Original title
The Real McCoys
Released
10/3/1957
Origin country
US
Genre
Comedy
Production companies
Marterto Productions, Brennan-Westgate
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
6
Number of episodes
224
The Real McCoys is an American situation comedy co-produced by Danny Thomas' "Marterto Productions", in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus' "Westgate" company. The series aired for five seasons on the ABC-TV network from 1957 through 1962 and then for its final year on CBS from 1962 to 1963. The series, set in the San Fernando Valley of California, was filmed in Hollywood at Desilu studios.
The McCoys move from Smokey Corners, West Virginia., to a ranch in Fernando Valley, Calif., which Grampa McCoy has inherited from his brother Ben. They have also inherited Pepino, a ranch hand, and they meet their neighbors, Flora and George MacMichael. But Grampa finds himself homesick for ""West Virginny.""
The McCoys start a roadside eggstand and, inadvertently, an egg war with neighbor Harry Poulson.
The male McCoys try to outwit the female members by using money in the cookie jar to buy a shotgun rather than a dress for Kate to attend the PTA meeting. When the men concede defeat and they buy Kate a dress, things get even worse. Fortunately, the PTA president is able to correct their choice of dress.
The McCoys find themselves in trouble when they need $150 to meet a mortgage payment. Checking through all their wordly goods, they discover their only valuable asset is a rifle handed down to Grampa by his great-grandfather. Grampa finally decides parting with his treasure is better than borrowing money from his neighbor George.
Grampa McCoy takes over the supervision of Hassie and Little Luke when, after getting bad grades in school, Kate starts to discipline them. He soon learns it isn't as easy as he thought and is happy to turn the job back to Kate.
Grampa thinks he's made a sharp business deal when he sells some useless farm land, until he finds out the freeway is going through that part of their land. Luke and Kate feel Grampa has been swindled -- but Grampa's native honesty saves the day for the McCoys.
When Grampa thinks Luke is being henpecked by Kate, Luke decides to prove him wrong—and ends up sleeping on the couch in the living room.
Luke and Kate urge Grampa to invite Flora MacMichael as his date to attend the Valley Ranchers annual fall dance and box supper. Grampa will have none of it until he hears that Flora is the best cook in the county.
Grampa McCoy and his archrival George MacMichael enter a fishing contest. With the discovery that California fish are elusive if not intelligent, Grampa almost resorts to cheating.
The McCoys' neighbor Mrs Webster asks their support in her race for a seat on the City Council, but Grampa feels women have no place in politics. When he learns it is necessary to read and write in order to vote, he tries various subterfuges to pass the reading test. His innate honesty prevails, and he also assists the neighbor in her political ambitions.
Grampa's jealousy leads him to court and a confrontation with his romantic rival---the judge. Grampa finds a stranger beating his time with Flora and takes his revenge on Flora's apple tree. When Flora hauls him into court for refusing to pay damages, Grampa recognizes the judge as the ""stranger.""
Grampa and Luke invite their minister to the house for dinner to help Kate get on a church committee. Before the minister shows up, Grampa has given a billboard salesman permission to use the barn roof for an advertisement for a gambling house in Las Vegas. Luke solves the dilemma by painting out some of the letters in the advertisement.
Luke becomes jealous when a photographer for a national magazine comes to their ranch to use Kate as a model and is over-attentive to Kate from Luke's viewpoint. Grampa eggs him on, and they are both humiliated when they learn the photographer is a happily married man. He tells Luke how lucky he is to have Kate for his wife.
A hunting dog wanders onto the McCoy ranch, and when the owner, Joe Johnson, appears to claim him, Grampa tries to make a trade with him for the dog. Joe refuses until Grampa promises he will arrange a date for Joe with Flora MacMichael.
The McCoys are visited by Frank Goody and his attractive daughter from Smokey Corners, West Virginia. When Elvira starts playing up to Luke, Kate becomes jealous.
When Little Luke gets into a fight after classmates call him a ""hillbilly,"" the entire McCoy family becomes involved. Grampa finally sets things right when he is asked by the teacher to address the class, and he proceeds to tell them about the ""dumb hillbillies"" who helped build the country they are living in.
