| WALTONS DIGEST 21-98:
Hi everyone, Having said just last week how mild the weather has been, we have just completed a week of really cold weather and, yes, there is now some snow on our snowfields! As I've said before, in Melbourne you just can't tell. I notice that there has been, and is continuing to be, some quite brutal weather over in the USA. Another cyclone was reported in our news last night. I haven't heard whether these have affected any of you so I can only hope that everyone is fine. I hope so. I did get some replies and suggestions about different talking points, and someone suggested that we have a new one every fortnight instead of weekly, for some of you who might be overwhelmed with email and need time to catch up. :-) I thought this was an excellent suggestion, so I'll compile a list of topics as they come in and if they seem suitable, and let you know ahead of time what the next one will be. Please remember though, that all other Waltons letters, not related to the talking point, are still more than welcome. Well that's about it from me this week. Only two more weeks of school before our term break, and it's certainly going to be a busy two weeks. James is in the performing company of the Victorian Youth Theatre, a state musical theatre company for teenagers, and their season of performances starts this week so he will need rides to all his performances this week and next. Goodnight everyone,
Karen. Hi Karen and Walton Friends,
Since the students here are having exams, I thought, that maybe you would enjoy a Walton quiz: 1)- In the opening from the first season, there is just one Walton child wearing shoes, who is that Walton? 2)- Again in the opening from the first season, there are two Walton children on the see/saw (teeter-totter is what we called it), which two are they? 3)- In the episode called "The Reunion" the Baldwin sisters sent John-Boy to get some water, what was the water called? 4)- In the episode called "The Love Story" John-Boy ask his father how old he was when he got married, what was his answer? Shirley of Canada KAREN'S COMMENT: What a great idea Shirley. My eldest son, Tim has just finished his exams this week too. The answers are at the bottom of the digest.
So sorry that I haven't written lately. I have been under the weather and haven't had much time. Anyway, I have been able to read your digests and continue to enjoy them. Perhaps we could discuss some of the episodes and how we can use them to teach lessons to our children. I watched The Burn Out with the kids, discussing each character's issues, in particular Elizabeth. You see, my children are not mine biologically. Their father and I are marrying soon. Their mother "ran away about 1 1/2 years ago, reappeared then took off again. They are going through some anger issues... taking it out on those closest to them. Interesting what lessons we learn from The Waltons. This is my way of getting close to James & Kaylee. They love watching The Waltons with me and I with them. Cindy KAREN'S COMMENT: I hope you're feeling better now. What a lovely family hour it must be for you Cindy. That's another talking point I'll add to the list...What can we learn from watching The Waltons?
Hi Karen, Here is the Columbia House List. There were originally 30 titles but there are now extending the list. My collection is currently at #32. I do wish that they would include "The Conflict," as someone recently commented. The videos are currently overrunning my small space to store them and I may decide to sell some of them in the near future. 1: The Foundling; The Boy From The C.C.C. 2: The Love Story; The Townie 3: The Typewriter; The Scholar 4: The Crisis (An Easter Story) 5: The Hunt; The Ceremony 6: The Thanksgiving Story 7: The Theft; The Chicken Thief 8: The Honeymoon; The Cradle 9: The Triangle; The Separation 10: The Graduation; The Gift 11: The Carnival; The Calf 12: The Sinner; The Gypsies 13: The Legend; The Deed 14: The Literary Man; The Fire 15: The Dust Bowl Cousins; The Minstrel 16: The Air Mail Man; The Awakening 17: The Roots; The 5 Foot Shelf 18: The Substitute; The Heritage 19: The Fawn; The Car 20: The Bequest; The Ghost Story 21: The System; The Book 22: The Job; The Statue 23: The Song; The Woman 24: The Venture; The Genius 25: The Boondoggle; The Competition 26: The Abdication; The Nurse 27: The Intruders; The Search 28: The Secret; The Fox 29: The Burn Out 30: The Fledgling; The Collision 31: The Thoroughbred; The Runaway 32: The Caretakers; The Wing-Walker Dennis KAREN'S COMMENT: Thank you for this list Dennis. Does anyone have other titles to add to this?
