Hi everyone,

As I said to you last week, it has been incredibly busy this week for us here. We are into the last week of term at school this week. Tim is preparing for his trip to Central Australia and Kakadu. For those of you who know a bit about the geography of Australia, he will be visiting Ayers Rock then heading up to Darwin and exploring a lot of the Northern Territory. It is a school trip and should be fun. I think I'll heave a sigh of relief though when he is finally packed up and on the bus because it is Sunday evening here, he leaves Tuesday evening, and he still doesn't have everything that he needs.

I think I might leave it there for this week as there is a lot of mail. Thank you to all of you who have sent in letters. I will start the digest off with our talking point.

Until next week, when I hope to be a bit more relaxed. :-)) Goodnight everybody,

Karen.

TALKING POINT: Who is your favourite Waltons Guest Artist?

Dear Karen:

Naming my favorite guest actor on The Waltons is easy. Actually, I have two: the first is Linda Watkins, who was so touching as Maggie, the old and ailing woman who wants to go the the beach one last time before she dies. Everything about that episode is perfect, especially the dialogue, and how can you not get a lump in your throat and tear in your eye when Maggie so poignantly relives those memories. I think that particular episode was called "The Journey."

My second favorite guest actor would have to be Beulah Bondi, who guested twice as the staunch and stern Martha Corinne, the oldest living Walton. Miss Bondi was a member of Hollywood's elite group of supporting players and made well over 100 films from 1931 on. She was playing grandmothers when she was not yet 40, and as she grew older, her looks hardly changed.: she just needed less and less old-lady make-up. She would have been in her 80s at the time she appeared on The Waltons and she deservedly won an Emmy for her work.
Jeff

Portland, OR

Hi Karen,

It is so hot here, how about bottling some of that snow and send it to me to cool off with. My favorite guest actor/actress comes form the episode called The Song with Erin Moran, you know her more popular as Joanie from Happy Days and Joanie loves Chachi. I like the jealousy that developed between Jason and Ben. It is so very common among siblings in the same family that are close together as those children are. I think the producers of the show did an excellent job in choosing the actors that guest starred in those roles they all fit the parts perfectly.

Well that is all for now going to turn up the air conditioning.

Stay warm Karen and I'll try to stay cool.

Scott and Karen Vestal!!

Dear Friends

It's still raining here in Pa. It did stop for about an hour Sat. That was long enough to check out a yard sale on another road. I got some really cheap and good things.

My favorite guest on the Waltons would have to be Sissy Spacek. I liked her a lot in her part as Sarah. I thought she would have been a great girlfriend for John-Boy, but she was trying just to get out from under her Moms thumb. I liked her in Coal Miners Daughter. Her ability to capture the actual moment is priceless. To me she is real and believable, an excellent actress.

Vicki Keener

Hershey, Pa.

Hello Karen and everyone.

I especially like the first Talking Point - our favourite guest/actor appearance on the Waltons. I have been a Dr. Vance (Victor Izay) fan ever since I saw "The Prize" where he samples the Baldwin Sisters' entry into the jam-making contest, a berry jam that contains, of course, the family recipe. He coughs, asks Miss Mamie and Miss Emily, "Is this what I think it is?", then smiles happily. The next scene shows three empty jam jars and Dr. Vance laying the first prize ribbon beside them. (I hope, after eating all that jam, he had a designated driver to take him home.) Anytime I watch "The Prize", I rewind this scene and watch it again.

In all of Dr. Vance's appearances, I can't remember his first name though, for some reason, I think it's Matthew. Perhaps I'm getting him mixed up with Reverend Fordwick. Does anyone know his first name?

Thank you.

Kim W

Hi Karen and Walton Friends:

My favorite guest on the Waltons is Beulah Bondi. Martha Corrine's character fit perfectly into the show and I loved seeing her. She is a wonderful actress and the character of Martha was especially good. I loved her in the Pony Cart. Can she really paint? I wonder if she ever made anything like that cart in her younger years. All of the story lines with her in the scenes are among my favorite ones. She reminded me of my husband's mother!

Thanks for the digest!

Carolyn in Texas

The best guest actor on The Waltons? What a chore deciding. As I watch the program on reruns, I'm always struck by the number of famous actors who graced the show over the years - Sissy Spacek, Ron Howard, Buelah Bondi, etc.. For the longest time, I even thought Sally Field had a role in the episode entitled "The Air-Mail Man." But the actress in that episode just happened to look alike, sound alike and have the same mannerisms as Field.

