Dear Waltons fans,

It's been a very restful week here, with the first week of our school holidays already gone. Still there's one more week left before we (the boys and myself that is) start back for term 3 again. Poor Rod won't have holidays again until later in the year.

As I said last week, the weather has been really cold. I noticed on the news last night that there were awful fires in Florida. I sincerely hope that these fires haven't affected any of you. They looked really nasty.

I have spent some time during the week working on my site, and I finally have the biographies up and running. You will find them under the "New Additions since July 2nd". The next thing I'm planning is to do is to start writing biographies for some of our favourite guest actors.

Well that's all for now. I'll get onto the letters for this week.

Goodnight everyone,

Karen.

TALKING POINT: How does The Waltons compare with popular shows of today?

I have a tidbit to add in reference to the discussion topic comparing shows of today with the Walton's. When George Bush was running for election, he was giving a speech on the quality of television and he said "what this country need are more programs like the Walton's and less programs like the Simpson's". I thought that was ironic a few digests back when someone had e-mailed and wanted to know how the two compare. I for one do not watch the Simpson's, nor do I allow my children. Kids tend to start talking like and imitating characters from their favorite shows. This is why I have them banned from the Simpson's, Ren & Stimpy, South Park, Beevis & Butthead, etc. I feel that you can have a good quality show that teaches valuable lessons without having the characters talking about gross stuff. Programmers seem to think that this is the way to get kids to watch.

Sharon in PA

It seems as if we get into a pattern of showing certain types of television shows then a wholesome one comes along and becomes very popular. Well, don't they get it? Think about when The Waltons first aired....what tv shows were popular? Flip Wilson and other "police" shows. Think about what has been on lately? Sounds a bit too familiar. People like to have diversity. I too like the present tv shows, but prefer my favorite "family oriented" ones such as The Waltons, Touched By An Angel, and Promised Land.

Dear Karen:

The answer to your question is simple. There is no comparison between the shows of today and The Waltons. Only one show comes close, Touched by an Angel, but that still has some violence. Shows today are based on today. Maybe we need to go back to telling stories of how things were and make sure there are morals to each story. It's something to think about.

Nancy in ME

At the moment, with the exception of feel-good drama 7th Heaven on The WB, there is really nothing that compares to The Waltons.

Not only did the Waltons spawn Little House On The Prairie, there were countless others following in the genre including Apple's Way, The Family Holvak, Eight Is Enough, Mulligan's Stew and Harris and Company. In a time period in 1972 opposite ABC's The Mod Squad and NBC's Flip Wilson, The Waltons not only survived, it started a whole new era on television. It was critically acclaimed and loved by millions -- no other show in the family drama category can match that.

As a testimonial to The Waltons, to this day, people are talking about it. It's one of a kind and is a part of our television heritage.

Marc

Hi Karen and everyone,

Regrettably there aren't many series around nowadays that can compare to the Waltons. But the one I can really relate the Waltons to is a German series called "Forsthaus Falkenau". My mother started watching it and in the beginning I wasn't really interested, but once I really started paying attention I was hooked. This series is about a forester called Martin Rombach. He comes to this small village in Bavaria (in the south of Germany) after his first wife dies and he has three children then. He meets a woman vet, falls in love and marries her. They adopt a child and have one of their own before she dies in a riding accident.

At the moment they're in their 10th (?) season and he's now met another woman and they are living together. Although the concept is modern, the values that shine through in this series are the same as in the Waltons. It's about loving your neighbour as yourself and caring for other people and as it's about a forester, you get delightful sights of deer and other wildlife in the woods and quite a lot of nature lessons are included.

Well, it's not The Waltons but it comes close. Apart from this series I watch very little television nowadays. Never seem to have the time.

Well, Goodnight everyone.

Frieda

Hi there. New subscriber and first time post. The question of how does the shows of today stack up to the Waltons is a good one. I feel that shows of today do not meet the standards that the Waltons were based on. How many shows today are based on true to life up bringing? Look at the Waltons or Little House, they are based on two peoples lives being brought to TV for us to see. There are not the family type shows other than maybe Party of Five that deal with family values. The Waltons makes me realize that there is more to life than money and material wealth. I hope I didn't ramble on too long.

