Hi everyone,

Hope you're all well as the summer is ending for you, and many of you are returning to school and work. I'm not sure if some of you might already have started.

The weather down here this week has been pretty cold. I've had James home all week, sick with a respiratory thing and just when we think he's improving, it's back to the doctor with an ear infection. He is much better than he was though.

Tim has also had a cold this week and has been feeling a bit miserable and very tired. I'd be interested to hear from some of you, what the workload for your final year high school students is like. Tim has been up most nights until after 12 working on his schoolwork just to get it all done. He's starting fairly early too. Most of his friends are doing the same and it's certainly not unusual here, but it does seem a lot of work.

I have been to the Australian selections for the World Gymnastics team this weekend too, so life has been pretty busy here. I'm sure that some of you remember that I enjoy gymnastics, but it really doesn't get much coverage out here, and nor do we see many decent gymnastics competitions here in Melbourne, so when the opportunity arises, we go. I'll be watching to see how they rank at the World Comp. They're hoping for a top 6 placing but personally I think that's a bit high. Just in the top 12 would be great because then we get to send a team to the Olympics (all the way to Sydney!!!)

By the way, I'm hopeful of getting more past digests onto the net this week, so newer members might like to catch up on a few more recent ones. Keep watching.

Anyway there's lots of letters this week so I'll let you get on to reading them. Have a great week.

Goodnight everyone,

Karen.

Hi Karen & all Walton friends

Here I am writing to you and wondering what is going on in Va. today. I would have loved to have been to the museum for the ceremony, and of course to meet Earl!!!

My all time favorite program is and will always be The Homecoming. I did feel that Patricia Neal was to old to be the mother of such young children. I am glad that they chose Michael Learned for the regular show. I do like Ms Neal's work but glad for the change. I also think it would have been nice to continue with the lives of the regular characters. Jeffrey and Serena were great in their parts but more of John Curtis , Virginia, and Charlie would have been better. Well thanks for listening.

Hurry up Fall...the heat is terrible here in Pa.

Vicki

KAREN'S COMMENT: Brenda has written a letter about her visit to the museum last weekend so we can all share some of the excitement. I wish I could have gone too.

Took my mother to see Robert Donner's Hollywood Cracker barrel (Yancy Tucker). It was such a delight to meet him and hear his stories of Hollywood. He enjoyed being on the Waltons. Said he had to ask Clint Eastwood for permission to go film the "Dust Bowl Cousins" as he was in the process of filming a movie with Clint. He said Ralph Waite thought the Waltons wouldn't last because they were on Thursday nights against 2 great competitors. Little did he know what a success it actually became. Donner also talked about how Eric Scott was a real pistol. One time he took him aside and read him the riot act. Donner talked about other TV shows like Mork and Mindy and some movies. I loved the experience of meeting him. Very nice man.

Cindy

KAREN'S COMMENT: I think I'd love to hear more of his stories about Eric Scott! Did he and Eric have a special relationship do you think? They certainly did a lot of episodes together, Yancy was with Ben more than any other Walton child I think. It's interesting to hear actors talk about their shows. They've been quite a few regulars on various shows saying that they didn't expect their show to last, but they did.

The part of Martha Corinne was played by Beulah Bondi-who played the part of James Stewart's mother in Wonderful Life.

The favorite Walton episode of all time?? That is very hard to say The Carousel-because it is about a trip to a park in Washington where I was living at the time. The Last 10 Days-as I know someone who was born right at that time. The Tempest and The Whirlwind-a lot of digest members I know hated those two episodes but one of the reasons I like it is I know someone who was also born at that exact time. The Vigil-with Doc Vance's appearance. The Best Christmas-for the same reason as Last 10 Days Tempest and Whirlwind as I know someone who was born 2 days after it was initially shown.

If they wanted to introduce someone simply to continue the series then Olivia would have been able to have her baby instead of losing it in her 4th or 5th month.

Remember the Waltons initially had 8 children but they combined Paul and Robert(?)to make Ben.

I understand why many Digest members don't like Serena and Jeffrey-they were very unkind to Cindy-stealing her brooch and Jeffrey getting involved with Joss in gambling but remember the reason came out when it was learned that Jeffrey had been the victim of abuse.

Donald

KAREN'S COMMENT: Is the carousel that was used in that episode actually in the park all the time Donald? You've got a lot of favorites as I'm sure we all have.

Do you happen to know the specific episode when John-Boy recites a poem about "amaranthus" to Elizabeth while is unbraiding her hair?

KAREN'S COMMENT: Now this question came this week on a new member's request to join. Can anyone help please?

As I watch the episode titled The Hero, I wonder..............Does Johnboy go to class anymore?

He graduated high school in 1934. This is supposed to be 1938 now? He never actually graduates College ( at least on screen).