Nevertheless, my hands-down choice would be Sian Barbara Allen, who first appeared as Jenny Pendleton in "The Love Story" and later in "The Thanksgiving Story." She was a terrific actress, and she really captured the role of Jenny - John-Boy's first love. I never sensed that she was acting on The Waltons. She was the part, which I suppose is the trademark of any good actor. In The Love Story, her sense of longing and needing and wanting was uncanny, almost childlike in intensity. And yet, she also came across as a young woman with desires, confidence and poise.

By the time she appeared in The Thanksgiving Story, she had grown and evolved into a fully confident young woman who was gliding into the adult world. I remember thinking back with dismay that this was not the woman John-Boy would one day marry. It might have even been then that I understood the phrase "beauty is skin deep." She was not beautiful in the classical sense, but I was nonetheless captivated by her.

Although I felt Allen was a tremendous actress, I saw her in very few other things. I believe she was on an episode of "Ironside," and she had a supporting role in one of my favorite movies, "Eric," with John Savage and Patricia Neal. I also saw her in a miniseries, Captains and the Kings. But that's the extent of it. I would be interested in seeing what became of her.

-- Jim Barber

KAREN'S COMMENT: What a wonderful list of guest actors we have compiled. What struck me as I looked through the list and thought about my own choices, was that many of the actors who guested on the series, were not really well known actors. Perhaps it's just that they weren't well known to me here in Australia. Many, in fact, were really just beginning to establish themselves. A lot of the actors, too, created really memorable characters, such as Martha Corinne and Maggie McKenzie in The Journey.

As a fan of Happy Days, I enjoy the episodes featuring Erin Moran and Ron Howard. Another I particularly like is Linda Purl who guested as Curt's sister Vanessa in The Heartbreaker. I have also enjoyed the performances, and the storylines of the episodes with Chad in them. I think his name was Michael O'Keefe.

Being an Aussie though, the guest actor who I really have to nominate, is Sally Boyden, who to my knowledge, was the only Australian ever to have a role in the series. She played the part of Tess, the young English war refugee in A Children's Carol. She made Tess quite a believable character, and if I didn't know better I would have thought she was English. It is by far the best acting performance which I have ever seen from her. The really moving script gave her plenty to work with too.

When I look at each of the actors I've really liked though, it seems like they are, on the whole, those whose acting careers I have followed as they have grown up with me. Particularly Ron Howard and Linda Purl have developed into fine performers and in Ron Howard's case has given so much more to the industry. It has been terrific to see them give such fine performances in such a good quality show as The Waltons.

Hi Karen,

I received a letter from Columbia House today updating their upcoming Waltons releases. The following continues from the end of the list I sent you last week.

33: The Estrangement; The Test

34: The House; The First Edition

35: The Vigil; The Baptism

36: The Wedding

37: The Cloudburst; The Great Motorcycle Race

I had requested that The Conflict be added, but unfortunately they responded with the following: "At this time, we are not planning to offer The Conflict. However, your interest is being forwarded to the appropriate party for review." That is really too bad. I have long felt that The Conflict was one of the truly outstanding episodes of the whole Waltons series.

Dennis

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thank you for this update Dennis, and also to Pat who provided me with a similar list. I still wonder how they decide which episodes to add to their releases.

Coming up on Wednesday, June 24th, "The Ghost Story" will be airing on TNN. So, those of us here in the USA who haven't been able to see this episode will finally be able to!

I know that while watching "The Waltons" on TNN, some people have noticed a jerky movement to the picture. Well, I too noticed it a bit, but for the past couple of weeks, there really has been little or no movement like that. I think that movement can be contributed to the fact that TNN speeds up the tempo in order to air those "extra" scenes that The Family Channel had "cut-out".

If anyone wants to get the schedule for episodes of "The Waltons" airing on TNN, just go to http://www.country.com/tnn/schedule/schedule-f.html

Michael

KAREN'S COMMENT: I hope you all enjoy this particular episode. It seems as if many of you haven't seen it for some time, if at all.

Karen,

With Richard Thomas in our area of world with his play at the Hartford Stage, in has resulted in small media blitz on local TV stations....

As everyone knows, the 13th was Richard Thomas' birthday. In regards to this 3 of our local news stations had reports of a gathering of the International Walton Fan Club in Hartford. The club held a gathering at one of the local hotels on Friday (12th). The news report interviewed several club members who had gathered from around the U.S.. One member carried with her the Waltons game in hopes to get Richard's autograph on the box. She is only 2 autographs away from getting every cast member to sign the box. From what I remember she needed Jim-Bob's signature.

At the dinner Friday the club had a birthday cake ready for Richard in hopes he make it over after his performance.

From the reports by the local news anchor, Richard made a surprise appearance on Friday at the party. The club was also planning to see Richard in his play on Saturday (13th). The reporter covering the event mentioned that the club was hoping that other members of the Walton's cast were coming to the event. No names were given as who showed up...

