| WALTONS DIGEST 10-98: Hi everyone, Goodness the mail has certainly been coming in this week with everyone's vote. I won't release the results (or even tell you how they are all polling), until voting closes. There have been some very interesting comments coming in with the votes, and I might put them up onto the page as well if nobody minds their thoughts being on an internet site. I think I will keep the polls open until Easter, when I'm on our term break and have a bit more time to deal with it. This gives anyone who has been extra busy, or away from their computer, a bit of extra time to vote for their favourite character on The Waltons. This also includes all new members. If you would like to vote, just send me an email with you favourite Walton character in the body of the email, and "Waltons Poll" in the subject part. Please remember that if you don't send in a vote I will be assuming that you do not want to remain on the list. It would really save a lot of trouble though if you choose not to remain a member, to just drop me a note and let me know. I will, however, not drop anyone from the list until the end of April, just in case they have not voted for a very good reason. :-) And I'm sure there will be some. By the way, have you all had a chance to look at the poll that a digest member mentioned earlier in the week. The one by CBS. I voted and I hope that many of you did too. Maybe The Waltons will win! When I voted it was just in front by a few votes.
I have to give Video Express a bit of a plug today. I discovered a week or so ago that several more episodes of The Waltons had been released and were available from them, and I'm sure other outlets as well. Anyway I have ordered 5 of the 6 and they were shipped this week, so anyone who hasn't got access to a store that sells Waltons videos in their country, I can highly recommend video express. They are at: The videos currently available are A Decade Of The Waltons, A Children's Carol, Day For Thanks On Waltons Mountain, The Homecoming, A Thanksgiving Story, The Gift, The Hunt, The Love Story, The Scholar, The Townie and The Triangle. Don't forget though that they are VHS-NTSC videos. I've also been watching the list of Waltons memorabilia growing daily on Ebay auctions. They are at: http://pages.ebay.com/aw/index.html Did you know that there was a sticker book made? That's one I didn't know about. There is also a Waltons house for sale and it's going for $102.50 at present. I'm finding it fascinating. Well that's it from me for this week. Talk to you all again next digest. Goodnight everyone, Karen. PS. I have edited out any references to who members have voted for, so if your message is not here, or only partly here, that is why. I will keep it to go on the page and to go out as a special digest with the poll results in it.
I just received the Waltons Digest and wanted to let you know that you can certainly count me in as one who wants to continue to receive the digest. You mentioned eBay, the auction site on the internet. My daughter, Rebecca has bought several items (she collects children's books) from people on the auction, and she has been very pleased with it. She has recently been selling items on there as well. You also mentioned the Waltons dolls and the fact that they say Ma and Pa instead of Mummy and Daddy. I had to smile when I read that, because "Mummy" is not an American term. It is a British, and obviously an Australian, term for Mother. The Walton children called their mother "Mama". That is what my mother called her mother, too. Now, children in the US usually say "Mommy" or "Mom". Brenda in West Virginia KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for the feedback on buying through eBay, Brenda. It's good to know that they are reliable. Yes, I did slip up in the last digest when I commented on the Waltons dolls being called "Ma" and "Pa". Of course any Waltons fan SHOULD know that the Walton parents were indeed called "Mama" and "Daddy". Apologies everyone! Yes Brenda, out here in Australia we do call mothers "Mummy" or "Mum", never "Mama". It's usually when children are older that they use "Mum".
I'm fairly new on the list, but I love it. I wanted to ask if there is anyone who can help me with video recordings. I've got a few, but I'm especially looking for the specials. The only one I have on tape is "A Walton's Thanksgiving". When they broadcast the earlier films over here, I didn't have a VCR yet. Of course I know that the system in America in NTC and we in Europe have PAL, but that's not really a problem as a friend of mine knows someone who can and will convert them fairly cheap. I anyone can help me with cassettes of the series, I'd also be glad to receive them. Of course I'll pay for postage. I remember seeing these earlier films and one thing struck me when seeing the Thanksgiving film. In the first Mary Ellen's son is called John Curtis, in the Thanksgiving film he's called Clay and apparently has an older sister. Or did something happen to John Curtis in one of the films that I didn't see. Can anyone help me there? Frieda
KAREN'S COMMENT: Hi and welcome Frieda. As you can see from my letter, there is a place on the internet that you can buy some Waltons tapes but someone else might have other suggestions. About John Curtis...I think this will remain a mystery to all Waltons fans. Perhaps the next film might clear up matters.