Was he thrown out because he spent more and more time on that paper and stopped going to class (LOL)?

Going to college was soooooo important to him in the beginning, then later he never seems to attend class, or even mention his classes. What happened?

Agnes

KAREN'S COMMENT: Perhaps they needed too many expensive extras to make college scenes a viable proposition :-))

Hi Karen I don't know about any one else but I have really enjoy all the Waltons that have been on all week. I have been copying them for me and a friend of mine. But I do have a question are they getting ready to take it off the air? and has anyone heard if there's going to be a reunion movie. I hope so. It would be nice if they did a tribute to Grandma.

Have to go for now,

Nancy

KAREN'S COMMENT: Glad you've enjoyed the special week of Waltons. I'm sure there will be another movie, but it just remains to be seen just when it will be. Hopefully you've all been busy like me handwriting letters to the address that Dot gave us a few digests back. I quote some of Dot's letter below with the address again:

"PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REQUEST IF FOR HAND WRITTEN PERSONAL LETTERS.

Lets tell them what this series means to all of us. WISH US GOOD LUCK

MR. LES MOONVES, PRESIDENT CBS, 7800 BEVERLEY BLVD., LOS ANGELES,

CALIFORNIA, 90036"

Dear Karen and all Walton fans,

On Saturday, August 14, I was fortunate enough to get to attend the unveiling ceremony of the Walton radio at the museum in Schuyler. The ceremony began with a speech given by Earl Hamner himself. He read the speech (in his wonderful voice) because, as he said, he is a writer, not a speaker. His speech was very interesting, mostly about the significance of the family radio in the era of The Waltons. Then he unveiled the radio. Afterwards, he very graciously signed autographs and mingled with the fans at the museum. He was very friendly and personable, and I feel very fortunate that I was able to attend. Go to:

http://web.mountain.net/~waltons/radio.html to view some photos of the event.

Also, this week I finally had the opportunity to view the video "Beyond the Prairie". This is the movie about Laura Ingalls Wilder, the one in which Richard Thomas plays the part of Pa Ingalls. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I am very grateful to the Walton fan who was kind enough to share. Maybe we should start another write-in campaign to CBS. Then maybe they will finally show this movie in the U.S.

Brenda

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thankyou for sharing your visit with us Brenda. Our generation and the younger ones who have really grown up with TV, probably don't really understand how important the radio was to the previous generation. We see many times on The Waltons though, when the family all huddled around the radio waiting for the latest news to be reported, such as the abdication, and the actual declaring of war. We also see them enjoying many happy family times though too, as they gather together to listen to their favorite programs.

I'm glad you finally got to see the Little House movie with Richard Thomas. The letter writing for that doesn't seem a bad idea. I wonder what the hold up is.

Hi

My name is Sue and I recently discovered your mailing list whilst looking for Waltons links on the Internet.

I live in Derbyshire in England. I was born in Lancashire-the same region of England Jon Walmsley comes from.

I have enjoyed reading the past digests on your website. It was so nice to discover that there are lots of people out there like me who love The Waltons. I cannot discuss my favorite TV program with friends or work colleagues as they would not understand why I like it so much.

However, my husband is very understanding and never complains about the hours I spend watching tapes of my favorite episodes!

Here in England we have been watching season 7. Unfortunately the TV channel showing the programme has dropped it for the last few weeks to show cricket instead. Hopefully it will resume when the cricket season finishes.

I love all the old fashioned things about the show - family values, morals, a sense of duty and a simple way of life. Our modern lifestyle is so hectic that these things seem to get forgotten.

I was just wondering - has anyone ever written to any cast members and received a reply? I would be interested to know.

Well that's all for now.

Sue.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Welcome Sue. How true your comments are!

Hi Karen and Waltons friends,

I did it!!!! I found the Waltons museum in Schuyler, Va. I was in Alexandria, VA on business and rented a car on Saturday the 7th of August and drove two and a half hours to the museum. I was so excited to finally see it in person. It was a small brick building that is shared by the museum and an elementary school. I don't know if the school is still housed there but it was a nice museum. All the stars pictures were on the walls and we got to see a wonderful video that was made for the museum. The stars all gave a little input about the show. It was a video made not too long ago.

The museum had rooms made up almost exactly like the shows living room, kitchen and John Boy's room. I don't think these pieces were from the show, but they looked like the period. They had a little gift shop that was made up like Ike Godsey's store. They had some nice items from local crafts people. I really loved the actual miniature home that had been crafted to exact detail of the house from the show. The also had one of Erin's dresses in a case from the show.

The museum also provided local history of the Hamner family and the history of the area. I really was so happy to have finally seen this place.

Kathy

KAREN'S COMMENT: It sounds like a fabulous time was had Kathy. It seems to have been a very successful venture.

