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Sunday, February 16, 2014

The Waltons

              I've been thinking about The Waltons because Ralph Waite, the father on The Waltons, died last Thursday.   

The Waltons originally ran on TV from 1972 to 1981.  Hallmark Channel has been rerunning the program for many years.  The schedule can be found HERE This is how they describe the show: 

The Waltons is based loosely on the childhood of the series creator, Earl Hamner, Jr. in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  Mr. Hamner was played by Richard Thomas.  Ralph Waite played his father.  

And before I go any further, for those of you who may not know who the Waltons were you can read up on them HERE and at the fan club site HERE.

I watched the program all through the 1970's.  We were living in a townhouse in the outer suburbs of Washington, DC, both working and childless.  I was longing for a more simpler life of being a stay-at-home Mom in a farmhouse with some land, growing my own food, raising a few animals...much like I saw my grandmother in Mississippi doing in the 1950's.  I even kept a scrapbook of articles from the newspaper of other people leaving the "rat race" and heading for the hills just as I longed to.  I think if Ken had been as enthusiastic to do it as I was we would have done it.  Instead, I lived vicariously through The Waltons.  

In 2005 my interest in The Waltons was reawakened when I discovered it was being rerun on the Hallmark Channel.  I started watching it every morning while on the treadmill (and lost 5 lbs!)  That Autumn I planned a trip to the Walton Museum and Hamner homestead in Schuyler, Virginia, not too far off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This is my scrapbook page on the visit....




As you can read I was disappointed.  The museum was fine, but the little house above was not at all like the one in the TV show and the surrounding area was far different than the show's.  I knew that would be the case, but you know how it is when you're confronted with reality when you have a fantasy firmly fixed in your head!   We stayed at Polly & Jim-Bob's Bed & Breakfast next door.  She had been a good friend to Jim Hamner, a brother, who had lived in the house until just before his death in 2004.  Earl had moved on after the war years to become a TV writer in New York City, then in Hollywood.  Polly regaled us with stories about Jim and gave me a parting gift from her gift shop of a mug that had a photograph of Doris, the matriarch of the Hamner family, and the little house on it.

What appealed to me most about the program was the family life.  They each had their struggles--it was during the depression years.  No one was perfect.  The children often bickered with each other--even the father, played by Ralph Waite, could be short with his children and wife......but he always came back to apologize.  The show always ended with the lights going out one by one in the house as everyone said good night to each other.  Ralph Waite once said that being the father on that program helped him stop drinking.  He was well on his way to becoming an alcoholic, but playing the role of John Walton, a fine, well-respected man, helped him in his recovery.

When Richard Thomas left the show after five seasons, they replaced him with another actor.  It never quite felt right after that, but the show remained popular on the strength of the writing and the other actors.  Then Michael Learned, who played the mother, left, so they had her character get TB and end up at a sanitarium out West.  When Ellen Corby, who played Grandma, had a stroke, they wrote that into the story and brought her back once she'd recovered enough, even though her speech had been affected.  When Will Geer, who played Grandpa, died, they did not replace him.  It was the hardest to take--he was irreplaceable--Will Geer, in his role as Grandpa Walton, represented the best Grandpa anyone could ever wish for.  During all this time we watched the children grow up, from little Elizabeth to John-Boy, as they went off to college, the war, or got married.

The show was so engaging that I felt I was a part of that family, partially because I wished I had such a close-knit family, but also because the characters were real people.  I owe that to Earl Hamner's creative force and the other writers' ability to write a script that rang true-to-life.

Then in October 2006 I saw that Richard Thomas was to headline a play called "Twelve Angry Men" at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore....



I'm not usually one to go to plays nor to go to the expense and trouble of seeing artists perform live, but for some reason I did feel compelled to see Richard Thomas in this play.  I invited my family to come along, so besides Ken, my oldest son and his wife and our youngest son were able to join me.  This is what I wrote in my scrapbook following the performance....



I almost walked past him???!!!  But it all played out to perfection.  Whatever possessed me to get out of the car and walk around the block was not going to be deterred from its mission....



Could my smile get any bigger???!!!  My cheeks hurt afterwards!

I love the pleased look on Richard Thomas' face.  He knew he had his arm around one very happy fan.  He probably got a kick out of my babbling, too.  

In parting, I'd like to say thank you, Ralph Waite, for your years on The Waltons and the important part you played in my life through the years as I watched and rewatched you be the head of that endearing family.  (And thank you, Richard Thomas, for being so gracious. ☺)

Good night, everybody....Goodnight, John-Boy............Goodnight, Daddy....
                          
    
Link to another great site for more information on The Waltons: http://www.rockfish-river.com/en/

19 comments:

  1. I loved this show! The enduring love they had for each other was what made it special. That is a wonderful picture of you with Richard Thomas. What a special experience!

