Hi everyone,

Well it's been a fairly uneventful week here, but at the same time I've been kept busy with everyday things which happen. James is working extremely hard in his final year of high school. Such an important year for him. He's also been kept busy with rehearsals. One is for Chicago and the other is for a play they are studying for English. It was decided that it would be a good idea to put on a production of it so that they could perform the play for the other year 12's. I think it's a great idea. What better way to study a play completely than to actually put it on, and have a part in it. As James said, he won't have any trouble remembering the quotes for the end of year exam. :-)

I haven't been able to watch a lot of The Waltons this week, but I did manage to catch up on The Life and Times of The Waltons (at last), which I really enjoyed. That was the special that TNN has had on a couple of times. It was definitely made after the death of Ellen Corby, as they mentioned her death in 1999. I enjoyed catching up with all the actors who appeared, and seeing all the stills they had on the show. Some of the children's younger photos were interesting.

This week I said that we should have a tribute to Lewis Arquette, who died recently. Problem is that I only had one come in! I loved Arquette's character. He added to the show in the same way that all of the semi regulars did: the Baldwin ladies, Ike and Corabeth, Verdie Grant and the different ministers they had over the years. Arquette's character, J.D. Pickett, was so crusty and chauvinistic that he was just simply fun to watch. I loved the way he tried to match wits with Erin (many times) and Olivia but always seemed to come off second best.

In The Home Front he was looking for an assistant manager, definitely a job for a man!!!, and was quite taken aback when Erin suddenly turned into a brainless Southern girl more interested in drinking tea than in her filing. And when she was filing things, always in the bottom drawers, the look on J.D.'s face was so comical. LOL He tried to get the best of Olivia when she wanted Pickett to provide a playroom for the children who were left out the front of his plant while their parents worked in The Innocents. Olivia won her way when she, the children and their parents had a sit down strike in the new bar room he had set up. Finally he agreed to allow Olivia and the children to use it during the day. In season 9, Jonesy and Erin joined forces against J.D. to help get her a raise in The Whirlwind and The Tempest. Poor J.D. never could quite get over the fact that he didn't need a man in the job when he had Erin. I think at one stage he reluctantly called her his right hand man.

Yes, J.D. Pickett was certainly a character who added a lot to The Waltons, with many really memorable scenes and quotable lines.

Goodnight J.D. Rest in peace Lewis Arquette. Goodnight everyone,

Karen.

Yes Joe Conley (Ike Godsey) was indeed in The Castaway. I'm still hoping that they will keep the Waltons on TNN through the complete run of episodes so that I can finally get a tape of The Premonition.

Here is the obituary on Lewis Arquette:

Some of the favorite episodes in which he appeared: The Illusion, The Obstacle, The Innocents, and above all The Wagers where the misogynist is beaten by Mary Ellen and Erin!

Donald

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for your comments about Lewis Arquette. The Wagers was a great one where he showed what a good sport he really was when he paid up his bet very quickly.

Just wanted to write and let you know how much I enjoy your newsletter. I was really upset to hear that TNN might not carry The Waltons anymore. I certainly hope that they don't drop the show. I'm a diehard Waltons fan and although I haven't been able to watch a lot of it lately, I certainly have watched a lot over the years.

I do enjoy the earlier episodes when the children were younger better than the later ones. It was sad when Will Geer died and Michael Learned and Richard Thomas left the show. Also when Ellen Corby had a stroke and left for a while. She definitely added some sass to the show. Hated to hear about her death. If TNN decides to cancel the show then everyone can go to Columbia House and buy episodes. They have to ton of them. Keep up the good work Karen.

Gwen

KAREN'S COMMENT: I've visited the TNN site a couple of times over the past week but they say they are redoing their site. Under the episodes of The Waltons they have coming up, they don't specify what episodes are being shown, but they do have it listed until the end of March, so you may all have another month left at least. It's so popular that I feel sure that another station will pick it up.

Hi all, can anyone out tell me the email address to TNN and PAX TV. I want to write them both a letter. Thank you.

Nancy

KAREN'S COMMENT: There is a PAX website at PAX TV and you can contact them by filling in a comments form. It has some terrific shows like Touched by an Angel, Christy, Eight is Enough, It's a Miracle, Little Men, Promised Land and Our House. I love it the sound of it! Our House did incredibly badly out here, but it was one that I really liked...figures! It had a young Shannon Doherty in it, and an ex-Waltons actor in Wilford Brimley, who pops up as a minor character in some of the very early episodes. Great Waltons connection.