Do we have any digest readers who were there???

Who showed up? Any photos posted?

Can anyone lead me to an address for the International Walton's Fan club?? Do they have a web page?

In an earlier posting it was mentioned a Walton's Forum were Kami Cotler had posted. Can anyone tell us more about it? Where on the internet is it located?

Will keep everyone abreast of any more Richard Thomas news while he is in the area....

John Wiehn

Walton Fan from Connecticut

KAREN'S COMMENTS: Wonderful news that Richard Thomas was in your area John. Yes I know of at least one of our members who was there, and I'm sure we'll get a report as soon as she gets the time. :-) I am a member of the International Walton's Fan Club and it's a good one to be in. Lots of interesting reading and so on. Carolyn Grinnell is the contact person and the address I have is:

Carolyn Grinnell, President

The Waltons International Fan Club

PO Box 1055

Kernersville, NC 27285

910-993-2752

The Waltons Forum, where Kami Cotler occasionally posts messages, is part of Ralph's site. <http://www.the-waltons.com> Earl Hamner's sister, Marion, also posts messages there from time to time too.

Hi Karen and fellow Walton fans,

I have a new Walton sighting!! Joe Conley, (Ike), played a toy delivery man on an episode of the Brady Bunch in 1969!

Can someone answer this question for me? When ordering tapes from Columbia House, is there a minimum number that you are required to buy?

I hope everyone is having a good week!

How are you feeling, Arthur?

Silvia from California

KAREN'S COMMENT: I know this episode. I'll have to have another look when I see it again as I hadn't realised it was Joe Conley.

Hi Karen!

I was looking through the trivia quiz page last night and found a pet which wasn't mentioned - Jim Bob Jr. That was the girl duck Jim Bob hatched by holding the egg in his armpit. Also I don't know if it's the kind of answer you were looking for in the "careers" question, but Jason did spend some time in college before his scholarship ran out. Of course so did John Boy and that wasn't mentioned either - so maybe that's not the right idea. Anyway, also wanted to add that Elizabeth went into the Peace Corps. Didn't she?

Congrats on a good and fun page. Nice job!

Bye! Larissa

KAREN'S COMMENT: You're right about the duck, but I can't remember which episode this one came from. I do remember Grandpa telling him to hatch the egg that way though. Do we ever see Jason or John Boy finish college? Glad you enjoyed your time at the page Larissa. I'll add the things you've suggested. :-)

Hi Karen,

I did think of a couple of general questions. I don't think they've been talked about in the digests (but if I'm wrong, sorry!). One is "when you're standing in their kitchen, looking towards the sink, there is a door to the right of the ice box. Anyone know what that's for?" I know there's a closet or something to the left of the sink, near the stove. Maybe it's something they keep brooms and mops in? The second question I had was "do we know when the character's birthdays are?" There are shows about a lot of them, Grandpa's, Olivia's, Jason's during the war, etc. Even just enough to say it's in the spring or summer or something? If this hasn't been discussed before, this might be fun to watch out for.

Thanks for listening,

Larissa

KAREN'S COMMENT: Anyone have any comments on either of these questions? The birthday ones are particularly interesting...perhaps we can work them out.

Hi Karen!

I've been real busy with my 4 kids but always find time to read the digest. This time I had to write because of the age John said he was when he got married. I thought when Erin ran away with Chad to get married Olivia said in the truck that she was only 16. That would make him 6 years older. I'm I correct?

My neighbors came out to sit and chat with me in the front yard last week and one of the subjects we touched was family programs today. It just seems that The Walton's and shows that are equal to it such as Promised Land and Touched By An Angel are not as popular anymore. It is very hard to find good shows that don't have violence, sex and drugs.

I'd like to see them work drugs into one of the newer specials to see how the Walton clan would handle it. The only ones I remember are Corabeth's drinking and Mary Ellen getting hooked on those pills when she was studying and working so hard.

Well that's all for me for now. Hope all is well with everyone!

Karna

KAREN'S COMMENT: Interesting to hear of your thoughts Karna, and I thought that this would make an excellent talking point. Here we are, 25 years down the track, and still enjoying The Waltons. How does it compare with other shows of today? What other shows will be as long lasting? Are there any? What does The Waltons have that these shows have or haven't got?

TALKING POINT FOR TWO WEEKS TIME:

How does The Waltons compare with popular shows of today?

NOTE: I have received some excellent Waltons biographies from Kim in Belgium this week, but they won't fit so I'll hold them over until the next issue. Thanks so much for taking the time to send them Kim.