Hi everyone,

I do hope you've all had a good week. As I've been watching the early episodes of The Waltons again, it occurred to me that perhaps some of you have a particular season that you're fond of. Maybe the story lines of one of the seasons was especially interesting to you, maybe you liked some of the recurring characters of a special season, etc. Why don't you let us know your thoughts.

Its been a long time since I had seen many of the episodes that I'm currently enjoying, and I'm absolutely amazed at just how good the writing was. It certainly hasn't dated at all, I don't think, and the show definitely doesn't look dated the way some of the seventies shows do. I'm being impressed all over again. No wonder it has won so many ardent fans from all around the world.

I mentioned last week that I'd been watching the prices of Waltons lunch boxes. It went to over $200...much too expensive for me! There was a play set that reached a high price too. I wonder if any of our members have been buying their Waltons memorabilia from Ebay? Do let us know if your collection is growing. I love to visit there and see what's happening.

Many of you will be busy with preparations for your Thanksgiving holiday during the coming week. Don't forget to stock up on your tapes. I'm sure you'll enjoy the marathon. Have a wonderful celebration everyone. The Walton family always seemed to have such terrific Thanksgiving dinners...I'm very envious that we don't have it out here.

By the way, I'm sending this weeks digest a little early as I have a very busy weekend coming up. Over the next few weeks the digest may come out at odd times as we are extremely busy until Christmas. James has his theatre performances coming up next week and he will be performing most nights for two weeks, and with other Christmas and breakup things, time is going to be a bit scarce.

Have a great week. Goodnight everyone,

Karen.

I was just at the Walton forum when this letter arrived. I always look forward to seeing this digest in my mailbox. Keep up the great work. I have a question. I know that Kami has a son Cotton. I was wondering if that was a nickname or real name. Also where did it come from? Has anyone heard?

Lisa

Visit my homepage. http://www.angelfire.com/mi/fave/index.html

Please sign guest book so I know that you stopped by.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Lisa I don't know where the name Cotton comes from, but it is a real name. I'd never heard of it, but maybe it is one that is popular in the area Kami lives in now. I'm sure someone can tell us.

Hi everyone…I hope all are getting ready for the "big" day. I propose a question…as I was watching The Revelation yesterday, I noticed when John Boy came into the restaurant with his girlfriend, and was greeted by the piano player, he signed his book and took out the pen from his pocket, THEN returned book and PEN to the piano player. I thought I was mistaken so I backed up the tape…Ta da…there it was…the first mistake this viewer has seen. Just wondering if anyone else has spotted some errors???? Not that it matters as I would watch the show, if the actors were stumbling all over each other!!!

Carol

KAREN'S COMMENT: Well done Carol. It's always fun to spot these...I usually miss them, although I have definitely picked up one in The Rebellion. Have you visited Marca and Alec's page to add this to their list?

Regarding the digest, I must say I do look forward to receiving it every week. It is interesting all of the comments people make about our favorite show...makes me feel good to be in the Waltons family!

By the way the Waltons loop is picking right up. We have 11 members so far, once we get everybody's email address correct! I like getting a play-by-play letter about the episodes playing here in the USA (don't have cable or a satellite). Donald and Jenni are very good at informing me! Please feel free to contact me at cinlouh@aol.com...also if any of you wish to join the loop!

Cindy

KAREN'S COMMENT: I love all the comments from fans too Cindy. They all make great reading. It must be a fun way to keep up with the show. :-))

This past week has featured Elizabeth's ordeal when she breaks her legs and also the return of John Boy when he talks Mr. Guthrie into reopening the coal mine and then the mine caves in. Then John Boy returns once more after he decides to marry Daisy but he doesn't know that Daisy actually has a child-Melissa. So the wedding is cancelled and John Boy goes to London to report for Stars and Stripes.

Donald and Erin the cat

KAREN'S COMMENT: Did Kami really break her legs when this episode was done? I'm assuming not as you'd think that she would have been in a cast for longer, but you never know.

Karen,

Foxtel (here in Australia) had me totally bamboozled for a while too until I figured out that weekend showings were repeats. I think we've had episodes 1-6,12, 13, 16 & 17, but not in that order.

In these 10 episodes, Reckless is referred to as either "he" or "boy" at least three or four times.

Olivia seems to have a strong "Southern" accent which the others don't have. I think it fades away as the series goes on.

