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‘Big Valley’ star Peter Breck Dies at 82
hollywoodreporter.com ^ | February 10, 2012 | Mike Barnes

Posted on 02/10/2012 5:45:02 PM PST by John W

Peter Breck, who played a hot-headed son of California ranch owner Barbara Stanwyck on the 1960s TV Western The Big Valley, died Monday in Vancouver after a long illness. He was 82.

His wife announced his death on the website The Big Valley Writing Desk.

Before the 1965-1969 ABC series, the hark-haired, rugged-looking Breck had worked as a regular on two other TV Westerns: Maverick, as Doc Holliday opposite James Garner, and Black Saddle, on which he played a gunman turned lawyer opposite future Gilligan’s Island actor Russell Johnson.

A native of Haverhill, Mass., and the son of a jazz musician, Breck scored a contract at Warner Bros. and appeared in dozens of shows from the mid-1950s to the early 2000s, including The Virginian, Hawaiian Eye, Perry Mason, Lawman, Branded, Gunsmoke, Fantasy Island, The Fall Guy and John Doe.

His film work included roles in Thunder Road (1958), I Want to Live! (1958), The Beatniks (1960), Portrait of a Mobster (1961), Lad: A Dog (1962), Samuel Fuller’s Shock Corridor (1963) and Benji (1974).

On Big Valley, Breck played Nick Barkley, who lost his temper easily and was often spoiling for a fight. Nick was the brother of the characters played by Richard Long, Charles Briles and Linda Evans and the half-brother to Lee Majors. He stayed close with Stanwyck after the show finished production.

In the mid-1980s, Breck moved to Vancouver, worked in theater and opened an acting school.

His wife of 51 years, Diane, wrote on his website that he was suffering from dementia and had been hospitalized since Jan. 10.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: obituary; peterbreck
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To: Mears

LOL!


41 posted on 02/10/2012 8:37:47 PM PST by rabidralph
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To: Krankor

Now, the other Babs’ have inherited it. Walters and Streisand.


42 posted on 02/10/2012 8:39:54 PM PST by rabidralph
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To: SnuffaBolshevik
Rawhide - Opening Theme Music

43 posted on 02/10/2012 9:00:10 PM PST by Daaave ("Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?")
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To: Stand Watch Listen

Rin-Tin-Tin
The Rebel
Have Gun Will Travel
The Iron Horse
The Cisco Kid
Death Valley Days
Annie Oakley
Cheyenne
Trackdown
The Rifleman
Branded


44 posted on 02/10/2012 9:29:37 PM PST by stylin19a (time to Obamanos)
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To: Crapgame

Prayers sent for your brother and family.

Believe me I know how you feel. I just put my mother under the care of hospice this afternoon.


45 posted on 02/10/2012 9:37:26 PM PST by Irish Eyes
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To: Crapgame

Prayers for your brother.


46 posted on 02/10/2012 9:40:15 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (We kneel to no prince but the Prince of Peace)
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To: Crapgame
prayers for your brother and for you.....

its funny how the older shows are the ones we think of.....can't say anything in the last 15 yrs has done much for me, except I did like "Lost"....

47 posted on 02/10/2012 9:50:37 PM PST by cherry
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To: Irish Eyes

Bless you and your mother.


48 posted on 02/10/2012 9:54:09 PM PST by lonestar (It takes a village of idiots to elect a village idiot.)
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To: lonestar

thank you


49 posted on 02/10/2012 10:07:33 PM PST by Irish Eyes
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To: Lancey Howard

1. Bonanza
2. Wagon Train
3. Gunsmoke
4. The Guns of Will Sonnett
5. The Real McCoys
6. Have Gun, Will Travel
7. Cheyenne
8. The Rifleman
9. Big Valley
10. Maverick
*********************
I’m apparently older than you. I can recall a few, but not all and I’m sure further comments will add more:
The Cisco Kid
Red Ryder
Roy Rogers
Hopalong Cassidy
Gene Autry
Zorro
The Rebel
Cimmaron


50 posted on 02/11/2012 1:18:07 AM PST by octex
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To: octex

I grew up in the ‘60s, and some of the shows I watched but failed to include in my original list include:

1. Lone Ranger
2. Rin Tin Tin
3. Zorro
4. Rawhide
5. The Rebel
6. Death Valley days
7. High Chaparral
8. Bat Masterson
9. Cimmaron Strip
10. Laredo
11. Alias Smith and Jones
12. Lawman
13. Laramie
14. The Virginian
15. Wyatt earp

My original point was that WOW!, there were a lot of western TV shows back then (when there were only three networks!). Westerns were to TV then what cop shows are to TV now..


51 posted on 02/11/2012 1:43:51 AM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

He was in a Have Gun, Will Travel episode.


52 posted on 02/11/2012 3:11:49 AM PST by Antoninus II
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To: John W
I liked all the characters on Big Valley, but Nick was the ultimate cowboy...hard-headed but never hard-hearted.

I had SUCH a crush! LOL!

RIP Mr. Breck.

Thanks for all the hours of enjoyment you gave us.

53 posted on 02/11/2012 5:38:40 AM PST by MamaTexan (I am a ~Person~ as created by the Law of Nature, not a 'person' as created by the laws of Man)
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To: Lancey Howard

Clint Eastwood will ALWAYS be Rowdy Yates to me.

I thought he was absolutely gorgeous. (I’m a “she”)


54 posted on 02/11/2012 10:45:43 AM PST by Mears (Alcohol. Tobacco. Firearms. What's not to like?)
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To: fieldmarshaldj; GOPsterinMA; Perdogg; Clintonfatigued

The other night I came across a news story of his death while watching the show, weird.

Bonanza with a mother instead of father. Better than 80% of the crap that’s on TV now.

RIP


55 posted on 02/11/2012 11:03:32 PM PST by Impy (Don't call me red.)
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To: SnuffaBolshevik; wally_bert; Ciexyz; Impy; fieldmarshaldj; Perdogg; Clintonfatigued
RIP Peter Breck. Nick Barkley was kick ass.

No question that Linda Evans is THE reason I catch Big Valley reruns on Me-TV when I can. She was pretty close to perfect...now she looks like a cat, due to horrific plastic surgery.

56 posted on 02/12/2012 8:17:38 AM PST by GOPsterinMA (Farewell sweet Rick, we barely knew ye...)
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To: Impy
Bonanza with a mother instead of father.

And without the "Cartwright Curse."

57 posted on 02/12/2012 8:27:21 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Lancey Howard
Tales of the Texas Rangers

Sgt. Preston of the Yukon

The Alaskans (with Roger Moore).

58 posted on 02/12/2012 8:43:56 AM PST by wtc911 (Amigo - you've been had.)
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To: Crapgame

My prayers are with your brother, with you, and with your family.


59 posted on 02/12/2012 9:00:48 AM PST by GreenHornet
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