One question I have is where are the cast members today and what are they doing for a living? I know the web site has this info but it is not up and running. Thanks for any help on this matter.

Mike

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thank you once more to all who contributed to the talking point for this week. It seems as if there aren't too many shows around today that compare favorably to The Waltons. Personally I like Touched By an Angel and Dr. Quinn, both of which have that warm feeling that you get from watching The Waltons. They don't however, focus on family in the same way that The Waltons does, and perhaps this is what I feel is missing from today's shows. In fact the only other quality one I can think of is Road to Avonlea, which is family based. I thought I might leave you with one last letter which I received this week from a non list member, but his sentiments seemed to sum up what we were talking about.

Hi Karen...

You can't imagine my delight at finding your Web site! I could on for many pages here explaining why I like The Waltons, but I suspect that in the end, we share the same feelings about the show. Only recently did "The Nashville Network" in the U-S begin re-airing the series -- and re-living the series is the highlight of my day.

I'm equally devoted to a show called "7th Heaven" for all of the reasons why "The Waltons" touch my heart.

These shows may touch me deeper than most people because of my background of spending my childhood with a foster family in the mountains north of Montreal, Canada. There were 7 children, but unlike the 'spirit' of The Walton's, this was an environment filled with torture and abuse -- with many of the scars remaining to this day. (I'm 40 now).

It's hard to put into words, but watching The Waltons (and 7th Heaven) gives me a feeling of peeking in on the family I wish I was part of. Over the years, I've written to various publications defending such programs and promoting their values. I think it's very important for society to have such programs to counteract the guns, fistfights and shallow personalities that dominate our screens.

Thanks for your Web site !!

Regards...Alan

KAREN: With regard to the next talking point, to be published in two weeks time, I received two letters which talk about how The Waltons dealt with World War 2. Both are reproduced below:

From Larissa:

For me, the reason I like the show changes in the later seasons, sort of. In the earlier ones, I like the family atmosphere and closeness and all that. The kids are little and they have a lot of fun. In the later episodes however, when the war starts, the mood seems to shift from this fun atmosphere to "how does a family deal with a major war". Being two generations away from WWII, this is the only insight on a personal level I get into the war. My grandmother was about Mary Ellen's age and I enjoy seeing (guessing!) how my Gram would have spent the war. And like most others, I had lots of family in the service during the war. So it's interesting to see what they went through and what their families went through back at home.

Watching documentaries is a good way to learn about what happened, but it's not very personal. To take one family's perspective and "live" with them through the war is very powerful and touching. It's also the closest I can get since remaining family members tend not to like to talk about it.

I'm not exactly sure where the topic for discussion in all that is. Maybe other people are in the same situation I am, or maybe some people out there who remember can tell us if the portrayals of events are accurate? Or maybe just what others think of the later episodes in general.

From Silvia:

I am 41 and don't know what life was like in the US during World War II. Could one topic be how the Waltons portrayed life in the US during that time? Maybe some digest members could exchange WWII homefront stories.

KAREN'S COMMENT: I'm a bit like Larissa...I don't quite know what the topic is either, but if you would like to respond about the way the show dealt with the issue of war, in any way, please do so. Maybe one scene or episode sticks in your mind. I'll leave this one up to you. :-))

Hello Friends,

I am very excited because this weekend my husband and I are planning to go to Virginia to visit the museum in Schuyler. I have been there before, but it's always fun to go back. I will give a report when I return next week.

Last weekend I enjoyed chatting on mIRC with Dot P. and several other fans of The Waltons. I hope others will consider joining the chat sometime. It seems that the best time is on Saturday evenings.

Arthur: It was so good to see your post. I have thought about you over the last few weeks and wondered how you were getting along. I visited your "heart" page and I just want to say that I'm glad you are doing so well.