When Luke and Kate learn mailman Mr. Perkins is retiring at the insistence of his children, they decide Grampa should take things easy. Grampa feels he is not needed on the ranch, and he pretends to be ill. The family decides he is not yet ready for retirement.
After two years of marriage, Luke and Kate go on their honeymoon. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Luke falls head over heels for a pretty swimming-pool saleswoman. Miss Eberle: Peggy Knudsen. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
Uncle Dave's tall tales impress all the McCoys except Grampa (Walter Brennan). Dave: Harry Shannon. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Hassie: Lydia Reed.
The McCoys teach a wealthy couple the joys of simple living.
Luke and Kate join a young people's recreation group and suggest Grampa join the ""Young Old Timers."" He refuses, saying they are all old fuddy-duddies with no family interests. After consistently being left alone, he finally decides to investigate the old-timers group and is acclaimed by them as an artist at whittling.
Luke and Kate have a spat when Luke and Grampa show their disgust for public kissing by the Emerys, who have been married over five years. It takes Grampa to clear up the situation by explaining that there's a time and place for kissing, and that a public display of affection doesn't necessarily denote love.
Grampa is upset when he finds Hassie learning to dance to rock and roll music and using makeup in order to attract the attention of Tommy, the most popular boy in her class. When Kate convinces Grampa his ideas are old-fashioned, he and Luke decide to assist Hassie in her conquest.
When Kate is unsuccessful in trying to teach Luke to dance, she finally talks him into taking dancing lessons, much to Grampa's disgust. When Kate discovers the dancing teacher is a very attractive young lady, she becomes jealous.
Luke and Kate decide the McCoys should have a new car and trade in their old Ford. When Grampa learns of the transaction, he's heartbroken at losing a ""member of the family"" and tries to get it back. Flora MacMichael, knowing how Grampa feels about the old car, has bought it from the junk man and returns it to Grampa.
Grampa becomes involved with a couple of con men over a dog. He realizes they are trying to cheat him, and with the help of George MacMichael, they turn the tables on the crooks. Meanwhile, the entire McCoy family has become so attached to the dog, Mac, he becomes a member of the family.
Grampa's sales pitch persuades Luke to coach the little leaguers. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. McGinnis: Willard Waterman.
Trouble begins when Luke unearths a valuable prehistoric bone. Luke: Richard Crenna. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Dr. Kirkwood: Eleanor Audley.
Grampa is aiming for the prize Kate may win in a homemaker contest. Amanda: Marjorie Bennett. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Grampa puts on a convincing poor act for the tax man---and the neighbors. Wells: Richard Deacon. The Rev. Mr. Bascom: Thomas B. Henry. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
Grampa's scheme to withhold an insurance payment backfires. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Simmons: Rusty Lane. Sloane: Stanley Farrar. Luke: Richard Crenna.
A paint salesman gives the McCoys the brush---after swindling them. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Grampa plans to knock Little Luke's new hero off his pedestal. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Little Luke: Michael Winkelman. Johnson: Lloyd Corrigan. Eddie: Raymond Karr.
Grampa gets a job answering mail. His problem: he can't read. Woodruff: Jack Mather. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
The McCoys expect company: Kate's lamebrained ex-beau and his wife. Eph: James Holden. Joanna Moore. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Grampa is being hounded by the new game warden---neighbor George (Andy Clyde). Richard Crenna, Walter Brennan. Judge: Lewis Martin. Little Luke: Michael Winkelman.
The cookie-jar funds are tapped to pay for Hassie's screen test. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Hassie: Lydia Reed. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
The family finally takes notice of Kate's cooking---after she dumps Luke's dinner on his head. Kathleen Nolan, Richard Crenna. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Hassie: Lydia Reed.
The McCoys try their luck convincing cousin Orval he's not a jinx. Orval: Sterling Holloway. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Grampa and George are rivals in an important lodge election. George: Andy Clyde. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Grampa sweet-talks a marriage-minded spinster out of a foreclosure. Walter Brennan. Bertha: Minerva Urecal.