Hi Karen and Waltons fans everywhere: About Olivia's family, I think she occasionally refers to her sister, Frances, but I have always thought it rather odd that we never get to see any of her family. She must have had a mother and father, but they are not even mentioned as far as I know. Was Olivia raised on Waltons Mountain? And about the way Miss Learned is billed: her first name -- "Michael" - is a very unusual name for a woman, and the "Miss" was probably added just to make sure we all knew Michael Learned was a woman. And does anyone know when the Waltons re-runs will move from The Family Channel to TNN? Jeff KAREN'S COMMENT: You're right, we don't really see or learn much about Olivia's family. Do we know her maiden name?
By the way, does anyone plan to attend the cast reunion in October at The Walton's Mountain Museum? I have been trying to get information but cannot find anything. My fiancée and I are getting married on October 10,1998 and he wants to take me to "Walton's Mountain" for our honeymoon! I can't wait! God Bless! Cindy
KAREN'S COMMENT: You should write about some of your memorabilia Cindy. We would all love to know more I'm sure. What a devoted fiancée you have! In a mailing I have it says that there is a cast reunion on October 24-25. The email address for the museum is waltonmt@cstone.net". Perhaps they can confirm this for you. In response to the question of Olivia's family I recall her mentioning she had a sister Frances. The big mystery, however, was John's siblings. His brother Ben was killed in the war, but was there ever mention of another brother? I recall Grandma making a comment once about "all her boys." Marc
KAREN'S COMMENT: Wasn't a sister mentioned too?
Hi Karen: Marc
KAREN'S COMMENT: Well that's something I didn't know. Does she have a family?
Hi Karen,
Linda Hi Karen and Fellow Walton Fans! I hope you are all well :) I saw the Waltons Dolls at a doll show last year. The box with John-Boy and Mary Ellen is marked *Ellen*... what a mistake to make by the manufacturers! I saw John Crawford, Ep Bridges, on an episode of Bob Newhart. He played a passenger on a cruise that Bob and Emily took. Also, did any of you spot Yancy Tucker, Robert Donner, in the movie Under the Rainbow? I wanted to make a comment about the Walton's TV movie that was made recently. It has Erin divorced. In the movie Wedding on Walton's Mt., at the end Earl Hamner says, "The union that was made in that small church is as strong today as it was on my sister Erin's wedding day". I wish they had stuck to the story... and I liked the character of Paul. Also, I was so sad when in that same TV movie, they said Virginia had passed away. There was also no mention of Ben and Cindy's son Charley? I too am so glad that TNN will be airing the Waltons! I enjoy reading the Walton's Digest so much... Thank you Karen!! Take care, Silvia Boosten from California
KAREN'S COMMENT: I'm with you Silvia, on two things. I also liked the character of Paul. His background was such a contrast to Erin's. And what a HUGE mistake for the doll company to make! I wonder what Earl Hamner thought of that one.
Hi there Karen, At last TV in the UK has re-shown one of the Walton Films. It is Mother's Day here in the UK and they actually showed the film "Mothers Day on Walton's Mountain". I am hoping ( A LOT) that they may come up trumps and show the Easter Story at Easter. You never know your luck. About Mary Ellen not being able to have children: I wondered about that for years. Surely if you have a Caesarian they have to cut the uterus, yet I know many people who have managed to have more children after giving birth by Caesarian. Perhaps in the "old" days they thought that a scar on the uterus would not stretch but discovered at later stage that this is not the case?? I've not seen any of Mary Ellen's later children as I've not seen any episodes after the three films made in the early eighties. I'm off to read the address you suggested to catch on the dialogue you all seem to have had on this issue. Best Wishes Alison
KAREN'S COMMENT: That's a good point you make Alison.
Hello Sat down Sunday evening and pressed rewind on the video (The Waltons is screened at 10:40am in the UK on a Sunday, and I always have something better to do, ie. sleep!!). Anyway started to play the Video and immediately thought, mmmm, the characters look a bit old, Ben was married and his 2nd child had just been born. Checked the TV listings only to discover that I was actually watching 'Mothers Day on Waltons Mountain'. I then checked the start time only to realize that it started at 9:45 so I missed the first 55 minutes! Great, I thought! Channel 4 have a habit of doing this, screening specials and not telling anyone, changing the time slot etc etc. Anyway I watched the last hour and thought it was great (apart from the theme music...). A couple of questions... John Boy didn't appear, was he in the film at all? Ike and Corbeth had a adopted daughter called Amy? Where did she come from? I don't remember her. (Here we are nearing the end of season 4, but I don't even remember her from when I saw all the programs many years ago). Hopefully they will screen it again some time, either that or I'm going to have to start buying Saturdays Paper so I can always check when the Waltons is on. Keep up the good work. KAREN'S COMMENT: Shame you missed out on part of the movie. I don't think that John Boy did appear in this one, but he may have briefly. The character of Aimee Godsey joined the cast in Season 5 I think.
