Hi everyone,

Well, you can see that I'm on a different email address at the moment. Can I get you to send any replies to this address now please? It's <kearney@bigpond.net.au>. The alphalink one is going sooooo sloooow at the moment that I've decided to try the cable. I'm hoping that we won't have the formating problems that we have had with Eudora but if you do then please let me know and I'll see what I can do. This one is being sent through Outlook Express.

Now for a gripe this week. I have had to delete someone from the list for sending me an email with a virus attached, two weeks running. I wrote both times to let them know that a virus was attached and came through to me, and was very annoyed to find the second one arrived. It came through via a jpeg which was added to the sender's signature. If I notify you that there is a virus coming through with your email, please do the right thing and update your virus software and get rid of it. You can find information about viruses and how to get rid of them on the Internet, and it's easily accessible. Personally I think it is irresponsible to send any email while you have a virus. Most of you know that I received one earlier in the year which locked up my hard drive, and I would hate to think that I passed it on to someone else. Fortunately with this member, my virus detector did pick it up and I deleted both offending emails, without reading them, and without damaging my computer.

So...if I do notify you that a virus has come through, please fix it!!!! If it happens more than once, you get deleted. Also I would appreciate it if you don't send elaborate backgrounds and pics as part of your signature or email. Apart from the virus issue, they take a while to download. I really don't need to see your cute little animal picture in your signature, nor the elaborate background. A plain email will go straight into the digest, and while all the decorations are nice, I find them very annoying and unneccessary.

Well, I think I'll get off my soapbox now and get onto other things Walton-related. Someone asked me this week, where do you find the upcoming episodes of The Waltons, so you can plan your week's viewing. If you go to http://www.country.com/ then go to <tnn> and find <The Waltons> in your favourite show part, you will get to the index of Walton related items on the site. The more direct link, of course, is http://www.country.com/tnn/program/program-waltons-f.html but it has been my experience, that sometimes you can't get in that way. Anyway from this link you can go to the upcoming episodes. I see that Grandma Comes Home and The Empty Nest is coming up on August 22 and 23.

Get your tape collection ready for Monday 28th August and Tuesday 29th. Lots of Waltons shows are scheduled for these two days, including A Walton Wedding and The Life and Times of the Walton Cast, which is described as "featuring memorable moments from  the series, as well as biographies of many of the actors who brought the Walton family  to life, including: Ralph Waite (father), Ellen Corby (Grandma Walton), Will Greer (Grandpa Walton), John Walmley (Jason Walton) and Mary McDonough (Erin  Walton)".  Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain follows this, then The Wedding. Erin's wedding comes up on the 30th and A Decade of the Waltons is on the 31st, so get your tapes ready. :-))

Talk to you all again next week.

Goodnight everyone,

Karen.

Hi Karen.  In answer to the question about the ages of the children in the Walton's series.  I cannot give you the vital statistics of the cast but I can tell you the birth order of the children in the Hamner family.

John Boy-Earl the oldest.

Jason-Clifton-deceased date of death October 12, l990

Mary Ellen-Marion Hawkes-oldest daughter

Erin-Audrey Hamner

Ben-was a composite of two brothers.  Willard and Paul.  Willard is deceased. date of death Feb.23, l989.

Jim Bob.-James Hamner

Elizabeth-Nancy Jamerson the youngest. 

There is a ten year age difference between The oldest daughter (Marion) and the youngest (Nancy). Both parents are dead.  Mother died August 31, l990 and Dad died May 1, l969. I hope this will help to clear up some of the birth order that seems to come up from time to time. 

Thanks for your Digest which I enjoy each week. 

Sincerely Marion Hamner Hawkes

KAREN'S COMMENT: It must have been really nice to have so many brothers and sisters in your family, although I dare say quite irritating at times too. I used to think it would be lovely to have others to play with.