Grampa pumps up a stream of trouble working in George's gas station. Grampa: Walter Brennan. George: Andy Clyde. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Grampa charts a course of action to prevent jets from flying over his house. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Grampa gives a widow the business while teaching her to run a cafe. Mrs. Meade: Sarah Selby. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Grampa learns that his candidate's interest in farmers doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Slade: Robert Middleton. Gladys: Barbara Nichols. Luke: Richard Crenna. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
The McCoys help Pepino (Tony Martinez) make a good impression on his future in-laws. Rosita: Saruta Vara. Lopez: Henry Lascoe. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
Little Luke spends a night in a haunted house---and finds he's not alone. Vern: Jimmy Baird. Little Luke: Michael Winkelman. Luke: Richard Crenna. Lennie: Stephen Wootton.
Grampa turns matchmaker to keep alien Sam Hartunian in the country. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Sam: Jacques Aubuchon. Aggie: Betty Garde. Luke: Richard Crenna.
A stream of arguments scuttle Grampa's plan to build a boat. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Harvey: David Mortashed. Luke: Richard Crenna. Hassie: Lydia Reed.
Grampa paints a rosy future for his artist pal---and himself. Grampa: Walter Brennan. George: Andy Clyde. Flora: Madge Blake. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Luke tries to sweeten the McCoy bankroll---by selling barn perfume. Luke: Richard Crenna. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Sam: Jon Lormer. Dr. Thornton: Dick Elliott. Pepino: Tony Martinez.
The scene is set for trouble when Grampa refuses to buy a television. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Sam: Jon Lormer. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
A newly dug ditch comes between Grampa and George (Andy Clyde). Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Little Luke: Michael Winkelman. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
In a race for town councilman, Grampa manages George's campaign---and ends up favoring the opposition. Grampa: Walter Brennan. George: Andy Clyde. Luke: Richard Crenna.
The McCoys take in George's visiting cousin---who soon takes over the whole house. Naomi: Verna Felton. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Kate spares no wrath when she finds Luke bowling with a pretty girl. Marian: Jeanne Vaughn. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
Little Luke's prize-winning essay reveals a dark secret about Grampa (Walter Brennan). Little Luke: Michael Winkelman. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Luke puts up a squawk when he takes a gander at his henpecked cousin. Charlie: Hal Baylor. Ethel: Doris Singleton. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Luke tries to make a splash with the girls at a swimming pool. Richard Crenna, Kathleen Nolan, Walter Brennan. Grand Pharaoh: Frank Nelson. Overland: Addison Richards. Wilson: Peter Leeds. Sam: Jon Lormer.
Little Luke fills a tall order when he takes Agnes to the school dance. Agnes: Lynette Winter. Little Luke: Michael Winkelman. Mary Lou: Sherry Alberoni. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
Troubles flow when Grampa and George think they've struck oil. George: Andy Clyde. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
The children take advantage of the situation when Grampa becomes disciplinarian. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Hassie: Lydia Reed. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Little Luke: Michael Winkelman.
The family is pampering Grampa---much to his disgust. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Sam: Charles Seel. Hassie: Lydia Reed.
The McCoys learn that George has not named Grampa in his will. Grampa: Walter Brennan. George: Andy Clyde. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
The McCoys hire Nikko, a Japanese girl, to help around the house.
Grampa grudgingly accepts a horse as payment for a loan. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Frank: Robert Foulk. Luke: Richard Crenna.
The McCoys take in a city boy who is quick to abuse his privileges. Walter Brennan. Pete: Danny Richards Jr. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Luke feels low when he hears Kate is living it up in Bakersfield. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Grampa has a beef with the Army: they've taken one of his cows. Lieutenant: Leonard Stone. Colonel: Addison Richards. Sergeant: Nicky Blair. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
Gossip spreads when the McCoys hire a beautiful housekeeper in Kate's (Kathleen Nolan) absence. Helga: Eva Norde. Mrs. Murdock: Norma Varden. Al: Forrest Lewis. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Grampa tries to stop the show when George beats him out of a role in the Grange play. Laura: Fay Wray. Grampa: Walter Brennan. George: Andy Clyde. Barstow: Robert Karnes. Amanda: Marjorie Bennett.
