name "Margie" in his sleep one night just before their wedding anniversary. Rather than asking him directly about who Margie is, Kate tries to surreptitiously identify the mystery woman, asking Amos if Luke had any such named girlfriends before he met her, looking through old photo albums in hopes of finding a Margie, and getting advice from one of her seamstress clients about how to question Luke in his sleep to reveal the woman's identity. When none of these attempts produces results, she then assumes that Luke is having an affair with her client after he is inexplicably delayed when giving the woman a ride home after her car breaks down in front of their house. As with "The Washing Machine" episode, Amos rides Luke for being less than a man for suffering Kate's bad temper over what she thinks is his infidelity, again suggesting that a husband should have complete control over his wife and be able to command her not to be angry, even though he has no idea what she is angry about. As it turns out, "Margie" is merely the name of the song that was playing when Luke and Kate shared their first dance early in their courtship, something that he has remembered through the years but she has forgotten, making her appear foolish when he finally reminds her of the song after buying her a record of it for their anniversary. With plots like this one, no wonder Kathy Nolan wanted concept approval before agreeing to appear in Season 6.

We've documented in our previous posts on The Real McCoys the show's chauvinistic presentation of almost all women outside the McCoy household. While such stories appear rarely in the latter Season 5 episodes in 1962, they return with a vengeance in the final season with Nolan out of the picture. Nolan's absence is explained by merely mentioning that Luke is now a widower about 18 months after Kate's unexplained death in the first episode of Season 6, "Grandpa Pygmalion" (September 30, 1962). Since the men of the McCoy household are inept and uninterested in housekeeping, Amos sends for a distant relative from West Virginia, Tilda Hicks (played by a pre-Gilligan's Island Tina Louise), to work as their housekeeper. Tilda is almost a carbon copy of Elly Mae Clampett--stronger than the men but also an excellent cook of a Beverly Hillbillies favorite, hog jowels--though it is virtually impossible that she was modeled on the Donna Douglas character because The Beverly Hillbillies debuted only 4 days before this episode aired. But that doesn't prevent the McCoys brain trust from trying to cash in on another newly popular sit-com by also using Norma Varden as a helpless socialite keen on hiring Tilda away after her maid abandons her, very reminiscent of Varden's character on Hazel. However, though Tilda proves to be an excellent housekeeper at first, Amos makes the mistake of forcing Luke to take her to a dance when he notices Tilda has taken a liking to the widower, where she is courted heavily by all the other young bachelors in town, and the attention turns her into a worthless movie magazine reader and TV exercise program watcher to make herself more alluring to her new beaus. When she proves uninterested in doing any more housework for the McCoys, Amos pawns her off on Varden's socialite and wheedles a fee out of her to compensate for her travel expenses coming out to California as well as her "training." When he realizes that he has made a profit on the exchange, Amos then sees this as a lucrative side business and immediately sends another letter back home to recruit another housekeeping "trainee" from his relations. Taking advantage of people at both ends of the transaction captures the essence of Amos' character--greed and ego--which is the main reason why this series fails to hold its appeal today.

The next episode, "Three Strikes and Out" (October 7, 1962), has Amos pretend he is romantically attracted to three elderly women so that he con them into doing his housework. And if that isn't bad enough, when the three women find out about his duplicity, they actually thank him because he has made them feel useful doing his housework for free. So much for the show's proto-feminism. Luke falls for the come-on from sexy scammer Sally Burton in "The Roofing Salesman" (October 21, 1962), then nearly gets hooked into an unfortunate marriage by "The New Housekeeper" (November 18, 1962), an older matron who is an efficient homemaker herself but cons the McCoys in allowing her to bring her attractive but worthless daughter to live with them in the hopes that she can nab Luke and thereby ensure their future financial security. Luke gets duped once again into signing a long-term contract by attractive dance instructor Adele Bishop in "The Farmer and Adele" (December 31, 1962) requiring Amos to come to the rescue posing as a new pupil who blabs all the dance studio's underhanded schemes to other prospective victims. Pepino is also frequently the victim of gold-digging girlfriends, such as in "Pepino's Inheritance" (November 26, 1962) in which he thinks he has inherited a valuable parcel of Arizona ranch land that brings back girlfriend Angela who had jilted him for a richer boyfriend. When the inherited land proves to be worthless, Angela bolts before he can even say a word to her. A similar story plays out in "The Love Bug Bites Pepino" (December 16, 1962): after Pepino's work suffers because he has been dumped by latest girlfriend Chiquita for George's new handsome farm hand, Amos wins her back by telling her he is about to make Pepino wealthy by giving him all his back pay. But once George gets wind of Amos' lie when his farm hand mopes after losing Chiquita, George tells her that he is going to make his farmhand an equal partner. Finally Amos and George realize that Chiquita isn't good for either of their farm hands in the long run, so they cook up a ruse to make her think the owner of the restaurant where she works is about to come into some money. The McCoys also run up against scamming "health farm" proprietor Miss Simpson in "The Health Addict" (December 9, 1962), who refuses to buy their produce because her clients are only allowed to eat her own specially grown fruits and vegetables. Inexplicably, Miss Simpson thinks that hiring Luke will attract her bored rich socialite clients to stick with her longer, and when Luke says he is no health and exercise expert, she confesses that her whole set-up is bogus. When Luke becomes brainwashed after working for her only a few days, Amos infiltrates and offers the clients the freedom to eat whatever they want and to get the exercise they need to keep trim--by doing housework at his house, again, striking a blow for women's empowerment everywhere.