I haven't noticed the "speeded-up" tapes when watching The Waltons on TNN. I don't even pretend to understand all that technical stuff you were talking about. I just enjoy watching the show and am thankful that TNN picked it up. Also, I agree with your assessment of The Simpsons, though I believe it was President Bush, not President Clinton, who said that our families should be more like the Waltons and less like the Simpson. But no matter who said it, it's a good thought and one that I agree with.

Finally, I am so happy that my daughter Rebecca won the poetry contest. I wanted to write a poem myself, and I worked for days and days on one, but I just wasn't satisfied with it. Finally one evening, Rebecca sat down and wrote her poem. As soon as I read it, I felt that it was a winner. My mother writes poetry as well...the talent must have skipped a generation.

Brenda in WV

KAREN'S COMMENT: Congratulations again to Rebecca. You can read her poem on my site any time. There is a link from the main page.

Hi Karen,

This is my first e-mail to you since I signed onto the digest. I would like to say what my favorite part of the saying goodnight part of the show for the Walton's is. It is where Jim-Bob calls Elizabeth a name and Elizabeth tells Olivia and John. Their response is call for her to call Jim-Bob a name. She says "Jim-Bob, you're a name." Oh the innocence of youth.

Thank you for starting this page. I have looked for one like it forever it seems. Keep up the good work and I look forward to more of the same.

Good job, Margery

KAREN'S COMMENT: The goodnights are really good aren't they? You can read many of them at Ralph's site <www.the-waltons.com> as part of the expanded episode summaries put together by Arthur.

Dear Karen,

I do so enjoy the weekly Digests. No Walton news from here but I do wish that you would send some of your "cold" weather this way. Here in South Carolina, we are sizzling under daily temperatures of late averaging 100+ with heat indexes of 110-115. Its horrible!!! Not being fond of hot weather, I must say that I am quite envious of you at the moment. Take care!

Sue

KAREN'S COMMENT: Hope you're managing to find a cool spot Sue. :-)

I distinctly remember the inscription on Grandpas gravestone. Zebulon Walton(1865-1941) However do you remember when John Boy went to ask his grandpa whether he knew anything about the treason accusation against Judge Baldwin during the Civil War. Perhaps Grandpas parents told him what had happened.

Donald F Nelson and Erin the cat in a hot Dallas

KAREN'S COMMENT: I guess there would have been a lot of gossip around about "the Judge" committing treason!

Hello Karen and everyone,

I haven't written in a while, I recently required an album its titled Richard Thomas 9/30/55 it lists East of Eden. It is from a motion picture. From what I can tell it was made in 1977. Did anyone see this picture? This is all I have found on my Walton treasure hunts lately.

Take care, Mary in Texas

KAREN'S COMMENT: What sort of album is this Mary? I recall a mini series of East of Eden being made and it could have been around that time. If memory serves me correct it starred Jane Seymour in the lead role. I don't recall Richard Thomas in it though...I'd need to check on that. Does anyone know for sure?

Hiya,

I've been thinking about my favourite episodes. I love so many of them, but The Pony Cart is splendid. So too is another episode which i can't remember the name of but where I believe a middle aged cousin(?) of the family arrives & falls in love with a local flighty lady also in her middle years who's had several husbands. After almost being broken up by the well intentioned words of Grandma & Olivia, they do get married. its a lovely, sentimental episode. I also like Maude Gormley & have always had a soft spot for Corabeth.

As another point-I always preferred the original opening titles-with the family all rushing to the front of the house for the arrival of the radio. It set them up so well & was a great intro into the programme. I still like the now well established title, but these earlier ones are my favourite.

I'm writing from the U.K. where is alternating between warm sunshine & rain-there doesn't appear to have been much of a summer here yet!

See ya,

Kes

KAREN'S COMMENT: Interesting to hear which openings people like best. I like both but the one you mention also has John Boy looking out his window at his family I think, which, as you say, really introduces the show well.

Hi Karen and Fellow Walton Fans,

Thank you Sharon, for the Columbia House Video information.

Arthur, I am so glad that you are beginning to feel better and that you are on the road to recovery.