I love the early scene in "The Star" where the adults are all relaxing on the verandah while the kids are playing in the yard. The lighting and the music make it seem quite magical. I think it brings back memories of when, as kids, we used to go to our grandparents' farm for Christmas holidays. Often on hot evenings, we would be playing in the yard and our parents and grandparents would be lazing around on the verandah. However, we never had any falling star incidents. By the way, I'm pretty sure my grandparents' farm house had those funny electrical outlets that we've been discussing recently, so I don't think it's a purely American thing.

Phillip K.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Welcome to the Waltons list Phillip. It's wonderful to add another Aussie to the list. I wonder if any other Australians on the list have ever seen one of those electrical things out here? Those hot evenings aren't too far away for us now.

Hi Karen and other Waltons Fans!

As I was reading the posts about what part of the Walton house I would like to have, I must say it would HAVE to be John-Boy's desk (complete with window, ha ha). As a teen during its first run, I had such a crush on him since I thought myself such a writer at that time (didn't we all?). I thought he would have been the best big brother to have.

One thing that someone mentioned about The Quilt where Mary Ellen clashes with Grandma about certain traditions that women were expected to participate: it always struck me that particular episode was way out of tune with the times. The character of Mary Ellen was showing traits of a young girl in the 1970s, when the show was made, not of the 1930s, in my opinion. I also wonder about the hair styles. I remember girls wearing their long hair back with 2 barrettes on the sides in the 70s, not sure if this was the way they did it in the 1930s.

Thanks again for this forum!! I am looking forward to the TNN Thanksgiving Marathon on November 26th; better stock up on the VCR tapes!! I do not get to watch the show every day, but when I do and I listen to the ending "good night scene", I am always feeling sorry for our English fans who miss it. Perhaps that will change soon. Hope so!

Good Night from Duluth, GA

Norma

KAREN'S COMMENT: They're interesting points you make Norma. Actually even in the first season Mary Ellen has said a few times that she wants a career, not just to be a wife and mother. Definitely sentiments of the 70's as you suggest, but probably some girls of the 30's would have thought like that too, I would have thought. Look at our very early women professional people. About the hair...I don't know. Any thoughts on this?

Hi Karen,

You know I never really gave much thought as to why the ironing cord came down from the lights, but reading the responses reminded me that in my parents' house (where I grew up) the only outlet was in the light. In order to use anything in that outlet you have to have the bathroom light on. Guess I got used to it - how neat that you pointed that out!

Also while sitting here reading the responses, my husband Rob pointed out that it was probably a lot easier to retro-fit a house with electricity by putting the outlets (and lights of course) from the ceiling. If you have ever redone the wiring on a house nowadays you know that you have to knock out the walls of the rooms about 18 inches off the floor to run the wire. Certainly the wife of an already occupied house would prefer to have the walls not torn up!

And it occurred to me that, as in my parents' house, the attic may have had subflooring which would make access from above easier because the floor you're on is several inches above the ceiling of the room below. Our cats used to love to crawl in that space and sleep.

Just some guesses on why they were put together.

Larissa

KAREN'S COMMENT: Seems like that sort of power point was fairly common place in some of the older homes.

On Thanksgiving they will repeat the Waltons Thanksgiving show which was initially shown in 1993 at the time of the Kennedy assassination. This is the first episode in which it is mentioned that Ben and Cindy's daughter Virginia had died, although someone had mentioned that it was also mentioned at the end of another episode and that she had died of scarlet fever. This begs a question- when were the sulfur drugs and the Dick test introduced? Wasn't it just before World War II ? And why didn't Virginia get protected?

Donald and Erin the cat

KAREN'S COMMENT: The explanation of Virginia's death will be interesting to watch for. I don't remember them offering any explanation.

Dear Karen and all fellow Fans of the greatest and best family series on television worldwide!

Following my letters relating to the UK Channel Four's disgraceful treatment of The Waltons, I've had several e-mails (for which my sincere thanks). In case there's anyone else who may have taken my remarks about not watching The Waltons anymore a bit too literally, I did mean only Channel Four's showings. I can look at my "unmutilated" tapes of them when I like, and I will definitely be continuing with the Synopses!

Following this Sunday's showing (of which I looked at just the end, to see what happened - and it did.....) I sent C4 another "broadside" and here it is -

To Channel Four,

What a travesty you've made of showing The Waltons. Not only is there an intrusive, ugly "T4" (actually it looks more like "4T") on the screen the WHOLE time, this is VERY irritating don't you realize? But that young but dim-witted presenter you've now got keeps making disparaging remarks about the program amongst his inane prattling. Wherever did you find him, and why? And then all this goes on INSTEAD of the original credits etc. The end music can be heard only very faintly behind the guy's nattering. I've heard people remark that they find his remarks at the end actually OFFENSIVE to them.