However, there are a couple of respectable women in Season 6 episodes. Runaway Swedish Hollywood star Taina Engstrom shows up at the McCoys' home one day trying to get away from her hectic movie-star life, and when she learns they are looking for a housekeeper, pretends that she is answering their advertisement, though why she picked their house for her escape is never really explained adequately. It is quickly clear that she is not a great housekeeper, but Luke falls in love with her and wants to marry her, even after learning she is an actress, until Amos paints for him a picture of an emasculated man who walks her dog rather than working for a living. Taina lets Luke think that he is dropping her even after telling Amos that she has realized she belongs back in Hollywood, but once again a woman has found herself by doing housework supporting men. In "The Girl Veterinarian" (December 3, 1962), Luke secretly calls the local vet when one of their cows is sick and not responding to Amos' family elixir, despite Amos' objection to bringing in what he considers a shyster. But instead of the male vet he expects, Luke gets a new understudy who is a woman and at first discounts her ability because of her gender. After she flares at him for giving him the same chauvinistic response she has been getting elsewhere, he allows her to treat the cow with a more scientific approach but insists that they hide it from Amos by pretending that Luke is dating her. When the cow gets better, Amos thinks it is his family elixir, but when he finally catches the lady vet with her medical bag examining his cow, he throws a fit, even after Luke explains that her treatments healed the cow, not the elixir that Luke stopped giving the cow days ago. Not appreciative that his cow has been healed, Amos instead secretly milks the cow in the middle of the night so that when the lady vet and her boss arrive the next day to see if the cow can produce any milk, it appears that her treatment has failed. The lady vet is so distraught that she resigns her position, saying she has had enough male resistance, and considers abandoning her career. Only after Luke shames Amos for his treatment of her does Amos try to make amends by making her think that the cow can give milk after all. Amos' pattern of behavior in this episode is typical of his character throughout the series--he engages in trickery, sabotage, and flim-flam until he gets caught and is forced to make amends, and yet he gives into his selfish impulses again and again, never becoming a man who chooses to do the right thing the first time and hardly ever admitting that he has done anything wrong.

He tries to burn trash in violation of city air pollution statutes and tries to get away with it by lying that he was just having a barbecue in "The Law and Mr. McCoy" (February 1, 1962). He tries to ditch a date with George's sister Flora after a woman he knew as a youngster back in West Virginia and always considered ugly and a pest turns out to now be attractive and wealthy in "Double Date" (February 15, 1962). He betrays his best friend George in "In Grampa We Trust" (March 22, 1962) by undercutting what he said he was going to charge for his own apple crop when he learns that George has put Luke in charge of selling his apples while George is away, miffed that George picked Luke for the job rather than him. He is ready to let George move away because he is allergic to the corn being grown on Amos' farm rather than sacrifice the profit he might get from the corn in "Allergies Anonymous" (April 5, 1962). He criticizes and disparages the husband of his favorite niece in "Don't Judge a Book" (May 3, 1962), accusing him of being snobbish and the reason she never visits only to find out the niece is the real snob and the husband is a friendly, hard-working and interesting man. He is willing to slaughter and eat an adorable piglet he and George jointly win in "The Raffle Ticket" (May 10, 1962) just because he is too stubborn to accept George's offer to buy his interest in the pig. In "The Good Will Tour" (October 28, 1962), he plays into the hands of visiting Russian propagandists by making American farms seem puny and poor, all because he is jealous that George's farm was originally selected for the tour by foreign dignitaries. And he tries to swindle his own government for more money than he deserves in "Money From Heaven" (November 5, 1962) when an Army paratrooper accidentally lands on and collapses a shed he was planning to take down and replace anyway. And this is the man who is always crowing about the glorious legacy of the McCoy family. Is it any wonder that the series was canceled after Kathy Nolan walked away?

The Actors

For the biographies for Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, Kathy Nolan, Lydia Reed, Michael Winkelman, Tony Martinez, Andy Clyde, and Madge Blake, see the 1960 post for The Real McCoys.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 5, Episode 13, "The Washing Machine": Lesley Woods (shown on the left, played Evelyn Dark on The Edge of Night, Miriam Bentley on A Flame in the Wind, Vivian Gentry on The Nurses, Andrea Whiting on Search for Tomorrow, Isabel Jones on Bright Promise, Zoe Tate on Return to Peyton Place, Betty Wilson on All My Children, Alma Miller on Falcon Crest, and Grandma Helen Logan on The Bold and the Beautiful) plays neighbor housewife Jane Poplar. Norma Connolly (Lena Karr Gilroy on The Young Marrieds, Mrs. Yost on The Edge of Night, and Ruby Anderson on General Hospital) plays neighbor housewife Carol Dorset.

Season 5, Episode 14, "Pepino McCoy, Citizen": Harry Lauter (shown on the right, played Ranger Clay Morgan on Tales of the Texas Rangers, Atlasande on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, and Jim Herrick on Waterfront) plays immigration clerk Mr. Beamer.

Season 5, Episode 15, "Meeting Hassie's Friends": Kip King (shown on the left, voice of Shecky on The Biskitts and played Ronald Sandler on Charlie & Co. and Tailor Smurf on The Smurfs) plays Hassie's friend Spookie. May Heatherly (Heather McNabb on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) plays Hassie's friend Maxine. Quinn O'Hara (appeared in A Swingin' Summer, The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, Foursome, and The Teacher and played Ashley Davidson on Dallas) plays Hassie's friend Flossie.

Season 5, Episode 16, "The Law and Mr. McCoy": Howard McNear (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Andy Griffith Show) plays newspaper editor Elroy Gardner. Rhys Williams (Doc Burrage on The Rifleman) plays district Judge Reuter. Hugh Sanders (appeared in That's My Boy, The Pride of St. Louis, The Winning Team, and The Wild One) plays city councilman Everett P. Merken. Ray Kellogg (Deputy Ollie on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays police Officer Dugan.

Season 5, Episode 17, "George's Nephew": Michael Parks (shown on the left, starred in Bus Riley's Back in Town, The Bible: In the Beginning, The Return of Josey Wales, From Dusk Till Dawn, Kill Bill, and Argo, and played Jim Bronson on Then Came Bronson, Phillip Colby on The Colbys, and Jean Renault on Twin Peaks) plays George's nephew Tom MacMichael.