Grampa tries to keep George down on the farm after he retires. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Helga: Eva Norde. George: Andy Clyde. Pepino: Tony Martinez.
Home from the hospital, Kate tries to resume her household tasks. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Hassie: Lydia Reed.
Grampa sees red when a matador tries to lure Pepino into the bull ring. Fernando: Lee Bergere. Pepino: Tony Martinez. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
George hires a housekeeper who sweeps him off his feet. Miss Burns: Paula Winslowe. George: Andy Clyde. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Clarissa: Lee Patrick.
Grampa becomes a salesman---and nearly talks himself into bankruptcy. Walter Brennan. Mac: Willard Waterman. Smith: Eddie Quillan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Luke smells trouble when Grampa relies on his nose to decide which crops to plant. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Prof. Taylor: Fred Kruger. George: Andy Clyde.
Kate puts the squeeze on Grampa to lower the rent on his fruit stand. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Bentley: Lloyd Corrigan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
The McCoys get a hot stock-market tip, but Grampa stubbornly refuses to invest.
Grampa's popularity fades when he refuses to buy Kate a new washer. Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, Kathleen Nolan. Gladys: Pat Newby. Jane: Lesley Woods.
A lovely Italian girl spices things up at the McCoy ranch. Carla: Ziva Rodann. Pepino: Tony Martinez. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Luke: Richard Crenna.
Grampa's morale gets a boost when a document takes seven years off his age. Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan. Luke: Richard Crenna. Dr. Talmadge: Stanley Farrar.
When Grandpa is entrusted with $200 belonging to Pepino, he can't resist the temptation to settle a few of the McCoy's past due bills. Luke and Kate berate him for violating his trust. Then an unexpected liquid asset turns to straighten things out.
Grampa believes Cousin Sarah needs help with her marriage. Sarah: Virginia Gregg. Harry: Edward Andrews. Grampa: Walter Brennan. Kate: Kathleen Nolan.
Grandpa arranges for Tilda Hicks from Smokey Corners to join the McCoy family as housekeeper, and she immediately sets her cap for widower Luke McCoy. The arrangement proves highly successful until Tilda attends the neighborhood dance with Luke and scores an immediate hit with the local masculine populace.
Grandpa becomes romantically entangled with three matrimonially inclined widows when he encourages their interest just enough to promote some free housecleaning chores and a few well-laundered shirts. Luke and Pepino take a dim view of his scheme when it becomes apparent that the three marriage-minded women are literally doing all the McCoy housework in separate shifts.
George MacMichael's big moment during his election as commander of the local VFW post is shattered when Grandpa brings to the ceremonies three of George's buddies who know the real story of his ""heroic"" battlefield actions.
The wiles of a smooth-talking saleswoman embroil Luke in a roofing paint swindle that involves several of the McCoys' neighbors. Luke soon finds himself in such an embarrassing predicament that he needs the help of Grandpa to rescue him from it.
Grandpa becomes involved with diplomatic relations and the U.S. State Department when a foreign nation's farm tour visits neighbor George's ranch and Grandpa pursuades the group to detour by the McCoy farm. At first it appears Grandpa has committed a colossal faux pas, but his apparent blundering develops unexpected consequences.
Grandpa thinks he has discovered a gold mine in the sky when an Army paratrooper lands with destructive force on a dilapidated chicken coop that was already marked for the scrap heap. When an Army captain arrives to assess the damages, Grandpa paints a black picture. Luke, however, takes a dim view of Grandpa's shenanigans and bluntly tells him so.
Taina Engstrom, a Hollywood actress escaping from her hectic existence, finds peace and quiet at the McCoy farm and discovers that Luke has developed a strong attachment to her. Grandpa grasps the true situation and plans, with Tiana, to prevent Luke from receiving a major disappointment.
Grandpa proves an easy target for Mrs. Gaylord, an ambitious housekeeper who hopes her new position in the McCoy household may lead to a more permanent position for her unmarried daughter. The daughter, Mary, turns out to be an extremely healthy specimen who immediately makes a play for Luke.