KAREN: Below is a letter that I was sent during the week. Brenda sent me a copy as well so I suspect that anyone in the Waltons Ring might also have received one. If you are interested you could email Tracy directly. Has anyone seen it? Hello there fellow Walton fan! I'm a Producer with WVPT, Virginia Public Television, and--with much help from Earl Hamner--I produced a documentary on the history of Schuyler, Virginia, the Hamner family and "The Waltons." The documentary is called THE WALTON LEGACY. It has aired locally in Virginia with a wonderful response, and thanks to Walton fans across the country, I'm pleased to announce that it will soon be available to PBS stations nationwide. Walton fans should contact their local Public Television stations and speak with the Programmer to request that THE WALTON LEGACY be shown in their areas. We have also made the program available on VHS tape for anyone who is interested in purchasing it. The VHS has an additional 20-minute visit with Earl Hamner and the cast, in which they recount the funniest, most poignant and most memorable moments from production of "The Waltons." Cast members include Michael Learned, Judy Norton, Jon Walmsley, Eric Scott, Mary McDonough, Kami Cotler, Jon Conley and others.
Because the series was such a wonderful portrayal of family values, we hope to preserve that theme with this documentary. Please help us by spreading the word to the fans. For more information or a tape, folks may contact me at Tracey_Jewell@wvpt.pbs.org or 1-540-434-5391. Thank you for your help!---------Tracey Hi Karen, I hope all is well! Thank you so much for your hard work, it's deeply appreciated. I had some sightings yesterday. I was watching Encore (a new channel for our cable system) and I had 3 Walton's encounters! The first was Ronnie Claire Edwards playing a bit part in the movie Nobody's Fool. She played the Roseanne Arquette character's aunt. It was a small role. In addition, the Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo was on. I was delighted to see Ellen Corby in a short bit as the hotel clerk (although my favorite sighting of Ms. Corby is still her role in I Remember Mama!) But, my most exciting sighting - well it was almost a sighting - was after a short film entitled A Rose for Emily. This was about a half hour long. Anjelica Huston was the star of this surrealistic film, first her eccentric father dies then she falls in love with a laborer much beneath her station. He was about to leave town and Emily (Anjelica) had a special evening prepared. As they are about to go to bed together Emily gives him a glass of wine- with rat poison in it! I won't ruin the ending for anyone but suffice it to say, he never left... Anyway the film was dedicated to Will Geer! I've tried to do some research to find out why but I cannot find ANY information on the film. It's not even listed in Anjelica's filmography. So, if anyone has any other information please let me know! Thanks again, Karen. Mary Minnick-Daniels KAREN'S COMMENT: I'm always amazed at how many Waltons actors you people in the USA seem to see! I rarely spot any. I guess the movie must have been made around 1978. Could it also be known by another name?