Season 5, Episode 18, "Double Date": Doris Kenyon (shown on the right, starred in Wild Honey (1916), Twilight, The Ruling Passion, Bright Lights of Broadway, The Road to Singapore, Alexander Hamilton, and The Man in the Iron Mask) plays Amos' one-time girlfriend Emmy Lou Springer. Percy Helton (Homer Cratchit on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays the mailman.

Season 5, Episode 19, "Made in Italy": Ziva Rodann (appeared in Forty Guns, The Private Lives of Adam and Eve, The Story of Ruth, and College Confidential and played Nefertiti on Batman) plays Italian immigrant Carla Rinaldi. Alejandro Rey (shown on the left, played Carlos Ramirez on The Flying Nun, Karl Duval on Days of Our Lives, and Capt. Luis Rueda on Dallas) plays her fiance Mario.

Season 5, Episode 20, "Who's Margie?": Joan Taylor (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Rifleman) plays Kate's dress-making client Mrs. Tate.

Season 5, Episode 22, "In Grampa We Trust": Richard Deacon (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Dick Van Dyke Show) plays apple-pie company buyer Mr. Milton.

Season 5, Episode 23, "Never a Lender Be": Jon Lormer (shown on the right, played Harry Tate on Lawman, the autopsy surgeon on Perry Mason, Simon Benjamin on The Young Marrieds, and Judge Irwin A. Chester on Peyton Place) plays neighbor farmer Sam Watkins.

Season 5, Episode 24, "Allergies Anonymous": Russell Johnson (shown on the left, starred in It Came From Outer Space, This Island Earth, and Johnny Dark and played Marshal Gib Scott on Black Saddle, Professor Roy Hinkley on Gilligan's Island, and Assistant D.A. Brenton Grant on Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law) plays George's physician Dr. Ross.

Season 5, Episode 25, "Pepino's Fortune": Robert Foulk (shown on the right, played Ed Davis on Father Knows Best, Sheriff Miller on Lassie, Joe Kingston on Wichita Town, Mr. Wheeler on Green Acres, and Phillip Toomey on The Rifleman) plays farm equipment dealer Ed Bailey.

Season 5, Episode 26, "Pepino's Vacation": Henry Corden (shown on the left, played Carlo on The Count of Monte Cristo, and Babbitt on The Monkees and did voicework on The Flintstones, Jonny Quest, The Atom Ant Show, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, and Return to the Planet of the Apes) plays Pepino's temporary replacement Pedro. Eddie Quillan (starred in The Grapes of Wrath, Mandarin Mystery, Mutiny on the Bounty, and Hi, Good Lookin'! and played Eddie Edson on Julia and Poco Loco on Hell Town) plays employment office clerk Mr. Nelson.

Season 5, Episode 27, "Bubble, Bubble, Toil, and Trouble": Jeanette Nolan (shown on the right, starred in Macbeth (1948), The Big Heat, Tribute to a Bad Man, and The Reluctant Astronaut, did voicework for Psycho, The Rescuers, and The Fox and the Hound, and played Annette Devereaux on Hotel de Paree and Holly Grainger on The Virginian) plays caster of spells Gladys Hunnicutt.

Season 5, Episode 28, "Don't Judge a Book": Virginia Gregg (starred in Dragnet, Crime in the Streets, Operation Petticoat and was the voice of Norma Bates in Psycho, Maggie Belle Klaxon on Calvin and the Colonel, and Tara on Space Stars) plays Amos' favorite niece Sarah. Edward Andrews (shown on the left, appeared in The Harder They Fall, Elmer Gantry, The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, Advise and Consent, and The Glass Bottom Boat and played Cmdr. Rogers Adrian on Broadside and Col. Fairburn on The Doris Day Show) plays her husband Harry.

Season 6, Episode 1, "Grandpa Pygmalion": Tina Louise (shown on the right, starred in God's Little Acre, For Those Who Think Young, The Wrecking Crew, and The Stepford Wives and played Ginger Grant on Gilligan's Island and Julie Grey on Dallas) plays distant West Virginia relative Tilda Hicks. Norma Varden (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Hazel) plays helpless society hostess Mrs. Barton.

Season 6, Episode 2, "Three Strikes and Out": Marjorie Bennett (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays widow Amanda Comstock. Forrest Lewis (Mr. Peavey on The Great Gildersleeve) plays barber Al. Hope Sansberry (Mrs. Nell Hall on The Phil Silvers Show) plays his wife's sister Harriet Dixon. Irene Tedrow (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Dennis the Menace) plays spinster Abigail Dooley.

Season 6, Episode 3, "Army Reunion": Harry Holcombe (shown on the right, appeared in The Fortune Cookie, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Foxy Brown, Escape to Witch Mountain, and Empire of the Ants and played Frank Gardner on Search for Tomorrow, Doc Benson on My Mother the Car, Mr. Kendricks on Barefoot in the Park, and Dr. J.P. Martin on Bonanza) plays outgoing VFW chapter commander Harry Johnson. Emory Parnell (Hawkins on The Life of Riley and Hank the bartender on Lawman) plays George's old Army buddy Curly Brown. Alan Jenkins (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Top Cat) plays George's old Army buddy Skinny Howard. Vince Barnett (appeared in Scarface (1932), The Prizefighter and the Lady, The Corpse Vanishes, and Crazy Mama and played Elmo on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D.) plays George's old Army buddy Scotty Harris.

Season 6, Episode 4, "The Roofing Salesman": Jack Cassidy (shown on the left, Tony Award-winning father of David and Shaun Cassidy and husband of Shirley Jones, played Oscar North on He & She) plays roof weatherization salesman Jack Masters. Doris Singleton (Caroline Appleby on I Love Lucy, Susie on Angel, and Margaret Williams on My Three Sons) plays his partner Sally Burton. Jon Lormer (see "Never a Lender Be" above) returns as neighbor Sam Watkins.

