garyldibert Review of The Waltons

The Waltons (1972–1981)

The Best Family Show to Hit The Airwaves in Its Time

[10/10 · 2 March 2007]

The year was 1972 when this show hit the air wave on CBS September 14 as a weekly series. The Waltons was based on a large close-knit family living in rural Virginia during the Depression. The Creator Earl Hamner Jr. based the series on his own childhood, which he previously fictionalized in his novel, "Spencer's Mountain". The Waltons debuted on with Richard Thomas playing the role of John Boy Walton. In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, during the Great Depression, the Walton family makes its small income from its saw mill on Walton's Mountain. The story is told through the eyes of John Boy, who wants to be a novelist, goes to college, and eventually fulfills his dream. The saga follows the family through depression and war, and through growing up, school, courtship, marriage, employment, birth, aging, illness and death. This is the true story of the Waltons. The show takes place during the Depression and then during World War II. The other case members were as followed Ralph Waite played the role of John Walton Sr. Michael Learned played the role Oliva Walton, Judy Norton Taylor played the role of Marry Ellen, Jon Walmsley played the role of Jason Walton, Mary Beth McDonough played the role of Erin Walton, Eric Scott played the role of Ben Walton, David Harper played the role of Jim Bob Walton, Kami Cotler played the role of Elizabeth Walton, Will Greer played the role Grandpa and Ellen Corby played the role of Grandma. Other original characters included Joe Conley as general store owner, Ike Godsey, John Crawford as Sheriff Ep Bridges, Mariclare Costello as schoolteacher Miss Rosemary Hunter and Helen Kleeb and Mary Jackson as eccentric sisters-- Mamie and Emily Baldwin, respectively. The Waltons' first season brought critical acclaim and several awards. Both Richard Thomas and Michael Learned took home Best Actor Emmys, Ellen Corby was awarded the Best Supporting Actress honor and the series was given the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. The show also earned Emmys for writing and editing in addition to receiving the prestigious Peabody award. The series entered the top-ten in its second season and finished second that year to All in the Family. The show remained in the top twenty for the next few seasons and received several more Emmys, including two more for both Michael Learned and Ellen Corby and a Best Supporting Actor award for Will Geer. In all, The Waltons received 37 Emmy nominations and took home 13 of the golden statuettes. Three reunion movies have been produced in the 1990s for CBS. "A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion" (1993), "A Walton Wedding" (1995) and "A Walton Easter" (1997) all feature the original cast with the exception of the late Will Geer. The series opened in the fall of September 1972 with the first episode titled The Foundling. A six-year old deaf and dumb girl is abandoned on the Walton's doorstep. With loving care they teach her to "talk" with sign language. But their kindness to the foundling causes a family crisis. Elizabeth, playing hide-and-seek with the deaf and dumb girl Holly, runs into an old abandoned shack and hides inside an empty trunk, but the lid falls shut and locks itself. Holly sees what has happened and runs to get help but is picked up by her father who doesn't understand sign language and takes her away. John and the family pursue and Holly then tells them by sign language what has occurred, and Elizabeth is rescued in time. Holly's parents now realize that their little girl is not retarded and are now able to communicate with her. Based on the feelings of love this show gave I give it 9 weasel stars.