FAVOURITE EPISODES:

Now for a few more letters about favorite episodes and an update. From last week it seemed that The Best Christmas and The Quilting seemed to stand out. Here are some more views:

Karen,

How are you? I am just replying to your last digest where people were giving their favorite Walton episode(s). I think I have many but, my all time favorite has to be the Christmas one The Children's Carol. I cry every time I see it. There were some great performances especially by Kami Cotler's brother!!!!! Anyone know what he is doing now?

Cally!

In response to my favorite episodes, I have two (but really two hundred). One is the Quilting, just like Dana, I love all the sweet tests that come for Mary Ellen and Grandma in this episode. I am also a quilter, and I dream of some day getting the pattern for that quilt. I know they must have made a partial or full quilt for that episode. I tried emailing Mr. Hamner about that episode and quilting in his family, but I never got a reply. The other episode, I can't recall the name, but it is when John Boy and Reverend Fordwick go head to head over book burning and Mrs. Brimmer reads in German that the Reverend almost burned the Bible. That one always moves me to tears to hear her read that passage. Well I have to go, I am still on a Waltons Mountain High!!!

Kathy in CT

Hi Everyone,

Some of my favorite episodes are "Day of Infamy" where the Waltons have to deal with the attack on Pearl Harbor, "The Best Christmas", and I think it's called "The Secret" where Jim-Bob learns he had a twin brother that died. I just saw the episode where Mary-Ellen got married and it was pretty good too. I thought it was one of the funnier episodes, like when Dr. Willard was having to deal with Yancy, Mrs. Brimmer and the Baldwin sisters as patients, and when he told Mary-Ellen that Grandmas wedding dress was going to have to be made bigger for a robust girl like her.

Did anyone get to go to the Waltons Reunion in Los Angeles last month? If so how was it and which stars were there?

Kurt.

It is really very difficult to choose a favorite, but I know one of my favorites is The Shivaree. I really love them all, but I enjoy the earlier ones where the children were still somewhat younger the most. Maybe because the grandparents were both there and most of the time they were all there for dinner.

I forgot to add why The Shivaree is one of my favorites. I have to laugh right along with everyone that is planning it, and at the end when everyone gathers around to sing to the newlyweds I have to cry, I think it is just wonderful. I must say I love The Quilting also. That is one of the best.

Julie

Hi Karen..

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your Waltons Digest...It is great to know there are others out there who still enjoy the Waltons as much as I do.

I'm not sure of the name of my favorite episode...but it is the episode that John Boy falls in love with Jenny.....It is such a bitter sweet episode. I love when they go up to the mountain and pretend to be Roan and Rebecca Walton (I think those are their names) ...Grandpa Waltons parents. It is so sad when Jenny's father dies and she leaves in the end. You truly believe that John Boy is heartbroken.

Karen in AZ

KAREN: The Love Story

Hello. I am a new member, my name is Ed and I live in Topeka, Kansas. I have been a Waltons fan since the show came on the air. If you are still taking votes on favorite episodes, here's mine. My favorite is "The Lie" where Ben takes John Boy's car without permission and is later involved in a hit and run accident. The acting and the story are both great. Another favorite of mine is "The Typewriter" where John-boy, needing a typewriter, borrows one from the Baldwin ladies. It is later sold as junk by Mary Ellen.

Thank you Karen for all of your work. I really enjoy reading other people's comments about the show and its characters. This is really great.

-Ed

Hi Karen, as far as my favorite shows it would have to be any that Martha Corrine is in. She gives good Walton History. But the very top on my list is the episode where John Boy is to give the sermon and grandma wants to help. Especially the part when she ponds her fist on the dresser to show John Boy how to get the attention of everyone. But it also gives a good lesson when John Boy puts everyone in the town that has been making comments the past week in their place threw his wonderful way with words.

I also have a question that hopefully someone can answer for me. What ever happened t Be & Cindy's daughter Virginia "Ginny"? Also wasn't Cindy pregnant again?

Thank you

Lisa

Hi Karen and digest members:

My favorite episode would be when John-Boy falls in love with Jennie. Since it is his first love, it is a changing time for him and the rest of the family as he matures. I liked the actress Sian Barbara Allen who played Jennie. Does anyone know what she is doing now? She seems to have disappeared from sight.

Wendy

KAREN'S COMMENT: Well there we have it. The list continues to grow and now consists of the following:

* The Carousel

* The Best Christmas

* The Quilting

* The Children's Carol

* Day of Infamy

* The Secret

* The Love Story

* The Typewriter

* The Lie

* The Firestorm

* The Shivaree

* The Pony Cart

Well I'm going to have a look through the episode guide this week and decide what mine will be. Keep your ideas coming and then we'll have a vote on those which have been nominated.