Season 6, Episode 5, "The Goodwill Tour": Earl Hammond (shown on the right, played Hal Soames on Valiant Lady, Captain Sovine on The Clear Horizon, and voiced Mon-star on Silverhawks and Mumm-ra, Jaga, and Vultureman on Thundercats) plays government employee E.D. Young. Leonid Kinskey (appeared in Duck Soup, Les Miserables (1935), Ball of Fire, and Casablanca and played Pierre Quincy on The People's Choice) plays Russian visitor Potko. Ray Montgomery (Prof. Howard Ogden on Ramar of the Jungle) plays a policeman.

Season 6, Episode 6, "Money From Heaven": Leonard Stone (shown on the left, appeared in The Mugger, The Big Mouth, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and Soylent Green and played Doc Joslyn on Camp Runamuck, Packy Moore on General Hospital, and Judge Paul Hansen on L.A. Law) plays U.S. Army paymaster Capt. Lewis. Tristram Coffin (Lt. Doyle on The Files of Jeffrey Jones and Capt. Tom Rynning on 26 Men) plays his superior Col. Deever. John Wilder (wrote multiple scripts for Peyton Place, Branded, The Streets of San Francisco, and Spenser: For Hire) plays an Army paratrooper.

Season 6, Episode 7, "Actress in the House": Taina Elg (shown on the right, starred in Les Girls, The 39 Steps, Watusi, and Hercules in New York, and played Diana Ross on The Doctors, Dr. Ingrid Fischer on The Guiding Light, Olympia Buchanan on One Life to Live, and Mrs. Mulryan on Loving) plays runaway actress Taina Engstrom. Frank Albertson (starred in Alice Adams, Man Made Monster, and It's a Wonderful Life and played Billy Rose on The Billy Rose Show and Mr. Cooper on Bringing Up Buddy) plays her agent Jerry Williams. Charles Irving (Judge Blanchard on Perry Mason) plays private detective Charlie Martin.

Season 6, Episode 8, "The New Housekeeper": Una Merkel (shown on the left, Academy Award nominee, appeared in Abraham Lincoln, 42nd Street, Destry Rides Again, The Bank Dick, The Parent Trap, and Summer and Smoke) plays new housekeeper Mrs. Gaylord.

Season 6, Episode 9, "Pepino's Inheritance": Gale Garnett (shown on the right, Grammy-winning popular singer who appeared in Tribute, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding) plays Pepino's girlfriend Angela. Neil Hamilton (starred in The Great Gatsby (1926), Why Be Good?, Tarzan the Ape Man (1932), and Brewster's Millions, was the host of Hollywood Screen Test, and played Commissioner Gordon on Batman) plays realtor Mr. Rogers. Frank Wilcox (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Untouchables) plays estate lawyer Jerrold B. Cook. Percy Helton (see "Double Date" above) returns as mailman Mr. Perkins. George Petrie (Nathan Wade on Search for Tomorrow, Freddie Muller on The Honeymooners, Don Rudy Aiuppo on Wiseguy, Harv Smithfield on Dallas, and Sid on Mad About You) plays a car salesman. Jimmy Cross (Jessie Flouge on How to Marry a Millionaire) plays a real estate salesman.

Season 6, Episode 10, "The Girl Veterinarian": Ellen Burstyn (shown on the left, starred in For Those Who Think Young, The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, and Same Time, Next Year and played Dr. Kate Bartok on The Doctors, Julie Parsons on Iron Horse, Ellen Brewer on The Ellen Burstyn Show, Dolly DeLucca on That's Life, Bishop Beatrice Congreve on The Book of Daniel, Nancy Davis Dutton on Big Love, and Evanka on Louie) plays recent veterinary graduate Dr. Dorothy Carter.

Season 6, Episode 11, "The Health Addict": Paula Winslowe (shown on the right, played Martha Conklin on Our Miss Brooks) plays women's health farm proprietor Miss Simpson. Phyllis Gehrig (wife of production manager Norman Pincus, brother of series creator Irving Pincus) plays her assistant Miss O'Toole. Judith Rawlins (second wife of singer Vic Damone) plays health farm client Peggy Reade. Hollis Irving (Mrs. Woodley on Blondie and Aunt Phoebe on Margie) plays client Helen Bradley.

Season 6, Episode 12, "The Love Bug Bites Pepino": BarBara Luna (shown on the left, played Theresa Modesto on Zorro, Maria Roberts on One Life to Live, Anna Ryder on Search for Tomorrow, and Sydney Jacobs on Sunset Beach) plays Pepino's girlfriend Chiquita. Mike de Anda (Ciego on The Big Valley) plays restaurant owner Jose.

Season 6, Episode 13, "Luke the Reporter": Pat Buttram (shown on the right, appeared in numerous Gene Autry movies, played himself on The Gene Autry Show, Mr. Haney on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, and voiced Cactus Jake on Garfield and Friends) plays auto mechanic Pat Clemens. Virginia Vincent (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Joey Bishop Show) plays his girlfriend Nancy Templeton. Jonathan Hole (Orville Monroe on The Andy Griffith Show) plays newspaper editor Elmer Clark. Norma Connolly (see "The Washing Machine" above) plays laundromat gossiper Ethel. Hollis Irving (see "The Health Addict" above) plays fellow gossiper Ruth.

Season 6, Episode 14, "The Farmer and Adele": Mamie Van Doren (shown on the left, starred in Untamed Youth, High School Confidential!, The Beat Generation, Girls Town, and College Confidential) plays dance instructor Adele Webster. Grant Richards (appeared in A Night of Mystery, Love on Toast, and Under the Big Top and played Warren Nash on Love of Life) plays her manager Michael Bowen. Olan Soule (Aristotle "Tut" Jones on Captain Midnight, Ray Pinker on Dragnet (1952-59), Cal on Stagecoach West, the Hotel Carlton desk clerk on Have Gun -- Will Travel, and Fred Springer on Arnie and voiced Batman on The All-New Super Friends Hour, Challenge of the Superfriends, The World's Greatest SuperFriends, and Super Friends) plays a prospective dance student. James Maloney (Jim on 21 Beacon Street) plays another prospective dance student.

