Hi everyone,

I've really been enjoying my winter break over this past week, and haven't been doing anything much at all. It's been very cold so it's really been a good time just to sit or catch up with a lot of different things around the house. One thing that I have done though, is to put the digests onto the site, so if you've only recently joined us you can find the latest digests on the Waltons Digest Site.

THE WALTONS DIGEST PAGE

http://www.oocities.org/TelevisionCity/Set/4536/index.html

Now my other piece of Waltons news for the week is that I had a glimpse of Tom Bower during the week. Good old Curt popped up on The West Wing. Some of you have probably seen it already. I think we're into season 2 and he played a military man getting ready for retirement. He was only really in one scene but it was quite a substantial scene with CJ, the press person at the White House. I wouldn't have recognized him, but the voice really gave him away! He's still got that distinctive gravelly voice. Good to see him again anyway.

Great show too. It airs here on Tuesday nights at 10.30 pm so we tape it because we're in bed by then usually! Since James hasn't got the time to watch a lot of shows he likes during the term we tape a lot and then have a marathon during the holidays. So far we have caught up on Ally McBeal, The Practise, CSI, Judging Amy and of course The West Wing. Now we're all up to date. :-))

Here's another talking point. There have been a lot of shows that I've watched recently that have cross overs to another show. Touched by an angel/promised land is one, and The Practise/Gideons Crossing has been another that I can think of. If they could have had a cross over episode of The Waltons, what would they have crossed over to? Could be any show in TV history. Let your imagination run riot and have fun. :-)

Talk to you all next week when my holidays will nearly be over. :-( Goodnight everyone,

Karen.

Hi Karen,

There were a few questions in the digest I can answer. The first Walton episode was The Foundling. This was after The Homecoming, which was the pilot for the show and not counted as an episode. The question Arthur asked about the episode Peggy Rae was landlady in, was The Empty Nest. This is also the one grandpa dies in. I have all the episodes so I usually have an answer for these questions.

Donna

KAREN'S COMMENT: You're quite right Donna on all accounts. It's interesting about the first episode though. We've had some discussion about this before because although The Foundling was aired first, it was in fact shot somewhere around 4th I think. In fact it was The Hunt which was shot first, but aired a little after the show began. If you have a look at both episodes you will find that The Hunt really seems to introduce everyone better, but for heartstrings value you really can't go past The Foundling. I wonder who makes these decisions?

… when Jason and Ted (Jewish friend) are there for the weekend and Elizabeth is having trouble dealing with people because she made good grades and they tease her and Ted helps her out.

That might be in "The Unthinkable". Either way, TNN is getting into the war years in the States, so the episodes with Ted Lapinsky are coming up. He was a soldier who was under Jason in training camp. He had to work his way out of the "awkward squad", but was passed over for promotion by an anti-semite. When he finds out about the death camps, and that his grandfather was killed in one after capture following the resistance of the Warsaw Ghetto, Ted asks for a transfer to a fighting unit in Europe.

In the episode in question, Elizabeth is teased in school for getting straight "As", and Cousin Jeffery is continuing it at home. Ted tells her that he got teased as the "Jewish Kid" and his Grandfather insulted the mean kids back for him and showed them up as what they were - jealous! He convinces Elizabeth that her intelligence is a gift (and she agrees to get out of the tree house and join the family).

I love that episode, too.

Agnes

KAREN'S COMMENT: I must watch that one then. Thanks Agnes. I don't know that John Boy ever seemed to suffer from being smart...except perhaps when Marcia Woolery doesn't understand his poems. :-))

Jonesey might have been better for Erin than for Mary Ellen as you suggested because of his adventurous spirit.

I don't know about that.

I wish Erin hadn't married Paul for the simple fact that we know from the reunion movies that he "dun her wrong" and ran off with someone else and left her to keep 3 children.

I liked Jonesey for MaryEllen. He was adventurous, but so was MaryEllen. He was also stable, loving, and strong in spirit. He needed that strength to deal with things like the "resurrected Curt", MaryEllen's accident, and coming into a whole house full of Waltons. That stuff would scare many folks off. Gee, Paul almost left because he was inundated with Waltons and he didn't have the medical or ex-hubby problems). Jonesey also took on a stepson with grace and love and could really love that boy and be his father. Paul couldn't handle these things separately, let alone together.

MaryEllen had a lot of baggage that Erin didn't - and Paul didn't have what it took to make it work with Erin ( plus, he did have Northridge $ to fall back on). A Husband for MaryEllen had to take on soooooo much more ( and MaryEllen herself was more of a handful than her sister). Jonesey had what it took. I think he was the right guy for her.