Hi Karen,

This is for Judy in Illinois who had a question about how to get a copy of the CD "A Walton's Christmas - Together Again."  It is available from the Walton's Mountain Museum.  I don't know the exact cost, but they do have it in both CD and cassette tape format.  They can be contacted at 1-804-831-2000 or you can write to them and request a catalog of their Walton's memorabilia items at Walton's Mountain Museum, P.O. Box 124, Schuyler, VA  USA 22969.  They have a little area they call Ike Godsey's Store where they sell fun stuff in the gift shop. This is a FANTASTIC CD!  You'll just love it!  I hope this is of some help.

G' nite all!  :-)

Jamie and her critters in New Mexico :-)

KAREN'S COMMENT: Going to the Museum is a good tip Jamie.

I seem to recall an episode where there was a poltergeist and I believe it was from Elizabeth.  I haven't seen it since that one time many many years ago...probably when it was first aired.  Any idea if it was The Waltons or did I imagine the whole thing. People I have asked say it wasn't The Waltons, but I am almost positive it was.

Thanks, Arlene

KAREN'S COMMENT: I think this episode and The Ghost Story, are two of the most asked about Waltons episodes. You didn't imagine it, it's called The Changling, and will be shown on TNN on August 30th. I watched this one again during the week actually. I wondered where the idea for the script came from. Maybe Earl's days of writing for The Twilight Zone? LOL

Hello everyone,

I am Mary Ellen (for real) Nixon of Karnes City, TX. I was born in Texas and until July 11, 2000 I had never been out of the state of Texas. I am married to a great husband his name is Jess. We have been married for 28 years. And we have no children so we have cats and dogs. I have 15 cats and 5 dogs. I do love them so. Well, that is enough about that. Now, on to business........... oh, yes can't forget. I drive the school bus here in KC and have been doing that for 19 years.

Ok, now down to business I am so happy that I have found a place where I can talk to others about the *Walton's*. It is one of my favorite show. I had a dream to come true. My cousin Anabel from Virginia paid for me a trip to come up to her house and so we went to Walton's Mountain. (And other places too.) For one thing the country side was so pretty. The weather was just right too. I am from Texas where it is very hot if any of you are from Texas or been to Texas then you know how hot Texas can get too. While I was in Schuyler, VA I discover that Kami (Elizabeth Walton) lives there and teaches there too. And is married and has two children. Does anyone know what her two children's names are and when they where born? I don't know remember when they was telling us about the short movie that they was playing in the school building about the Walton's. I took lots of pictures. I have taken 6 rolls of film that I have to turn in and developed soon. But, I had bought some items at Godeys store too. I even bought some soap too. That was used in the Walton's time. And tee shirt that say's Good night Grandpa, good night Grandma good night John boy. There was only 400 people living there in Schuyler and I wanted to make it 402 plus cats and dogs but can't get hubby to up root yet. Maybe later. Well, I know that I have rambled on long enough.

Take care,

Mary Ellen

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for the introduction Mary Ellen.

In several of the episodes a scene or incident was either omitted or added. I finally found out after asking numerous people about the scene in The System where Grandpa added the name of the town Tom Povich came from as Aliquippa. He may have just blurted it out during one of the 'takes'and they thought it was so clever that they decided to add it to the scene. It is not in the script.

That is interesting about the changing of Lane to Derek. Did they think it might sound more European if they put in Derek? I say European because neither sounds French at all!

I am also very interested in the changes in the Lost Sheep, Were the scenes where Ashley walked out when they were about to say Grace at the table added or were the scenes where he said that his Faith was destroyed by what he had seen in the war added? Please let me know--

Donald

KAREN'S COMMENT: It is interesting about episodes added or deleted for some reason. I also think that there were some deletions by TV networks as they try to fit more ads in! I agree with your assessment of Lane/Derek...neither sounds right to me. In The Portrait there are times where it says in the directions to "ad lib greetings" but nothing too elaborate was ever said. I have a final script for The Lost Sheep and both scenes you mention are in mine.

