| WALTONS DIGEST 11-99: Hello again Waltons Family, I do hope you've all had a wonderful week. Its been a week of anniversaries this week in the Kearney home, as Rod and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary during the week, and here we are at our second anniversary of the Waltons Digest, and we are still going strong. I can't believe that it's only been two years really. It almost seems like a whole lifetime ago and yet it also seems to have gone so quickly. As many of you now know, we started the Waltons Digest to coincide with the airing of "A Walton Easter", with just a handful of people, many of whom are still members today, and still contributing. I think that is probably a real tribute to the show itself...it keeps running, and we keep finding things to discuss. One thing still puzzles me though. Why has there been no more mention of another Waltons special? I had thought that the network had commissioned one after the latest one was so successful. I had also thought that the outline had been written, and here we are two years down the track and still no further word. Do things really move this slowly in TV land? Can anybody let us know what's happening? Well there's plenty of letters for this issue, so I won't keep taking up the space. Enjoy this week's digest and I hope every one of you has a very happy and holy Easter with families and friends, and I look forward to talking with you all again next week. Goodnight everyone, Karen.
<<I was wondering if anyone caught the mistake in the episode called "The Legend". In this episode they referred to Reckless the dog as a boy. But I'm sure I remember in a later episode, I'm not sure of it's name, that Reckless has a puppy on Erin's bed and that Yancy Tucker thinks that his dog is the father of the puppy....I was just curious if anyone else caught that mistake. KAREN'S COMMENT: Yes I also noticed that Reckless was definitely referred to as "boy" in this episode.>> This is something I've always been intrigued about, and commented on in an earlier digest. In the early seasons of the show, Reckless was always a boy (not just in that one episode you mentioned, but in every episode.) Then suddenly, with no explanation, in the later seasons, Reckless became a girl! They never gave any explanation such as the first Reckless dying, and getting a second dog named Reckless; it seems this was supposed to be the same dog all the way through. Yet somehow, Reckless went from being a boy to being a girl! One of those things that makes one scratch one's head and go, "Huh?" Geri Ann in Phoenix, Arizona
KAREN'S COMMENT: You're right. I noticed another instance of Reckless being a "he" in The Honeymoon. It's a bit like the question "Whatever happened to Fluffy the Cat on The Brady Bunch"? I guess it's just one of those TV mysteries.
I think there were two different dogs. One person said that the Reckless that appeared in the later episodes was not the same dog that appeared in the initial episodes. I never knew David Harper (Jim Bob) was born in Abilene, Texas, a town only 200 miles from Dallas, on October 4,1961. That same year two days after Christmas there was a horrible train wreck in Abilene in which several members of a family were killed and the remainder were adopted by various people around the country. This was shown on Unsolved Mysteries several times. Also didn't know that Erin and Jim Bob are only 5 months apart. "Erin" was born the day before Allen Shepherd went into space! Donald
KAREN'S COMMENT: How do you remember all of these facts Donald? I had a read of the Waltons Chat with Earl Hamner and Kami Cotler during the week. As Donald mentioned last week, TNN have transcribed it and added it to their site. As usual, go to the site and do a search for "Waltons Chat". I found it really interesting, especially Kami's comments.
Was just wondering - which episode mentions John having a sister who died of diphtheria? I don't remember that and want to watch for the episode when it airs. Thank you! Geri Ann KAREN'S COMMENT: Geri Ann I can't remember the exact episode. I just recall it being mentioned sometime, but I'm sure someone will let us know.
Hi Karen, I was watching the movie "Charlotte's Web" the other day with my son and the person who wrote it was Earl Hamner, Jr. Could it be the Earl Hamner we associate with The Waltons or his son? Keep up the good work. Mylinda KAREN'S COMMENT: Well Mylinda, I did a little searching and indeed you are right about this. Our Earl Hamner, wonderful Waltons producer, did most definitely write the script for the 1973 version of Charlotte's Web. Some of the other things I found that he has done are:
I'm sure we can probably add more to this list, but these were the ones listed in the Internet Movie Database. I think I saw Gift of Love at some stage, but don't remember much about it, and definitely didn't realise that Earl Hamner wrote it.
Karen, I don't know if you've been advised similarly, but in case not, here's a recent response I got from Foxtel about screenings of seasons 5 to 9. "Dear Phil, We will be gaining the rights to screen the Waltons - series 5 to 9, after July 99. Keep a look out for them. Regards, FOXTEL Feedback" Phil K Sydney, Australia KAREN'S COMMENT: Well this is FANTASTIC news for all of us Waltons watchers in Australia. Thanks for letting us know. By the way, all Aussie readers should be able to catch the missing episode "The Bequest", which I'm told will air on Tuesday this week. I don't know why it was missed the first time around. Just one of those things I guess.
Hi Karen, There was a Paul Harper (don't know if it was Jim-Bob's dad or not) who starred as "Grier" in episode 86 - The Intruders. This was the one in which Grandpa tricked the Murdock's into floating their order of lumber down the Rockfish River. Rob KAREN'S COMMENT: I had a look on the IMDB for Paul Harper, but it wasn't all that helpful. It mentioned him as an actor during the 1960's, 70's and '80's, but I haven't seen any of the films mentioned for him.