Agnes

KAREN'S COMMENT: I always thought it was sad that Paul and Erin didn't work out, but yes, he did disappear at one stage because there were too many Waltons. Was I imagining it or did Rose say when she was dropping off Erin's children to her that she was working for Paul's father? In the 1993 movie? I have to wonder why she would choose to work for him.

Hello Everyone!

I definitely think that Jonesy was best for Mary Ellen. He provided a good balance for her. I can't see him fitting with Erin. And he can be very assertive which we saw in Mothers day on Waltons Mountain. I always liked Drew for Elizabeth and it was cute to see them as a young couple. I didn't like it that we find out later that Drew had been married and then divorced.

Thank you sooo much to whoever sent Ronnie Claire's address and the note about her book. I will definitely send something in! To answer your question, the Foundling was supposed to be the first episode, though it never was very clear. I always assumed it to be because of the narration at the beginning. To be honest the only one I can picture Jim Bob with is Aimee. But I'd want to see the original actress and him, not the one who later carried on the part. I have to go now. The Waltons are on!

Goodnight Everybody,

Robin

KAREN'S COMMENT: I wasn't very happy to find that Drew had been married and divorced either. I wonder what that story was. I think he just said Elizabeth wasn't around! Maybe the answer to the question is in the intros to both The Foundling and The Hunt. I've just had a look at both intros from Arthur's site http://www.bbctv-ap.freeserve.co.uk/ and it really doesn't help much. Here's the opening from The Foundling:

"When I was growing up during the Depression I lived with my red-headed brothers and sisters, my parents and grandparents at the foot of a mountain which had been in our family for generations. My father used to say that in our house there was always room for one more. And I remember one morning when his hospitality was put to a challenging test".

And from The Hunt:

"A mountain has no need for people, but people do need mountains. We go to them for their beauty, for the exhilaration of standing closer to mysterious skies, for the feeling of triumph that comes from having labored to reach a summit, and I remember a day in the 1930s when I went to Waltons Mountain in search of manhood".

So from the comments I guess I'd have to go with The Foundling.

As for your other comment about Jim Bob and Aimee, I'd never really thought about it but Jim Bob and Aimee could be seen as fairly similar to Ike and Corabeth in a lot of ways. Aimee and Corabeth and cultured, well educated, and like their own way, while Jim Bob and Ike are both very down to earth men who put up with their women, but put them in their place when it's necessary. :-))

Hi Karen and everyone

It has been a longgggggggg time since I have written to the digest, but I never miss reading and enjoying all of the information that is sent. Thanks again Karen for all your hard work. It certainly is appreciated.

Just wanted to respond to Geri Ann's comments about the Walton house. The house was moved (don't know what year they moved it) and it is now at the Warner Bros Ranch. We visited it in 1997 (25^th anniversary reunion) and it was just the front of it. At the back was just a large 2 by 4 holding it up.

Still it was great to see it and stand on the porch. Also the Baldwin house is at Warner Bros Ranch.

We also took the Warner Bros Tour then and visited the site where the house used to be. There is a parking garage there where it used to be. The roads, Drucilla's Pond and the cabin where John Boy used to write are still there, so the tour is still worth taking. We also met a girl there who took us on a night tour of Warner Bros and showed us the street they used for many shots. The school and church were also there. That was really interesting. (We went at night because they were shooting in the day time). We were back there in 1999 and things were just about the same, (although they have covered in the back with plywood, so it looks a little better).

Just waiting patiently for them to start filming the newest script that Earl has written and been approved. Makes you wonder if they will ever get it done. Oh well we will just have to wait and see.

BTW I was talking to a lady from UK the other day and I was telling her about your newsletter and how you started it. I looked back on the old digest and found the first one. It mentioned there were 35 of us in the beginning. I am curious as to how many there are now and who of the original 35 might still be reading the newsletter. Let's hear from you please. I still remember the first day I heard from you Karen and how excited I was. Gosh I sure hope to get to meet you someday. That was nice of Ralph to do an article about you and me in his newsletter. At least we saw a picture of each other. Take care and keep up the good work.

Dot P Canada

KAREN'S COMMENT: What a lovely long letter. You're right it's been a long time since we heard from you. I hadn't realized that the Baldwin home was there too. Not sure where I thought that was! You can see the outside of it really well in many episodes. The Gypsies is a really good one for it. Yes I remember starting with about only 35 members and some of us are still here. I think there's about 400 or so on now. It continually goes up and down with members dropping off as they change email addresses and forget to tell me. :-)) We seem to get an influx with the screenings of Waltons movies, or other Waltons specials. Fans then seem to remember to look for Waltons on the Internet and then come across the digest.