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    1. Kristie, I think anyone who watched the program in the 70's has enduring loving memories of it! There is a yearly reunion of fan club members and several of the actors always come to it. Here is a link showing Ralph Waite at the 2012 reunion: http://www.rockfish-river.com/en/news.html

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  2. Watching the Walton's show just made everyone feel like there was hope and love around every corner. The simple life that some of us yearn for came through so loud and clear. Richard Thomas is a wonderful actor and obviously a gracious one at that. Sometimes an actor is not the person he portrays--it's really not fair of us to think of them that way. Happy you were able to meet someone who meant so much to you. ♥

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    1. Martha Ellen, that's exactly how it made me feel--hopeful that there could be that kind of love and caring for each other in a family.

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  3. I loved reading this! We have a "JohnBoy" desk in a window in an upstairs bedroom. They became a part of our lives, our culture … I can't believe it only lasted as long as you mentioned. And I didn't know they replaced Richard Thomas; I always thought Johnboy was on assignment writing somewhere as a journalist. Thanks for a great post! And great photo!

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    1. Dotsie, If I had an upstairs, I'd have the same thing at my window! They had several specials in the 80's. Maybe that is why it felt like it ran longer. I can't remember now, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's been on TV somewhere continuously.

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  4. Flashback! We had almost as many kids as the Waltons and once we started watching it, we could crack up my dad by doing their "goodnight" routine between our 3 bedrooms at night. How disappointing that there aren't any family programs on now with the same "vibe" about them. They were real! I watched something on the Disney Channel the other day with my niece and couldn't believe how false, too-clever and too-cute the program - and the kids - were! Yuck. Rest in peace, Ralph Waite - job well done.

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    1. Janet, I agree! I have a the first 6 seasons on DVD and hope that my future grandchildren will enjoy watching them with me! Your growing up years sounded like a lot of fun, even if you were squashed into just 3 bedrooms. But I think sharing a bedroom with a sister would have been fun if the ages are close together....or am I just being romantical?

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    2. It was a great childhood, Cath. We really did have a lot of fun. Of course, having siblings is a little tough when you're kids. Sometimes contentious, sometimes competitive. But great to have them when you grow up. And maybe it's like that for most kids. You never realize what you have WHILE you have it. PS - I shared a bedroom with my two little sisters in our first house, but when we moved to the new house, I was 10 and there were 4 bedrooms, so as the oldest I got my own room [the smallest one]. I liked having my own room of course, but at the same time I missed my little sisters and all the talking we'd do when we were supposed to go to sleep. LOL.

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  5. This show had a big effect on how I chose to live my life. There have not been very many shows on TV through the years that captured my attention like this one. I am sad to hear that Ralph Waite passed away. Thank you for bringing back so many memories.

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    1. Anybody who watched this program, I think, was affected and many more still are because of the reruns. Wonderful memories! Yes!

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  6. I love The Waltons but was late to it. My husband started watching the reruns after he got home from work a few years ago and I was hooked right away. I couldn't believe I had never watched this show before! He couldn't believe it either. I'm pretty sure I've seen them all now. How fun for you to meet Richard Thomas!!!

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    1. Were you even born yet when the Waltons were originally on? :-) As for meeting Richard Thomas....I was ecstatic!

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  7. Loved this show! It is the one show that made my younger brother tear up...even on the reruns. May be in part why he is such a great Dad now to his 3 kids!! I had no idea that Ralph Waite was an alcoholic. So awesome to hear that the show had an affect on the actors too. Thank you for sharing the facts about the actual home and history. I think I might have been disappointed also! Anytime the girlfriends and I are on a trip together we are sure to tell each other goodnight in the Walton fashion. Great picture of you with Richard Thomas. One more great example of why it is smart to take a pause in life every now and then!! Thanks for these sweet memories!!

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    1. Belinda, I love hearing your and everyone's personal "connection" to The Waltons! And yes, I was so glad I listened to my inner voice that told me to get out of the car and walk around the block! I was paying attention that day!

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  8. Oh I forgot to mention that I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Learned while studying voice at Florida State University. She has a beautiful soprano voice and did a concert at the University. She was a guest speaker that day also in one of our Voice classes. Great voice and such a sweet person!! Have a picture somewhere....must look for it!

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    1. Did/do you sing professionally? I didn't realize Ms. Learned sang. Was this during the time she was on The Waltons or afterwards?

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    2. I grew up loving the Waltons and often watch the dvd's from a set I bought years ago. What a wonderful family, the way a family should be.I recently had a singular honor, being chosen to be inducted into the Mountain Artisans Hall of Fame which also includes Earl Hammer.

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    3. Jeri, what an honor! I love Earl Hamner's writing. He has a Blog and still can turn a tale like no other.

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