<Li> Nicholas "Nick" Jonathan Barkley, the hot - tempered younger son, was portrayed by Peter Breck . Nick managed the family ranch . He wore a black leather vest, large black hat and black leather gloves, and was distinguished by his brawling ways and loud demeanor . Nick had served as a soldier in combat in the Union Army during the Civil War as referenced in the episode "Forty Rifles ." He always was ready for a fight, and at times would fight with his brothers as well . Underneath his gruff exterior, he was fun - loving, had a great sense of humor, was warm, caring and loved his family deeply . Breck appeared in 101 of the 112 episodes . </Li> <Ul> <Li> Audra Barkley, played by Linda Evans, was Victoria's only daughter . Audra was somewhat self - absorbed, bold and forward . Far from demure, she performed daring stunts and rode astride, like her brothers . Like Nick and Eugene, Audra initially was leery of Heath's story that he was her father's son . Early, she attempted to seduce Heath so as to expose him as a fraud, but was unsuccessful . As the series progressed, Audra and Heath formed a very close brother - and - sister bond . Audra also had a caring side as seen by her tending to children at the local orphanage . A few episodes dealt with her romances, and one notable episode was "My Son, My Son" in which Robert Walker Jr. guests as a suitor who proves to be mentally unstable . During the series' final two seasons, Evans' appearances were reduced because she wanted to spend more time with her husband John Derek . Evans appears in 82 of the 112 episodes . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Audra Barkley, played by Linda Evans, was Victoria's only daughter . Audra was somewhat self - absorbed, bold and forward . Far from demure, she performed daring stunts and rode astride, like her brothers . Like Nick and Eugene, Audra initially was leery of Heath's story that he was her father's son . Early, she attempted to seduce Heath so as to expose him as a fraud, but was unsuccessful . As the series progressed, Audra and Heath formed a very close brother - and - sister bond . Audra also had a caring side as seen by her tending to children at the local orphanage . A few episodes dealt with her romances, and one notable episode was "My Son, My Son" in which Robert Walker Jr. guests as a suitor who proves to be mentally unstable . During the series' final two seasons, Evans' appearances were reduced because she wanted to spend more time with her husband John Derek . Evans appears in 82 of the 112 episodes . </Li> <Ul> <Li> Heath Barkley was the illegitimate son of Victoria's late husband, and he literally had to fight his way into the Barkley home . Lee Majors portrayed even - tempered but rough and tumble Heath, who was often angry and aggressive throughout the early episodes due to his belief that Tom Barkley had abandoned his real mother after she became pregnant as well as the resistance he initially received from some of his new siblings . In truth, Tom Barkley never knew about Heath as Heath's mother had never told him, and never told Heath until she was on her deathbed (as revealed in the third episode of Season One, "Boots with My Father's Name".) Heath gradually gained acceptance from the rest of the Barkley clan as the first season progressed until he became as much a "Barkley" as the rest of the family, and his love for them became equal . Heath came to call Victoria "Mother" when speaking to her directly and about her with his siblings . In the episode "Boots with My Father's Name", Heath told Victoria, "you know that there isn't anything that I wouldn't do for you," indicating how deeply he cared for Victoria . Although Nick initially was leery of Heath and felt he had to test Heath's mettle, Heath proved himself worthy of Nick's acceptance, and eventually Nick seemed to grow even closer to Heath than he was to Jarrod, perhaps in a sense due to Heath having more in common with him than did Jarrod . In "The Lost Treasure", the series' season - two premiere, one of a few episodes taken out of the show's initial syndication runs, Heath met Charlie Sawyer (comic Buddy Hackett in a rare dramatic turn), a con man who claimed to be his actual father (the final moments show him admitting he did romance Heath's mother, but left her years before she gave birth). In the same episode, Beah Richards returns as Hannah, the black quasi-nanny who helped raise Heath with his mother . Heath was a veteran of the Civil War as referenced in the episode "The Guilt of Matt Bentell ." He served as a soldier in the Union Army in combat operations in New Mexico and was held as a prisoner of war for seven months by Confederate forces . Majors appeared in 95 of the 112 episodes . </Li> </Ul>

Who played the butler on the big valley