Dear Karen and everyone,

Things are really heating up in California right now. It's 108 degrees today! With all the electricity shortages, we've been trying to get by without turning on the air conditioner, which is nearly impossible!

Just a few thoughts after reading the digests from the past two weeks...

My favorite Elizabeth moment is when she and Grandpa fall in the beaver pond. She talks about it in later episodes as well. They always had such fun together. She was quite the tomboy in that episode, and Olivia had to tell Grandpa to stop treating her like a boy.

Kaz, you made me laugh out loud to read about the MAD magazine referring to John Boy as John Mop and calling them "The Dulltons"! That is so hilarious! Do they draw the characters to look like the actors? Lucky you for finding that particular magazine!

The episode in which Mary Ellen and Erin move to an apartment which is run by "Aunt Rose" is called "The Empty Nest." My favorite part of this episode is when they all gather around Grandpa's grave and each take turns talking to him.

I spotted Ralph Waite in the movie "Cool Hand Luke." It was made in the sixties and starred Paul Newman. He was a member of a chain gang, which is a far cry from John Walton, but it was still fascinating to watch him. What a terrific actor.

Have a terrific week!

Valerie

KAREN'S COMMENT: I don't envy you with your 108 degree heat. Why are you having power shortages? Try to stay cool...perhaps a trip to Drucilla's Pond would be ideal, or maybe a picnic on the mountain top!

Had thought according to the schedules there would be The Waltons on Monday and Tuesday but instead today they had the Miami Vice Marathon.

The episode where Peggy Rea appears is in The Kinfolk--however in the Waltons Thanksgiving (1993 special which was about 1963) Peggy Rea plays the part of the landlady for the Northridges--at the time Erin and Paul are no longer married.

Donald

KAREN'S COMMENT: I think I need to see that movie again.

Hi all,

My family and I just got back from a wonderful, wonderful vacation to the American West. We flew to Jackson Hole, Wyoming which is near Grand Teton National Park, and we spent time there, before going on to Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park in Montana. What a fabulous time we had!! But to keep this Walton related, I was reminded while visiting near the Tetons, that the movie The Homecoming was filmed in the Tetons. I was wondering if anyone knew exactly where? It's funny to think about this, because the Tetons and the Blue Ridge Mountains look so different!! You would never mistake them for each other. But what a gorgeous place to make a movie.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer/winter!!

Nancy

KAREN'S COMMENT: OK, now I know that I'm very uninformed but I seriously have never heard of the Tetons! Perhaps I'll have to investigate on the Internet.

Dear Karen,

The following was in the Waltons Digest 26-2000:

Greetings all. Everyone knows studios will use from time to time the same sets for different movies or TV series. Well, I'm convinced after studying the home of Sam Jones on Mayberry R.F.D., it is the same one used for the Waltons. The back porch door is in the same position, the barn is located in the same spot and it looks like the curving driveway is about the same also. So, change the colors of the house and barn, bring in some trees (which is not a hard thing for Hollywood to do) to beautify the yard and...presto! We have the set for The Waltons.

At the time that this appeared I had just seen some episodes too and had the same impression as Dave. However, since I only saw a few episodes and none of them had any exterior scenes except of the opening show sequence I was not so sure of my impression. Well, this weekend (July 7 and 8) TVLand had a "Mayberry R.F.D." 48 hour marathon. There is no doubt that the house that they used as the home for Sam Jones (played by Ken Berry) in Mayberry R.F.D. is the one that was used for "The Waltons" home. In the episode entitled "Community Spirit" Sam's friends help repaint his home so this gives you and extremely good look at the exterior of the home.

Another episode entitled "Howard's Nephew" has the little cabin/shed in it that John Boy had his printing press in and that Ben & Cindy lived in after they got married. The cabin/shed was not located next to the house in this episode so they had to move it next to the house for "The Waltons." In the episode entitled "Alice and the Professor" there is a shot of the house that you would think was from an episode of "The Waltons" if you saw it just by itself.

The show "Mayberry R.F.D." ran from September 23, 1968 through September 6, 1971 and "The Waltons" began on September 14, 1972. The timing must have been just perfect to enable the house to be used for "The Waltons".

I also noticed at least one item used for the interior set of the house on "Mayberry R.F.D." was also used on the interior set of the house for "The Waltons".

Brian

KAREN'S COMMENT: Wow Brian, well done. Now The Homecoming would have used that set too, and it was made in 1971 in time for Christmas, so I guess it's quite possible that the same set was used.