Grandpa and Luke are left with an unproductive hired helper when Pepino apparently inherits a valuable Arizona estate. He warms up his romance with an old girlfriend and brings a flood of salesmen to his doorstep.
Afraid that Grandpa will disapprove, Luke pretends that the girl veterinarian secretly treating their ailing cow is one of his new girlfriends. When Grandpa learns that Luke's ""romance"" is actually only trying to cure Agnes, the sick cow, he explodes, ordering the girl off his property.
Luke lands the enjoyable job of teaching calisthenics at a ladies' health club. Grandpa decides that Luke's presence there may attract some business for the McCoy roadside fruit stand. Grandpa then surreptitiously tempts the dieting health club enrollees with a variety of tasty fruit products, thus undermining the efforts of unsuspecting Luke.
Grandpa and George take turns at playing Cupid when their respective farmhands, Pepino and Pedro, find themselves competing for the same girl. Grandpa steps into the romantic triangle because it turns out that Pepino's working efficiency suffers as he loses favor with his girlfriend, Chiquita.
Luke feels he has discovered a new source of income when he reports the gossip he overhears at the laundromat to the reporter of the local newspaper and is paid for the items. He runs into trouble with Pat Clemens, who runs a local gas station, when he reports that Pat is getting married.
A winsome dance instructor tricks Luke into signing up for a 20-year dance course. It is up to Grandpa to rescue him from this embarrassing situation with a devious plan that involves Grandpa's signing up for the course, too. He also saves George, who likewise was tricked into taking the course.
Luke gets a hair-raising ride in an airplane that leaves him dizzy when he tangles with a crop duster over the affections of a wealthy girl from Texas, and winds up on the short end.
Luke discovers a new romance when he meets an attractive widow, Louise Howard, after her runaway cow tramples the McCoy cornfield. Grandpa connives to promote a romance between Luke and Louise in a most surprising way.
Grampa picks a peck of trouble when he helps Louise harvest her crop. Louise: Janet De Gore. Pepino: Tony Martinez. Luke: Richard Crenna. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
Grandpa bristles at Sir Fergus, head of the Scottish branch of the McCoy family, when he arrives and proceeds to exercise all the authority of the Laird of the Clan. Grandpa's anger erupts when Sir Fergus extends his influence to Grandpa's pet goose, Floyd. Grandpa begins one of his devious plots to oust the Scotch usurper from his position of power.
Little Greg leaves home when his widowed mom decides to remarry. Greg: Butch Patrick. Luke: Richard Crenna. Louise: Janet De Gore.
Aunt Win uses feminine trickery while campaigning for Grampa. Aunt Win: Joan Blondell. Grampa: Walter Brennan.
Luke and Louise feel they have a real problem with Greg, who is addicted to telling fantastic stories about imaginable playmates and people. When they return home from a day's outing, after leaving Greg with Pepino, he tells them three escaped convicts had been captured by the police at their home, and they decide it is just another one of his tall tales.
Dog catcher Luke ends up with a houseful of homeless pups. Luke: Richard Crenna. Grampa: Walter Brennan. George: Andy Clyde.
When his house begins to rattle, George believes he has been cursed. Karen: Aneta Corsaut. Grampa: Walter Brennan. George: Andy Clyde.
Uncle Rightly McCoy starts courting Flora, hoping she will finance his musical milker. When Luke informs George that Uncle Rightly is only interested in Flora's money, they decide to step in and break up the romance. Their scheme doesn't quite work out as they had planned.
Luke is horrified when Uncle Rightly promotes a corn growing contest at the Grange and is so carried away he volunteers a $500 award to the winner in Grandpa and Luke's name. When Luke learns Uncle Rightly doesn't have the $500, it becomes a major problem of raising the money and saving face with the Grange members, but Rightly solves the problem in an unusual way and comes up with the prize money.
Luke shoots for a fortune by selling Mama Garcia's bean sauce. Luke: Richard Crenna. Pepino: Tony Martinez. George: Andy Clyde.
This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.