Hi everyone !  just a note in case those of you in the U.S.A have'nt seen the TNN web sight lately.... Richard Thomas is going to be hosting a tribute to 'Americas favorite family" the week of August 28 thru August 31 . The first evening  "A Walton Wedding" will be on . Then , you can go to Country.com  and vote on a selection of episodes  for a "top ten vote "  I'm not sure if they have  certain episodes to select from or not ?  Also very exciting is that there is going to be a special called "Life and times of the cast of the Waltons"  aired that week ! I was confused at the time and date , just go to the TNN web page , maybe someone else can get better understand it .  August 29 will be a full day of the Waltons ,from 9 am to midnight et/pt.

I would also like to comment on a couple of really neat web pages I've been to recently . Both were done by 14 year old girls, this gave me such a kick and lots of hope that a show  such as the Waltons is still inspiring more generations to come !!  One of the sites even had a post in it's guestbook from the girl who played  Ben and Cindy's daughter!! Very impressive!!!   I wish I could remember her name, hopefully it was authentic ...  Thats all for now!! Take Care All!

Sincerely, Judy

KAREN'S COMMENT: One of these sites would probably be Jessica's but whose is the other one? Can you send the URL's through please? We've got a few younger members on the list, including one who just joined this week. Nice to see a new generation of Waltons fans.

Hello Karen and All,  While I was ill last week, I was watching some very old (at least according to my age) reruns on television.  I was happy to come upon Ellen Corby on Adam-12.   Later that day, I was watching Bonanza and saw John Crawford and Linda Watkins both on that show. Later, I was watching one of my video tapes and realized that Linda Watkins was also Vicki's mother on the movie The Parent Trap.  I have watched that movie at least 100 times and never realized it was her. It was great to have a Walton's sort of day, on a day when I felt miserable.  It made it a whole lot nicer.

----Jennifer

KAREN'S COMMENT: I've seen The Parent Trap many times too, and never connected Linda Watkins with it, but a trip to the Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com and a search for Parent Trap under title, does indeed confirm that she played the part of Edna Robinson.

Hi. My name is Hayley and I'm 14 1/2 years old. I'm entering 9th grade. I have asked for your newsletter a few times but no reply. So, I figured I should tell A little bit about myself. I live in Southeastern Massachusetts. I am the middle child of 5 girls. I am the only one is my imediate family who enjoys the Waltons.

How I got hooked on the Waltons.

Back in october, in english class, we were reading a play. It was called THE SYSTEM, you know, the Waltons episode. I knew nothing of the show but I decided to read one of the roles. It happened to be Elizabeth (very small part in that episode but I got to be in the GOODNIGHT segment!)Days later, I decided to check out the show... Now I'm hooked!I don't remember what the 1st episode I saw was but I do know my favorite Walton children! In order <best to worst> Erin + Jim-Bob (they are tied), Elizabeth, John Boy, Ben, Mary Ellen, Jason. Ive never seen the other actor who plays John-Boy so i can't say if hes good or not.

I watch everyday. I have THE SYSTEM on tape but that's it. I haven't seen too many episodes.

Do you get TNN down under? We do here!Last Thanksgiving,( wait, I guess you're not familiar with our Thanksgiving) there was a marathon on! I hope they do it again!

They have a show called "Life and Times of..."On August 19 at 7pm they are going to show " Life and Times of...The Waltons" Its been shown before but I have yet to see it! I am very excited!

Well i'm looking forward to receiving your newsletter. I enjoy your site very much!

P.s. Mary McDonough was on a local radio station this morning. Turns out she is producing a short film in the Providence RI film festival...Michael Learned is in it. Another person from the Waltons is in it but I don't remember the name! She's wasn't a main character I don't think.

Thanks, Hayley 

KAREN'S COMMENT: Hi Hayley. My apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I usually only answer emails once a week now, as James always seems to need the computer for school, just when I'm able to get on, so he has priority. We don't get TNN but we do have a cable station that sometimes carries The Waltons...just not at the moment. :-(