Hi everyone,

It's come to the end of the school term over here and it seems to have been a very long one, with a lot of sickness amongst the staff and students. Fortunately we have all managed to stay reasonably well here, and are looking forward to having a two week break. Well most of the family anyway. Rod, not being a teacher, still has to work although he is taking next week off.

As we have found in past years, during your summer is a time when things get a bit slow for the digest. If you've been thinking you must send in a contribution, and still haven't done so, now would be a perfect time. :-)

As many of you would know, the Waltons International Fan Club newsletter arrived this week. I've noticed comments on the Waltons Forum from people wondering where it is. There was a note on there saying that Carolyn Grinnell, the editor, has been extremely busy and her mother has been ill, so I guess that explains its absence for a while. The one just received is the Jan-Feb-March edition.

A wonderful read though and well worth the wait. There is a terrific article by Alex and Marca, whom many of you would know are Digest members. They write of their Waltons experiences both in their Netherlands home and during their trip last year to the Waltons Mountain Mueseum and Reunion. It's a shame that your TV station hasn't taken The Waltons past the fifth series either. It's a bit like ours here. By the way, don't forget to visit their website at:

www.oocities.org/Heartland/Meadows/1196

There's also a few advertisements for Walton related theatre appearances. One I mentioned last week with Ralph Waite and Michael Learned in "Chasing Monsters". It's on at the Westport Playhouse, Westport, Connecticut from July 19-31. For more information call 1-203-277-5137.

Richard Thomas is also appearing in plays at the moment. His are "Measure For Measure" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from June 6-August 1. This is on at the Ahmason Theatre, Los Angeles. The information line for this one is 1-213-628-2772. There are two casts for this so you need to ask when Richard Thomas is performing.

The other is that The Smithsonian Institute will be honoring The Waltons on December 2, 1999 from 6-7.30 p.m. Earl Hamner, Richard Thomas and Mary McDonough are scheduled to appear. More information will be coming about this one later apparently, but it would seem to be a wonderful honor and tribute for The Waltons to have been chosen to be honored in this way. Of course, we all know that it has been very well deserved.

Odd that there was no mention of the death of Ellen Corby in this newsletter, as I know that it was only recently produced. Perhaps there will be a tribute in the next one.

As promised, I have included some of the article about what a "dream date" with Richard Thomas would have included, should you have been lucky enough to go out with him before he married. It's a fun read, and very indicative of teen magazines of its time I thought.

Until next week, Goodnight everyone,

Karen.

Greetings and I am so glad to hear from you early in the weekend. Yesterday was Kami Cotlers 34th birthday, and there is another website starting about the Waltons.

The radio is on loan to the museum from the Smithsonian. You can get this information through the Forum. One problem however is that I have tried to call the museum since it was posted. Always a busy signal. I found a picture of Ronnie Claire Edwards in The Dallas News last Sunday and sent it to Beth who created the Godsey website. I am glad to say that she already has the picture scanned and on the web.

I remember that episode in Dennis the Menace. The problem was it was in 1959 or 1960 many years before the Waltons came along. Therefore I don't remember the person in it being Ellen Corby. Sorry. Dennis the Menace I have not seen in reruns recently at all.

Donald

KAREN'S COMMENT: It's hard to think of Kami as a 34 year old when she keeps popping up on our screens as a youngster. Speaking of Kami, there's a very nice collection of photos on a website of her, and another for David Harper. Check them out:

KAMI COTLER:

http://www.childstarlets.com/lobby/bios/kami_cotler2.html

DAVID HARPER:

http://www.bob123.force9.co.uk/david_harper.html (I have just tried this link though and it wasn't working, although I have used it successfully before)

Hi Karen

I had watched the Waltons when I was a young child. Now, I'm watching with a renewed interest. My husband even watches me, which is a miracle, because at the beginning of the Walton series, he made comment that Waltons are for sissies!

We have made some interesting observations. Have you ever noticed that even though the series was based from the depression to the post war era, some of the Walton family wears trendy clothing and hair styles from the seventies and eighties. Take Mary Ellen for example. When the show first started, she looked like she came from the hippie generation, with her long straggly hair. Towards the early eighties, she has a feathered due, which would probably be to mod for the forties. Kudos for Corabeth. Her clothes and hairdo depict the times. I enjoy watching her act. It looks like she puts her whole self into her character.

I do agree with others who commented that the Waltons are a refreshing change from other shows that are currently airing. There are virtues that I hold near and dear, like: "honor thy father & mother"., which I haven't seen displayed in the last decade or so from other TV programs, other than the Waltons. I hope networks will keep on showing the Waltons for a long time, because our children need to see good principles played out like when we saw them.

Sharon

KAREN'S COMMENT: From time to time comments about both the hair and the clothes, especially of the children, have been mentioned and many agree with you. The character of Cora Beth was a wonderful addition to the show.