 

 

The Real McCoys (1961)

Well into its fourth season when the year 1961 dawned, The Real McCoys had risen to #5 in the ratings for the 1960-61 season and the producers obviously decided to leave well enough alone by trotting out familiar plots and recycling stories from previous seasons. But they were dealt an unexpected blow when filming the second show of the year, "The Horse Expert" (January 19, 1961), when actress Kathy Nolan was thrown from a horse during filming and was placed in "pelvic traction to relieve a pinched sciatic nerve," according to the February 18 edition of TV Guide. With Nolan bedridden, the show's writers danced around her absence in the next episode, "The City Boy" (January 26, 1961), by explaining that she was in Bakersfield tending to her sick mother.

Her continued absence is brought up again in "The Rival" (February 16, 1961) when it is explained that she is still at her mother's and that her mother has the flu, though Kate says in a letter that a young male neighbor has been particularly helpful during her mother's illness. Kate includes a photo of the attractive young man with her letter, immediately arousing Luke's jealousy but providing the producers an opportunity to flash back to the Season 1 episode "The Lady's Man" when Luke has a similar streak of jealousy that backfired on him. The archival footage from the earlier episode takes up the bulk of the 1961 episode, thereby giving the show a pass for one more week during Nolan's absence. A month later, realizing that Nolan would not be back for a while, the producers introduced a temporary replacement, young Swedish housekeeper Helga with the explanation that Kate's visit to Bakersfield would be extended because she hurt her back while helping her mother. As soon as the young, attractive Helga shows up, rumors begin swirling in town about Luke having an affair with her. Luke's first response is to sack Helga to squelch the rumors, but after a stern talking-to by Amos, he decides to hire her back. Toward the end of the episode he gets a phone call from Kate, who is shown in bed after just having a visit from Valley busybody Mrs. Murdock. Kate chides Luke for not telling her how young and attractive Helga is but she is proud that he finally stood up to the gossipers in hiring her back.

Helga figures prominently two episodes later in "Baseball vs. Love" (March 30, 1961) when Little Luke develops a crush on her and despite the large disparity in their ages asks her to marry him when he gets a little older. When he realizes that in order to keep Helga he will have to give up playing on the local baseball team, Little Luke decides to let her out of their agreement, not realizing that she had only been playing along to spare his feelings. Helga makes her fifth and final appearance in the episode "George Retires" (April 13, 1961), though she does not figure prominently in the plot. After not airing an episode on April 20, two more episodes aired without Kate or Helga before Nolan finally returned to the series in the episode "Kate Comes Home" (May 11, 1961), though she is still confined to bed and the plot revolves around Hassie's attempt and failure to fill in for her. Helga's disappearance is never explained.

While the show continued to feature its share of misogynistic plots (as discussed in our post on the 1960 episodes) after Nolan's return, Kate's character is afforded a few opportunities to show her worth, even if it comes with a healthy dollop of caveat. In "Kate's Competition" (August 17, 1961), Luke is impressed with the accomplishments of Kate's friend Alice Carter when they are invited over to dinner one evening. Alice makes ceramic dishes, paints in oils, sells real estate, and helps out at a charity, on top of serving a delicious dinner with remarkable coffee. So Kate feels that she has to do likewise to keep Luke's approval, only in doing do she fails at all of her new endeavors and her housework suffers due to neglect. Luke and Amos learn after Kate is at her wit's end that Alice actually doesn't do any of the housework or cooking in her own home--her husband Charlie handles all of the stereotypical "women's work." Luke and Amos then volunteer to help Kate out with her housework so that she has more time for her other activities, but she tells them she has given them up and is going back to being a full-time housekeeper. This episode manages to show a successful untraditional division of household labor for the Carters but ultimately settles for the status quo for the McCoys. In "Honesty Is the Best Policy" (November 9, 1961) Kate is the voice of moral authority when she refuses to allow Amos and Luke to swindle businessman Mr. Bentley who wants to lease their roadside stand to sell hot dogs and orange juice. Amos and Luke talk up how much traffic they typically get on any given day so that Bentley agrees to pay them $100 per month for a six month lease. But when Kate hears about the deal, she forces them to lower their price to $50 and include a clause in their contract allowing Bentley to back out if traffic turns out to be much different than they had represented. However, it turns out that Bentley has swindled them by not telling them he knows that all highway traffic is due to be diverted past their stand for the next six months while construction is taking place. Amos upbraids Kate for allowing them to be duped and says she should stick to the kitchen, but she goes to see a lawyer who says that the clause about traffic being other than expected cuts both ways--providing the McCoys with a legal way to break the lease and get the use of their stand back. Seeing that he has been saved from a scam, Amos reverses course and tells Kate she can meddle in whatever she wants to.

But outside of Kate most other women we encounter on The Real McCoys are schemers and gold-diggers. Amos has to save Pepino from a disastrous marriage in "Pepino's Wedding" (April 27, 1961) after it is clear that Pepino's wife would wear the pants in the family. George MacMichael has to be saved from catastrophic unions on two occasions--in "George's Housekeeper" (September 28, 1961) and in "Cyrano McCoy" (November 16, 1961). In both cases Amos is the one who gets George in a fix, telling him to hire a pretty housekeeper while his sister Flora is away in the former episode, and pawning George off on the gold-digging "actress" Evie Dockweiler in the latter episode after she first hooks Amos. But in both instances, once Amos privately paints George as a poor farmer, rather than a wealthy landowner, to his lady loves, they head for the hills. It's all part of Walter Brennan's conservative vision of traditional roles for the sexes and a belief that simple values are the best--not the glitter of riches.

But while The Real McCoys was riding high in 1961, even with Nolan's prolonged absence, it was soon toppled in 1962 with the emergence of The Beverly Hillbillies, which swept to the top of the ratings while The Real McCoys vanished from the top 30. Of course, this turn of events also corresponded with Nolan leaving the show in a contract dispute. Perhaps her departure hastened the show's demise, but it was also obvious even during its heyday in 1961 that the producers and writers had run out of original ideas and had begun resorting to recycling plots from one season to the next. The show's reliance on simplicity may have ultimately been its undoing.