Congratulations to Rebecca Irby on winning the poetry contest! Rebecca, you wrote a lovely poem that truly moved me. I think it should be read on TNN during a Walton's episode.

Have a nice weekend everyone. Silvia from California

Good evening Karen and all....

I haven't had a chance to visit lately and am just now catching up. In the past several weeks both my husband and I have had surgery, me for my gall bladder and Doug for the 11th time on his left leg. We're both getting along fine, but Doug is a little stir crazy as he can't leave the house without a wheelchair, and he doesn't take kindly to being dependant on anyone.

I wanted to let you know my reaction to the video, which I've had for a while now but have only gotten to watch recently.

I was very impressed with it. There was quite a bit of information on the area that Earl Hamner grew up in, and lots of input from his family. While there were many "Walton's" in it, there was a lot of coverage of the area itself. I really enjoyed all that Tracy Jewell found to tell about the area, and even recognized several locations from our visit to Schuyler last fall. I even got Doug to watch the video with me, and he had to admit that he enjoyed it!

I will point out one minor mistake. When Tracy was talking about the "pilot", The Homecoming, she says that Edgar Bergen portrayed John, but in fact, Mr. Bergen played the part of Grandpa, Zeb Walton. John was played by Andrew Duggan in the TV movie, and was a bit part at that. He only appeared at the end.

I do wonder why several important people were missing from the video. Richard Thomas did not appear, nor did Ralph Waite. Eric Scott appeared briefly, speaking at a dinner in "The Walton's" honor while holding his daughter. David Harper was also there, but didn't speak on film.

All in all, I was very happy with the video. I am a bit of a history buff, particularly of "mountain lore". Maybe that is why I enjoy The Walton's so much.

One last thing... Doug, who teases me for watching The Walton's, told me tonight that he experienced a Walton sighting this week. While laying awake one night last week, he watched the old Don Knotts movie, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken". Doug spotted Ellen Corby in it, playing a school teacher, or something like. I was quite tickled that he remembered to tell me, knowing how he feels about my watching the series.

Until next week, goodnight everybody!

Robin

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for your thoughts on the video Robin. I'm surprised that mistake actually got through! Hope both your and your husband are on the mend.

Karen -

I just read this weeks digest, and your comment about "The Ghost Story" brought this to mind:

I watched it, "shushing" my husband and daughter after each commercial break, ending in much enjoyment. I vaguely remember the episode from my childhood, as it hasn't been shown on TV here for many years.

In the past couple of months I was able to get a co-worker to start watching The Walton's on TNN. Amy's husband recently went on second shift (3:00 to 11:00 PM here), and I suggested that she give it a try. (Her first comment to me was that John Boy only seemed to have one pair of pants!) This week she watched The Ghost Story, causing a ruckus during a family dinner with her sister, brother-in-law, and mother. Amy's brother-in-law told her that he remembered wanting to watch this episode as a child, but not being allowed to because his mother, a very religious woman, wouldn't allow it.

My family and I spoke of several things after the airing, mainly that the "aura" of the show seemed so different. I couldn't imagine John Boy defying his mother so obviously as he did in this episode. John Boy and Jason went out to the barn to play with the Spirit Board after being told that Mama didn't approve if it. He also made several comments during the show that didn't show his usual respectfulness to his mama. Did anyone else notice these differences? Maybe it was all due to the fact that Ralph Waite directed this episode? I'd like other opinions on this.

I've got to end now. Tomorrow is another work day.

Good night, all you Walton's fans!

Robin

KAREN'S COMMENT: Interesting thoughts Robin. What do the rest of you think?

Hi Karen, hi everyone,

The URL for the website where I found the biographies is <www.allmovie.com> I also found a website about Mary McDonough: <www.globalserve.net/~tnplh/mcdonough.html>

I don't know if anyone watches 'Picket Fences'(which is excellent) but it says on this site that Mary McDonough guest stars in one of the episodes. I can't wait to see it.

Have a nice day!

Kim C. (from Belgium)

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks Kim.

Happy 4th of July everybody. Don't get burned with any sparklers. Enjoy the day!!!

Doraine in Texas