In all of the interesting things written and submitted lately about Grandma (Esther) Walton, there is one movie that she was in that nobody has mentioned or maybe I just overlooked it. It was the original version of Sabrina. She played Linus Larrabee's(?) secretary. I just came across this show the other night and suddenly realized it was her. She was pretty young then and really doesn't look at all like Grandma. It even took a minute for me to realize it. Thanks for listening. The Digest is great!!! I really enjoy reading it.

Lisa

KAREN'S COMMENT: It is hard to mention all of Ellen Corby's work because she appeared in soooooooo many things. What a wonderful actress. Didn't she look quite different when she was younger. I think her voice gives her away though.

Hello Karen and all the Waltons fans!!! We here in Edmonton just watched the episode of THE PROPHECY and it was great!!!!! I sure like Ralph Waite, what a great actor!!2 years ago we had our 20th high school reunion and what a great time!!! It was fun too see how we all developed these past 20 years. Any of the club have any reunion stories they would like to tell??? Well take care Karen et al and please if anybody finds out when The WALTON REUNION IS EMAIL ALL!!!!

TAKE CARE,KEITH

KAREN'S COMMENT: Keith I can tell you the important reunion dates for the Waltons International Fan Club. There is a summer reunion on in California on July 17 and the Fall Reunion in Virginia, which is probably the one you want to know about, is October 23.

Dear Walton Fans,

This question is for Dave. Which channel is airing Dennis the Menace? I would like to see that show again. I remember Ellen Corby appearing in Dennis. Joe Conley did too. He played one of the musicians who was honoring the jazzman "the Bird", while Mr. Wilson was planning an afternoon social honoring wild birds. There was a mix-up when Joe Conley read the posters Mr. Wilson had printed. He was very funny in that episode!

The second time that Young Olivia appears in the Waltons, she is a widow. Can anyone recall what happened to her husband Bob?

Just a comment about GW Haines. He was devoted to Erin, it was mature love and affection that he felt for her. When he and Mary Ellen were friends, they were still very young. I wish the show had done more with GW Haines' character. He would have been a wonderful addition to the cast of characters. I enjoyed David's performance as GW.

Goodnight everyone,

Silvia

KAREN'S COMMENT: When young Olivia returns as a widow in The Loss, she explains that Bob had been killed in a car accident. He had been hit by a car when he had been out walking late one night.

OK everyone, here are edited parts of the promised article. It's called "Your Dream Date With Richard Thomas!" and it's taken from a book called TV Superstars, by Richard Robinson, 1973.

"Now what's Richard likely to want to do on a dream date? Well, he is a big Hollywood star so it is possible that he might want to take you to a Hollywood event like an awards dinner or a special Hollywood party.

On the other hand, it's just possible that Richard might ask you to go to a photography exhibit or to spend Saturday with him and his camera roaming along the beach taking pictures. He's really interested in photography and there's every possibility that's just what he'd like to do on a dream date.

Maybe you're not interested in photography or are camera-shy. Well, you could tell Richard and he might suggest another possibility for a dream date - like taking you to a movie and for a snack afterward. Then again, you might not know anything about photography and want to learn. Wouldn't Richard make the perfect person to tell you how to snap a picture?

It's also possible that Richard might want to take you to a play. He's been an actor in the theater most of his life and there's no doubt that he's interested in what's doing with actors and what the newest plays are all about. Can you imagine that - sitting there in a warm, cozy little theater about to see a fabulous play with everyone looking at you before the lights get dim and the curtain rises, because you're sitting with one of the best-looking, most striking young men in all of Hollywood!"

It then goes on to tell you how to act on this date:

"You should just be yourself. Richard must know enough mysterious and enough talkative people without calling you. He'd want you to be whatever you are, just the person that you've always been, if he ever called you up for your dream date.

If Richard decided to tell you about his writing or any of the other creative projects he's working on during your date, you should listen and not be afraid to make any comments...If he talks about his creative writing, be honest and real. If you don't know about such things, just pluck up your courage and say, "Richard, could you tell me how you go about writing a screenplay." He's not going to laugh at you or get mad; after all, everyone has to start somewhere.

You can be sure that Richard is as interested in The Waltons as you are. It's even more a part of his life than it is of yours and he's a dedicated actor who knows that everyone's opinion counts - especially the opinion of someone who watches the show like you do. So tell him what you think of the show, tell him about your favorite moments in the show, and, if there are things that you don't like on the show, well, tell him that, too.

A dream date with Richard would be a lot of fun. It would be exciting, and it would be a little scary. But it would certainly be a dream of a date."

Well that's a shortish version of the piece. I think it's funny to look back on these articles. There were a lot of this type of thing written about many of the stars at that time and I wonder if the teen magazines still write this style of thing today, or whether teenagers have matured a

bit.

Hope you enjoyed your dream date with Richard. I bet he'd look at it and laugh himself silly.

Next time I might let you "Meet the Waltons one by one".

Goodnight all,

Karen.