All six seasons have been released as of this writing--the first four seasons on DVD by Infinity Entertainment and the last two on DVD-R by SFM Entertainment.

The Actors

For the biographies for Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, Kathy Nolan, Lydia Reed, Michael Winkelman, Tony Martinez, Andy Clyde, and Madge Blake, see the 1960 post for The Real McCoys.

Eva Norde

Little is known about actress Eva Norde, who was born in Sweden and notched her first film credit when she was introduced as the McCoys' temporary housekeeper Helga in the Season 4 episode "The Swedish Girl." She appeared in 5 episodes in 1961 while Kathy Nolan was away, but her character was jettisoned without explanation once Nolan returned. In 1962 she made guest appearances on Hawaiian Eye, Surfside 6, The Patty Duke Show, and The Dick Powell Theatre, but these were her last appearances on American television. In 1963 she sued talk-show host Steve Allen for $200,000 after appearing on his show, during which he revealed her address and phone number. Norde claimed in her suit that leaking her personal information forced her to move and change her phone number, resulting in lost job opportunities. Her television career resumed in Sweden some 30 years later as a studio manager for TV movies and series such as Marquis de Sade, Tomtomaskinen, Sleeping Beauty, and Bouncers! in 2000, the last year for which she has credits listed on imdb.com.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 4, Episode 11, "A Bundle From Japan": Yuki Shimoda (Aki on Johnny Midnight) plays farmhand Charley Osaki. 

Season 4, Episode 12, "The Horse Expert": Robert Foulk (shown on the right, played Ed Davis on Father Knows Best, Sheriff Miller on Lassie, Joe Kingston on Wichita Town, Mr. Wheeler on Green Acres, and Phillip Toomey on The Rifleman) plays stable owner Frank Tillford. 

Season 4, Episode 13, "The City Boy": Danny Richards, Jr. (Franklin Sanders on Willy) plays underprivileged youth Pete. Viola Harris (Selma Hanen on One Life to Live) plays social worker Miss Finch. 

Season 4, Episode 14, "The Investors": Noah Beery, Jr. (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Riverboat) plays Amos' nephew Claude McCoy. Forrest Lewis (Mr. Peavey on The Great Gildersleeve) plays McCoy neighbor Al. Marjorie Bennett (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays neighbor Mrs. Comstock. 

Season 4, Episode 15, "If You Can't Lick 'Em": Lyle Talbot (shown on the right, see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) plays competing roadside stand owner Mr. Duff. Irene Tedrow (Mrs. Elkins on Dennis the Menace and Standing Cow on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) plays choosy produce buyer Mrs. Platt. 

Season 4, Episode 16, "The Rival": John Stephenson (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Flintstones) plays freelance photographer Don Hogan. 

Season 4, Episode 18, "You Can't Beat the Army": Leonard Stone (shown on the left, appeared in The Mugger, The Big Mouth, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and Soylent Green and played Doc Joslyn on Camp Runamuck, Packy Moore on General Hospital, and Judge Paul Hansen on L.A. Law) plays army regiment commander Lt. Richter. Nicky Blair (Charlie de Angelo on Saints and Sinners) plays his subordinate Sgt. Michaels. Addison Richards (starred in Boys Town, They Made Her a Spy, Flying Tigers, and The Deerslayer and played Doc Calhoun on Trackdown and Doc Landy on The Deputy) plays Richter's commanding officer Col. Martin.

Season 4, Episode 19, "The Bazaar": K.T. Stevens (Vanessa Prentiss on The Young and the Restless) plays school fundraising lead Mrs. O'Banion. Irene Tedrow (see "If You Can't Lick 'Em" above) plays busybody Mrs. Gherkin. James Flavin (Lt. Donovan on Man With a Camera and Robert Howard on The Roaring 20's) plays her husband Judge Gherkin.

Season 4, Episode 20, "The Swedish Girl": Norma Varden (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Hazel) plays charity organizer Mrs. Murdock. Connie Gilchrist (starred in Tortilla Flat, A Letter to Three Wives, and Long John Silver and played Purity Inker on The Adventures of Long John Silver) plays housekeeper Mrs. Jensen. Forrest Lewis (see "The Investors" above) plays the town barber. Joan Staley (shown on the right, Playboy Playmate who appeared in Cape Fear, Roustabout, Valley of the Dragons, Johnny Cool, and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and played Hannah on 77 Sunset Strip and Roberta Love on Broadside) plays manicurist Jeannie.

Season 4, Episode 21, "The Sunday School Teacher": Gage Clarke (shown on the left, played Mr. Botkin on Gunsmoke) plays new minister Reverend Digby. 

Season 4, Episode 22, "Baseball vs. Love": Jimmy Lydon (starred in Tom Brown's School Days, Little Men, Joan of Arc, and 9 Henry Aldrich features and played Biff Cardoza on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, Andy Boone on So This Is Hollywood, and Richard on Love That Jill) plays Eva's suitor Frank Grant. Steven Barringer (Butch Malone on Cannonball and the radio operator on The Forest Rangers) plays Little Luke's friend Ned Flynn. Paul Tripp (host of children's shows Mr. I. Magination and On the Carousel and co-creator of Tubby the Tuba) plays Little Luke's baseball coach Nelson Thayer.

Season 4, Episode 23, "Theatre in the Barn": Fay Wray (shown on the right, starred in The Street of Sin, The Four Feathers, The Vampire Bat, The Mystery of the Wax Museum, King Kong, Black Moon, The Cobweb, and Queen Bee and played Catherine Morrison on The Pride of the Family) plays herself. Robert Karnes (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Lawless Years) plays head of the Valley Grange Fund-Raising Committee Mr. Barstow. Marjorie Bennett (see "The Investors" above) returns as neighbor Mrs. Comstock.