Hello fellow Walton fans! This is only my 2nd time to contribute to the digest. I was 15 (I think) when the series started and I fell in love with it instantly. I am now 40 years old, married for 14 years to the most wonderful man in the world, and we have one son, B.J., who is 12 but thinks he's 27--other parents of pre-teens know what I mean :-). I work from home as a resume writer--love my work. My hubby is in the hotel/hospitality business. My all-time favorite character would have to be Jim-Bob--he seems so vulnerable and sweet to me. A close second would probably have to be Erin, especially in the episode where she works at the business school to earn the typewriter for John-Boy--such a neat thing to do. I grew up an only child so The Waltons became sort of my surrogate family. I guess my favorite episode, if I have to choose only one, would be The Best Christmas. It is such a warm--in spite of the season!!--episode and demonstrates to me what being a family truly means. I was watching "Eight Is Enough" (again) this morning and noticed Jeffrey Cotler, Kami's brother who was in The Christmas Carol, in the role of Nicholas Bradford's friend Irving. What a couple of cuties!! In the magazine section of yesterday's Sunday newspaper was an article on Sonny Bono's widow and it mentioned that Ralph Waite is her "chief Democratic opponent in April's special election" to choose a nominee to serve out Sonny Bono's congressional term. Just thought I'd pass that along in case some were not aware of it. Can someone help me with some info on the actress who played Flossie Brimmer--I think her name was Nora Marlow (Marlowe?). In the first episode after Will Geer passed away, Olivia was in Godsey's store with Corabeth and Ike, perhaps one or two other characters, and they mentioned that Flossie Brimmer had died. Patsy Brimmer sent Olivia a package with a ring that had belonged to Mrs. Brimmer. Did the actress who portrayed her die in real life or was she just being written out of the show for some reason or another? I've often wondered about that. I have already cast my votes for the CBS Poll online. Three guesses who I voted for! At the time I cast my votes, The Waltons was in the lead for best drama, Ralph Waite was ahead as favorite Dad, and Michael Learned was only slightly behind (by 2 percentage points) in the "race" for favorite Mom. Karen, thanks for your dedication in putting the digest together every week. I printed out all the previous digests (#1-48) over the weekend and spent some enjoyable hours reading them. Keep up the good work! Carolyn in Tennessee
KAREN'S COMMENT: I voted too! Carolyn, the actress playing Flossie also died.
Hi Karen,
This is just a little info on the CBS Poll that I voted in at 1:50 pm Eastern Standard Time ( I can't remember what the time difference between us is). Around 9300 people had voted on the web site when I posted my vote. You could look at the results to see what the current statistics were and I have listed some below. The numbers are percent of the votes cast. Dramatic series 26% The Waltons (current leader) 23% Dallas 21% Murder, She Wrote 17% Touched by an Angel
11% Knots Landing Mom 32% Edith Bunker (All in the Family) 30% Olivia Walton (The Waltons) 16% Lucy Ricardo (I Love Lucy) 14% Dr. Michaela Quinn (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman)
05% Louise Jefferson (The Jeffersons) Dad 31% John Walton (The Waltons) 28% Jim Anderson (Father Knows Best) 25% Archie Bunker (All in the Family) 08% Ray Barone (Everybody Lovers Raymond)
06% George Jefferson (The Jeffersons)
I hope everyone votes. KAREN'S COMMENT: Brian's letter came in on the 24/3. The address again for this poll is: www.tvgen.com/cbspoll I've just had another look. "The Waltons" is leading by 3%, Olivia is BEHIND by 3% and John is leading by 3%. Olivia needs your help if you haven't voted yet! :-)
William Hartley , Mid-Cornwall UK Mothering Sunday in the UK commenced at 09.45am with Channel 4 showing 'Mothers Day on Walton Mountain'. Without doubt, the best acting ever from Judy Norton, who gets my vote as the best Waltons actor. Mary Ellen also gets my vote as the best character. Judy Norton was so brilliantly 'supported' by Ralph Waite in the very genuinely, intimate scene where Mary Ellen confides in him re: her coming to terms with not being able to give her husband the children he hopes for. Plenty of Kleenex on hand in our home that morning. Best regards, William KAREN'S COMMENT: It was a lovely film William. Have you seen the Thanksgiving one of 1982. I think it's even better.
Hi Karen, I'm so happy to see your Walton's Digest grow by the week. Many more Waltons fans have joined your list in the last months. Is it possible for you to tell how many members of the List there are and from which countries they all come from after you've finished the poll and the new membership list. I have two other questions for you and anyone else. I just saw the Easter Reunion of 1997 (for the 3rd time) but I can't figure out one thing about this great reunion. When Olivia teaches the class there's one child (a girl with long curls) who calls Olivia 'Grandma'. And she says to the girl that she can't call her Grandma because they're at school now. Can anyone tell me who's child this girl is and what her name is? Another question about the Waltons character Maude Gormley (actress Merie Earle). I like this lady, who is a friend of Grandma, very much and she's a very cute old lady. She played in the episodes:
Does someone know more about the actress Merie Earle? In which movies did she play and was she a famous actress in the US or did she play only on stage in a theater and was The Waltons her only experience with a TV series? I would like to hear anything you know about her. Thanks. Marca from Holland. KAREN'S COMMENT: I'm stretching my memory here Marca, but I think she was Susan. Could she be Mary Ellen's daughter? Or perhaps Erin's? I don't know much about Merie Earle but I'll try and find out for you.
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