I was just noticing how the ages are so close, even being the same age but on the show they look different ages. I thought Judy Norton was supposed to be older then Jon Walmsley but in real life Jon is older. Mary Elizabeth McDonough is supposed to be several years older then David Harper but they are only a few months between them and the same with Judy and Eric. Has anybody heard yet if/when The Waltons going to have a new special. I have checked the FAQ but it has not been updated and I was just wondering. Did you see Rosie O'Donnell on 3/26/99, they had the woman that first played Olivia Walton on and they talked some about The Waltons? Sheila KAREN'S COMMENT: Yes some of them are fairly close in age. According to Earl Hamner, Jason was always meant to be older than Mary Ellen, so that one works. With Mary and David, perhaps it's just that Mary was always tall and David not so tall. Speaking of David Harper, I've only really just been noticing what an excellent young actor he was! I guess I've never really watched him a lot, but I've been seeing many of the episodes from seasons 1 and 2 recently and he really impresses me with his naturalness.
Dear fans, I rarely notice the errors in this show. The characters make it a great show about people like we all remember from our own families. Or sure wish we knew. I have to hit "rewind" button on VCR often so I won't miss any of the dialogue! As a dairy farmer, I can remind you that it would not necessarily be a "boo-boo" for John Boy to milk Chance when she was a couple of weeks from calving. It all depends on the genes of the particular cow, and whether the family would rather have a little milk now, or let her udder rest so she would give more milk after a calf is born. The bigger bovine "boo-boo" is why do they never show Chance out in the pasture somewhere eating green grass instead of being forced to stay in the barn and eat straw. A "one-cow" farm would only feed hay in winter and then have plenty of barn "cleanup" ifyaaknowwhatimean. And what about "the calf" from the episode where Jim-Bob and Elizabeth calfnap him and they buy him back? Is he ever shown again? So Long from Alabama, Edwin KAREN'S COMMENT: I think the only time I've ever seen Chance out of her stall was in The Honeymoon, when Elizabeth says she left the stall door open and then she definitely wasn't "grazing with permission" :-)).
Hi Karen, I managed to travel 6,000 miles to see "A Decade of the Waltons" on TNN!! Actually, I was going home to San Francisco on free air miles given to me by a friend; it was just a bonus that I got to see the show, which I had never seen before. Apart from seeing The Waltons, I had a great time in San Francisco, catching up with the friends I grew up with. It has been nearly 6 years since my last trip, but we just fall right back into place. I haven't laughed so consistently, talked so much, or slept so well in ages. Tricia Dublin, Ireland KAREN'S COMMENT: What a wonderful surprise for you! I think you would have to be the most devoted fan to travel all that way just to see an episode you haven't seen before...LOL. It sounds as if you had a terrific time.
Hi Everyone and Happy Easter, We are having the best weather here in the Boston area, 70's everyday, temps are going to go down though I think. In regards to the time of the Waltons on TNN naturally I'm on the eastern standard time and I think they come on at nine am and seven p.m. I'm originally from Georgia and when I go to visit all I do is turn on the TV and watch Carroll O'Conner in the "heat of the Night" and the Waltons! People down there think we up here are crazy because everyone wants to see "In the Heat of the Night" and the locals could care less! Another subject: the show "Antiques Roadshow" is on public TV up here and I love it. During the month of March they have been doing their renewal of membership (some people call it begging?) So we have been without the "antique Roadshow", but the month is over now so maybe we will get a TWO HOUR Roadshow, Yippee! Again Happy Easter†††† Pat from outside Boston
KAREN'S COMMENT: Nice weather in Boston! It always looks like it snows there from what I've seen on TV. I guess that's not a good way to judge a place though is it? We're still having nice weather over here too, but it's getting a bit chilly at night now.
The following two notes are from Dot P's son Lance, who many of you would know is actively involved with the Waltons Chat Line too. I'm sure many of you would also have heard of this news, but I thought I'd add it for those of you who haven't. Hi This is Lance, Dorothy's Son. Dorothy had a fall and hurt her hip. She is in the hospital right now, and will be in there for the next 2-3 weeks. She is doing well, and getting better. Talk to you later Lance
Hi This is Lance again, Dorothy's Son. Dorothy (Dot P.) left the hospital Thursday and is now at home. She does not however have her computer at home until Tuesday April 6/99, because I am working on it, and besides she needs her rest. But feel free to email her and she will receive her email from you on Tuesday, or if you have her home phone number you may call her. Thanks Bye for now Lance KAREN'S COMMENT: Oh Dot, whatever are you doing to yourself! Anyway I know you'll be reading this soon, catching up with all of the Waltons news so please take care and get better really soon. I hope you'll be up and around really soon. In the meantime, drag out all of those Waltons tapes, and imagine us all being there with you sharing them. Hopefully that will help you to feel better anyway. Take care and my thoughts and love are flying to you, all the way from Australia.
|