Season 4, Episode 24, "George Retires": Olan Soule (Aristotle "Tut" Jones on Captain Midnight, Ray Pinker on Dragnet (1952-59), and Fred Springer on Arnie) plays prospective farm buyer Mr. Copley. 

Season 4, Episode 25, "Pepino's Wedding": Vito Scotti (Jose on The Deputy, Capt. Gaspar Fomento on The Flying Nun, Gino on To Rome With Love, and Mr. Velasquez on Barefoot in the Park) plays bandleader Pablo Hernandez. Elvia Allman (Aunt Vera on I Married Joan, Jane on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Cora Dithers on Blondie, Mrs. Montague on The Bob Cummings Show, Elverna Bradshaw on The Beverly Hillbillies, and Selma Plout on Petticoat Junction) plays caterer Mrs. Pearson. Henry Corden (shown on the left, played Carlo on The Count of Monte Cristo, and Babbitt on The Monkees and did voicework on The Flintstones, Jonny Quest, The Atom Ant Show, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour and Return to the Planet of the Apes) plays Pepino's future father-in-law Mr. Ramirez.

Season 4, Episode 26, "Sorority Girl": May Heatherly (shown on the far right, played Heather McNabb on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) plays sorority leader Barbara. Joan Freeman (shown on the near right, appeared in Come September, Panic in Year Zero!, Roustabout, The Reluctant Astronaut, and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and played Elma Gahrigner/Emma Gahringer in Bus Stop, Dr. Sue Lambert on Lassie, and Barbara Robinson on Code R) plays sorority leader Susan. 

Season 4, Episode 27, "Kate Comes Home": Jimmy Bates (Claude on Father Knows Best) plays Hassie's boyfriend Bob. 

Season 4, Episode 28, "Money in the Bank": Richard Deacon (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Dick Van Dyke Show) plays bank vice president Mr. Laidlaw. 

Season 4, Episode 29, "A Man of Influence": J. Pat O'Malley (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Frontier Circus) plays real estate developer C.J. Martindale. Vaughn Taylor (starred in Jailhouse Rock, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Psycho, and In Cold Blood and played Ernest P. Duckweather on Johnny Jupiter) plays Community Improvement Committee member Mr. Fancher. Dick Elliott (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Andy Griffith Show) plays Community Improvement Committee member Mr. Tremantle. Stephen Roberts (Stan Peeples on Mr. Novak) plays Community Improvement Committee member Mr. Burton.

Season 4, Episode 30, "Back to West Virginny": Henry Jones (shown on the near right, played Dean Fred Baker on Channing, Owen Metcalf on The Girl With Something Extra, Judge Jonathan Dexter on Phyllis, Josh Alden on Mrs. Columbo, Homer McCoy on Gun Shy, B. Riley Wicker on Falcon Crest, and Hughes Whitney Lennox on I Married Dora) plays West Virginia relative Uncle Jed McCoy. Eve McVeagh (starred in High Noon, The Glass Web, and Tight Spot and played Miss Hammond on Petticoat Junction) plays his wife Myra. Pat Buttram (shown on the far right, appeared in numerous Gene Autry movies, played himself on The Gene Autry Show, Mr. Haney on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, and voiced Cactus Jake on Garfield and Friends) plays his cousin Carl. Jane Darwell (starred in Tom Sawyer (1930), Huckleberry Finn (1931), Gone With the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath, The Ox-Bow Incident, and Mary Poppins) plays Amos' mother Great Grandma McCoy. Robert Easton (renowned voice coach, played Brian McAfee on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show Show and voiced Lt. George Lee Sheridan on Stingray) plays a taxi driver.

Season 4, Episode 31, "Fly Away Home": Henry Jones (see "Back to West Virginny" above) returns as West Virginia relative Uncle Jed McCoy. Eve McVeagh (see "Back to West Virginny" above) returns as his wife Myra. Pat Buttram (see "Back to West Virginny" above) returns as his cousin Carl. Jane Darwell (see "Back to West Virginny" above) returns as Great Grandma McCoy. Frank Cady (Sam Drucker on The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Petticoat Junction) plays cousin Edgar McCoy. Charles Lane (shown on the left, appeared in The Milky Way, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Lady Is Willing, The Music Man, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and The Gnome-Mobile and played Mr. Fosdick on Dear Phoebe, Homer Bedloe on Petticoat Junction, Foster Phinney on The Beverly Hillbillies, Dale Busch on Karen, and Judge Anthony Petrillo on Soap) plays the West Virginia McCoys' boss T.J. Leland.

Season 4, Episode 32, "September Song": Henry Jones (see "Back to West Virginny" above) returns as West Virginia relative Uncle Jed McCoy. Eve McVeagh (see "Back to West Virginny" above) returns as his wife Myra. Josephine Hutchinson (appeared in The Story of Louis Pasteur, Son of Frankenstein, Tom Brown's Schooldays, and North by Northwest) plays Amos' former girlfriend Mary Turner. 

Season 4, Episode 34, "Lost and Found": Frank Ferguson (shown on the right, played Gus Broeberg on My Friend Flicka, Eli Carson on Peyton Place, and Dr. Barton Stuart on Petticoat Junction) plays lodge Grand Pharoah Mr. Taggert. 

Season 4, Episode 35, "First Love": Sandy Descher (starred in The Cobweb, The Opposite Sex, The Space Children, and A Gift for Heidi and played Judy Massey on The New Loretta Young Show and Susan on The New Phil Silvers Show) plays Little Luke's girlfriend Susie Nelson. Bernadette Withers (Ginger on Bachelor Father) plays Little Luke's classmate Ruth.

Season 4, Episode 36, "Hassie's European Trip": Charles Ruggles (starred in Charley's Aunt, The Girl Habit, If I Had a Million, Alice in Wonderland, Ruggles of Red Gap, Bringing Up Baby, and Son of Flubber and played Lowell Redlings Farquhar on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays wealthy businessman Henry Devereaux. 