Don't you realize we have a RIGHT to expect that programs shall be decently shown, WITHOUT mutilation. You show GREAT DISRESPECT for the show's originator, the cast, story writers, crew, composer etc etc.

Once, Channel Four was a professional, respected broadcaster. Not now. You act like MORONS and seem to treat your audience also as morons. What IS the matter with you? Can't you realize how distasteful your treatment is?

I am ashamed of you.

I'm going to go on with such reprimands as long as it continues......

Best wishes to you all!

Arthur D

www.surflink.co.uk/users/arthurdungate/index.htm

(Basingstoke Canal site = www.surflink.co.uk/users/arthurdungate/bascan.htm)

KAREN'S COMMENT: Have you had any reply at all from them Arthur? You'd think they'd say something.

Dear Karen

It is so wonderful to be part of a Waltons mailing list, I have been a big fan of The Waltons for ages.

My favourite episode is The Quilting, after watching it this year, it gave me the idea of making a wedding quilt for my friends who are marrying in January, then moving to St Helena. I would have loved to have had a quilt made for me.

I agree with Tricia, I don't like Channel Four's presentation, The Waltons deserve better treatment and the comments made after the episode were I thought uncalled for. The Grandchild 1 and 2 is so very moving, I had tears in my eyes when John Curtis was born. I wish The Waltons were on every day.

I don't have a favourite Walton because I like them all.

Anne-Marie

KAREN'S COMMENT: What a lovely idea for a wedding present Anne-Marie. I would have liked one too. Don't forget the quilt that the ladies gave Olivia when she was sick too...the friendship quilt, and another during season one was the memory quilt that Olivia decided to sell to Miss Emily to help raise the money to buy the calf back. They really are lovely.

Hi Karen,

I received a letter from Columbia House today adding three more Waltons releases. The following continues from the end of the previous lists that I sent you last June.

38: The Best Christmas; The Rebellion

39: John's Crossroad; The Career Girl

40: The Inferno; The Achievement

Dennis

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for the update Dennis. These are all good episodes.

I loved "Grandma Comes Home" when I first saw it . I was so happy to have the well intentioned bickering (laced with respect and love) of the grandparents. Now I see it and I am sad because I know that Will Geer died (during the between seasons break) before any more episodes were filmed. He was such a special person and played such a special character. I'm glad that they did not try to replace him.

Will Geer also played a guest role on Eight Is Enough ( in the Christmas episode a few months before he died) . EIE went back to that character in the following year ( EIE was produced by Lorimar - which also produced The Waltons) . They showed pictures of Mr. Geer and something to the effect that he could not be found, and Nicholas Bradford found a friend of (Mr. Geer's character) his and proceeded as they looked in vain for his (Will Geer's) character from the previous year. It was so respectful - even on a show in which he had only been a one time guest!

I think that he must have been loved and respected throughout all of Lorimar Productions.

I have mentioned in the past my favorite episodes. I think my least favorite is "The Empty Nest". It is quite unfair of me. The writers did a better job on this than ANY on a show in which a major character departs. It is a loving, respectful, well written tribute. It absolutely deserved an Emmy.

Then why is it my least favorite if it is such a wonderful episode and respectful tribute? It is because I am selfish. When I watch this, I again lose Will Geer - the wonderful Grandpa. I felt so warm and wonderful every time I saw him. Both my Grandfathers were dead by the time I turned 1 , and Will Geer filled my heart with a Grandpa for one hour a week. He was wonderful!

Again , I should thank the writers for handling his passing in such a caring way, and for keeping his character as a valid part of the show permanently.

We miss you. Goodnight, Grandpa.

Agnes

KAREN'S COMMENT: I had forgotten about the Eight is Enough connection, but I did see Will Geer in that, and heard the other comment from the show too. I think it was a lovely tribute to have paid to him...the saying goodbye to him on screen. It allowed the viewers to share with the family, and those moments live on in our memories.

Hi,

Just a reminder that next week is the Walton Thanksgiving Marathon, November 26th starting at 1pm EST time.

I just learned that there will also be a Walton Christmas Marathon, on December 18th, starting 7 pm EST.

Good night,

Shirley of Canada

KAREN'S COMMENT: Fantastic news about the Christmas Marathon. Any guesses as to what episodes they might show?