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One of the most important lessons Peter Breck learned in television was to never worry about the ratings
It seems like ludicrous advice, but Breck had faith in it.
Let this be a lesson for all the worrywarts out there: Sometimes the best course of action is to take a giant chill pill and just calm down.
That's easier said than done, of course. But if you don't believe us, take Peter Breck's word for it.
The Big Valley star spoke about his work ethic in an interview with The Morning Union. Previous to The Big Valley, Breck appeared in a series called Black Saddle. Despite the show's success in the eyes of critics, it didn't live a particularly long life. But in the bitterness of the show's cancellation, Breck said that it taught him a valuable lesson that he carried with him for the rest of his career.
"I learned to ignore the significance of ratings after that series, for the show was dropped while holding its own in the top ten," said Breck.
While The Big Valley enjoyed success, it wasn't as popular as other Western shows of the time period. However, this didn't bother Breck at all, especially given the longevity of the series. "Usually, when a show holds on for three years, it's set for five."
The Big Valley made it just one year shy of Breck's prediction, running from 1965 to 1969.
The actor also learned that, while film actors were often envied, they had more difficulty adjusting to the rigorous schedule of shooting a television series, especially compared to actors who got their beginnings on the stage.
"It seems to drain them and shows up in their work," said Breck. "On the other hand, an actor whose background has been the stage can carry the world on his shoulders and still put on a good performance."
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