Season 4, Episode 37, "How to Win Friends": Neil Hamilton (shown on the left, played Commissioner Gordon on Batman) plays public speaking instructor Mr. Berquist. Fredd Wayne (Sgt. Bill Hollis on Code 3) plays Junior Grange presidential candidate Charlie Perry. Robert Karnes (see "Theatre in the Barn" above) plays Senior Grange president Mr. Dockweiler. Lawrence Parke (casting supervisor on Sea Hunt and The Aquanauts, later became a talent agent) plays mailman Mr. Perkins. Olan Soule (see "George Retires" above) plays speaking class pupil Mr. Walters.

Season 4, Episode 38, "The Matador": Lee Bergere (George on Hot L Baltimore and Joseph Anders on Dynasty) plays world-famous matador Fernando Garcia. 

Season 4, Episode 39, "George's Housekeeper": Paula Winslowe (Martha Conklin on Our Miss Brooks) plays employment agency owner Miss Burns. Jesslyn Fax (shown on the right, appeared in Rear Window, The Music Man, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and The Love God? and played Angela Devon on Our Miss Brooks, Emma the fan club VP on The Jack Benny Program, and Wilma Fritter on Many Happy Returns) plays housekeeper Miss Trumbull. Lee Patrick (starred in Saturday's Children, The Maltese Falcon, Mildred Pierce, and Pillow Talk and played Aggie on Boss Lady and Henrietta Topper on Topper) plays female companion Clarissa Webster.

Season 5, Episode 1, "Excess Baggage": Willard Waterman (shown on the left, played Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve on The Great Gildersleeve and Mr. Quigley on Dennis the Menace) plays store owner Mac MacGinnis. Dick Wilson (Dino Barone on McHale's Navy and George Whipple in Charmin toilet paper commercials) plays customer Mr. Barnes. Eddie Quillan (starred in The Grapes of Wrath, Mandarin Mystery, Mutiny on the Bounty, and Hi, Good Lookin'! and played Eddie Edson on Julia and Poco Loco on Hell Town) plays employment agency advisor Mr. Smith.

Season 5, Episode 2, "The Trailer Camp": Alan Hale, Jr. (shown on the right, played Biff Baker on Biff Baker U.S.A., Casey Jones on Casey Jones, and The Skipper on Gilligan's Island) plays vacationer Harry Keller. Amzie Strickland (Julia Mobey on Carter Country) plays his wife Annabelle.

Season 5, Episode 4, "The New Piano": Reta Shaw (Flora McCauley on The Ann Sothern Show, Thelma on The Tab Hunter Show, Mrs. Stanfield on Oh, Those Bells, and Martha Grant on The Ghost and Mrs. Muir) plays piano teacher Helen Amory.

Season 5, Episode 5, "The Handsome Salesman": Grace Lee Whitney (Janice Rand on Star Trek, the Star Trek feature films, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek New Voyages) plays traveling saleslady Mrs. Lomax.

Season 5, Episode 6, "Honesty Is the Best Policy": Lloyd Corrigan (shown on the left, starred in A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob, Hitler's Children, Captive Wild Woman, The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, and Son of Paleface and played Papa Dodger on Willy, Wally Dipple on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Uncle Charlie on Happy, and Professor McKillup on Hank) plays businessman Mr. Bentley. Paul Bryar (Sheriff Harve Anders on The Long, Hot Summer) plays the sheriff.

Season 5, Episode 7, "Cyrano McCoy": Beatrice Kay (singer and vaudeville performer, appeared in Diamond Horseshoe, Underworld U.S.A., and A Time for Dying and voiced Susan Culpepper on Calvin and the Colonel) plays actress Evie Dockweiler.

Season 5, Episode 8, "The Diamond Ring": Steven Geray (appeared in Phantom of the Opera (1943), Spellbound, Gilda, All About Eve, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and played Dr. Herman ver Hagen on The Danny Thomas Show) plays shopkeeper Mr. Schneider. Will Wright (shown on the right, played Mr. Merrivale on Dennis the Menace and Ben Weaver on The Andy Griffith Show) plays jeweler Sam.

Season 5, Episode 9, "The Berry Crisis": Ray Teal (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Bonanza) plays berry buyer Mr. Rayfield. Jon Lormer (Harry Tate on Lawman, various autopsy surgeons and medical examiners in 12 episodes of Perry Mason, and Judge Irwin A. Chester on Peyton Place,  and Sherwood Keith) plays a neighbor farmer.

Season 5, Episode 10, "The Rich Boy": Beau Bridges (shown on the left, played Seaman Howard Spicer on Ensign O'Toole, Richard Chapin on United States, Dave Hart on Harts of the West, Judge Bob Gibbs on Maximum Bob, Dan Falco on Beggars and Choosers, Tom Gage on The Agency, Maj. Gen. Hank Landry on Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate SG-1, Carl Hickey on My Name Is Earl, Nick Brody on Brothers & Sisters, Barton Scully on Masters of Sex, and Tom Miller on The Millers) plays new neighbor Randy Cooperton. Philip Ober (appeared in From Here to Eternity, North by Northwest, and Elmer Gantry) plays his father. Joan Tompkins (Trudy Wagner on Sam Benedict, Mrs. Brahms on Occasional Wife, and Lorraine Miller on My Three Sons) plays Randy's mother.

Season 5, Episode 11, "The Gambler": Jerome Cowan (starred in Shall We Dance, Victory, High Sierra, The Maltese Falcon, Miracle on 34th Street and many Blondie movies and played Collins on Not for Publication and John Larsen on The Tab Hunter Show) plays stock speculator D.B. Sharkey.

Season 5, Episode 12, "The Marriage Counselor": Sara Seegar (shown on the right, starred in The Last Curtain, Dead Men Tell No Tales, and The Music Man and played Eloise Wilson on Dennis the Menace) plays marriage counselor Dr. Edith Thompson. Florence Sundstrom (Belle Dudley on The Life of Riley) plays her secretary Lorna Blake.