Hi Everyone! I hope that all of you are having a good week! Arthur, if you are reading this, I send you my best wishes and hope that you are feeling well. I looked Richard Thomas up and discovered that during his teens he was in three soap operas: From These Roots, A Time For Us and As the World Turns. He also appeared in episodes of Medical Center, Love American Style and Bonanza! Also, I spotted J.D. Pickett in a commercial about a drink called Ensure. I saw a set of Walton Dolls for $180.00 at a doll show lately. Is this a good price? I wasn't able to buy them though. They were all in their original boxes. Take care everyone! Silvia from California
KAREN'S COMMENT: I hope by now that you're up and around too Arthur. I'm sure that we all send out best wishes to you. Silvia was this price just for two dolls, or all six of them? Have a look on the Ebay auctions, because they often have the Waltons dolls in their box on auction. The URL is: <http://pages.ebay.com/aw/index.html>. Greetings from Tennessee! This is only my 2nd time to contribute to the digest. I am a 41-year-old mother of one son (age 12) and operate a home-based business. I was 15 (I think) when The Waltons started and I fell in love with it immediately. 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! 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 really means. I think the weekly topic idea is a great one! My favorite guest star would have to be Beulah Bondi in The Conflict and in The Pony Cart. She was such a talented actress and made the character of Aunt Martha Corrinne so believable. The entertainment staff writer for The Tennessean, Nashville's daily newspaper, Ken Beck, recently (June 2, 1998) wrote an article for the paper about Ralph Waite and promoting The Waltons on TNN. The article gave quite a bit of background on Mr. Waite, both personal and professional. What was exciting to me was something he wrote about a possible reunion movie this summer. The article states: "Another Waltons TV movie reunion looms on the horizon. Six telefilms have aired between 1982 and 1997. "I think we may be doing one this summer," Waite said. "The theme is my character has a heart attack, and everybody comes home to take care of him." I thought others might be interested in these comments. I am so glad TNN decided to air the series after The Family Channel dropped it. It may not be in perfect format, but it's a lot better than not being able to see it at all. Plus, I enjoy picking out the scenes that The Family Channel had edited out in order to air more commercials. It's like hunting for clues in a mystery! I enjoy the digest tremendously--keep up the good work! Carolyn in Tennessee
KAREN'S COMMENT: Well I think you've given us all some wonderful information there Carolyn. Thankyou. We have known that there has been talk since the last Walton movie aired, that there was to have been another movie, but things have seemed to move very slowly. Perhaps it will go into production very soon. We can only hope.
Ronnie Claire Edwards sighting- Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Thine own self" Has Ronnie Claire playing a science teacher so much like Cora-beth I'd swear they plagerized!
KAREN'S COMMENT: Interesting observation. Has anyone else seen this episode? It has been very rainy and stormy so far this summer here in West Virginia. Now that school is out (I'm a teacher), I have more time to spend on the internet. I have been checking out the forum on Ralph's site and have noticed that Kami Cotler has been leaving posts on the forum. I have also been visiting the Waltons Fans chat room on mIRC. However, I have never found anyone there when I have been there. If any of you still chat, please let me know so I can join you sometime. I have been thinking about Karen's question regarding our favorite guest star. There are so many good ones, it is hard to choose just one. But I think my favorite would have to be Ron Howard in "The Gift." That is one of my favorite episodes and Ron Howard was perfect for the part. He is such a versatile actor. I grew up in the 1960s, so I literally watched him grow up, too, as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show. Next week, my family will be vacationing in Prince Edward Island in Canada. We are very excited about visiting the island. Those of you who are fans of Lucy Maud Montgomery's books (Anne of Green Gables, etc.) or the TV show "Road to Avonlea" will know that Prince Edward Island is the setting for both of those. I want to visit the museum in Schuyler sometime this summer, too, but I don't know if I will get to or not. Have a good week everyone. Brenda KAREN'S COMMENT: I've noticed Kami writing comments and answering questions on the forum too. It's nice of her to take the time. I hope you have the most wonderful time at Prince Edward Island Brenda. I've seen it on the Avonlea series and it looks just wonderful...very cold though! Let us know how your holiday goes when you get back. Take care.
Hi Karen and everyone. I think it is a great idea to have a different discussion point every week, or maybe every other week for those of us who have trouble keeping up!! I think I have mentioned before that one of my very favorite guest appearances on "The Waltons" was an actor by the name of Arthur Space, who played Grandma's old beau. He wrote her a condolence letter after he heard of Grandpa's passing (some months after his passing, I imagine), and came to see her. I like how it explored Esther's mixed feelings about spending time with another man, and how John convinced her that she deserved it, and should see him. My favorite part, though, was Elizabeth's anger at this man she thought was trying to take Grandpa's place. I loved the story he told her about the foot race he and Zeb had years ago, and how Zeb always seemed to come out a little bit ahead of this quiet, unassuming man. And how he was not trying to replace Grandpa, just be her friend. I thought he did a fine job in this episode. Maybe if we are till talking about this next week, I will have another favorite to share! Best to all! Julie Prince, Bronx, NY
KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for the suggestion about having the discussion going over two weeks. I think it is an excellent one. I have had a couple of responses to your favourite guest star in this digest, but I have also held over a couple of letters for next week so if you have a favourite, please drop me a line. Feel free to include two or three memorable performances. TALKING POINT FOR NEXT WEEK (Digest 22-98):
TALKING POINT FOR THE FOLLOWING TWO WEEKS (Digests 23 & 24):
ANSWERS TO SHIRLEY'S QUIZ: 1)- Elizabeth Walton 2)- Erin and Ben Walton 3)- Branch water 4)- Old enough, 22 years old.
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