Hi Karen,

Since it sounds as if TNN may be canceling our favorite show and not sure if any other network will pick it up, was wondering if you or other readers are aware of any place that all the Waltons episodes on video may be purchased.

How I wish I had taped them all during 25th anniversary series when they were shown in order. Please let me know if you have any information on this.

Tammy

KAREN'S COMMENT: Wouldn't it be fabulous if they were all available?

Hi Karen,

Yes it was Ike who was in Castaway!! I like how he hasn't changed a bit. Did anyone see Child Stars on A & E on Sun. Feb.18? Mary McDonough (Erin) was on, doing an interview. My, how she too hasn't changed.

Anyone know where I can get the "Walton Library" video collection for a reasonable price?? I'm in Canada, and Time Life, who put out the "Little House" series, doesn't have "The Waltons".

Any info would be helpful.

Thanks, and "good night everybody!"

Nicole

KAREN'S COMMENT: If you get any replies on this one Nicole, please let me know. Ebay still has a lot for sale, but they're all ones I have. Maybe the Museum might begin to get some more episodes out if it goes off air.

Hello Karen and all the Walton fans. I have enjoyed reading the newsletters and all of your comments. Just wanted to surface up and say hi. I wanted to let those who may not be aware that there will be an auctioning of a "Walton Quilt" created by Walton fans all over the states. If you are interested you can call the Walton's Museum and purchase a raffle ticket. I am not sure when the auction will be done, I think it will be in October of this year. I plan on going to the October cast reunion and to the museum and I would like to take a picture of the quilt and if you like I can send a picture to you.

Karen, and maybe you can down load it for everyone to see. I made a square representing the Easter Story, with a cross and Easter Lilies and the words Courage from Alma with the Easter Story air date. I had a lot of help from some nice folks who run a quilting store in my city of San Jose, California.

I am not really a quilter but I just wanted to be a part of this group. Loria, the brain child of this quilt and who deserves the Major credit has been working on getting all the cast members she can to autograph the quilt. She has gotten many of them. I think she is working right now on getting both Richard Thomas and Michael Learned.

About the Whirlwind and the Tempest, I just wanted to cast my vote in agreement with Jim Barber, I pretty much felt the same way. And Jim, I thought you put it quite well. My favorite episodes of The Waltons are the earlier episodes.

Overall in the series I think Corabeth was the most evolved character. What do you all tink?

When I was young, many many years ago, my parents divorced. After all these years it still hurts, watching The Walton's was actually a healing show for me. I still have a great love for the show. When I get a little down in life, I will pop in a Walton tape and it helps restore my faith in the human race!

With that may I say, I hold you all in Good esteem because you are fans of The Waltons! And thank you Karen for the work you do here.

Goodnight everyone,

Jeanne from the rugged west.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Well said Jeanne. Unfortunately I can't email everyone a photo of the quilt because of downloading on the other end, but if you'd like to send me a photo I'd be happy to put it up on my site for some extra publicity. Oh the lucky person who wins it!

In response Karen to your question on the Brady Bunch episode that had Ike's (Joe Conley) name down in the credits as the delivery man, the episode was where Peter Brady saved a little girl in a toy store from a book shelf falling on her and the little girls mother bought Peter a lot of toys as a thankyou present.

Another Waltons reference I heard was on The Nanny" where Maggie tried covering a spot on her face. She looked into the mirror and said "I look like Johnboy Walton".

I have had a wonderful time watching a few episodes this week, I noticed in The Elopement, the narration at the end says that Erin continued to help Chad build his house up on the mountain, yet in another episode Erin is upset and telling Johnboy that she couldn't marry Chad and now he's up there alone building his house.

And for some trivia, a while ago in the digest we were talking of other regular actors in the show.

This week while watching quite a few episodes I noticed that the actress that played Sarah Bridges looks very similar to the lady who played Eula May in Johns high school reunion episode.

And in The Children's carol in the church scene a lady in the choir on the stage looks much like Thelma at the Dew Drop Inn and also the lady behind Jason when they show him playing the organ looks like Sissy.

Have a happy week everyone

Kaz in Oz

KAREN'S COMMENT: It's interesting to find all the little references to The Waltons in other shows. I love them. When I was watching Life and Times of the Waltons, Jon Walmsley said that he knew they had made it when the show was parodied in (I think) Mad magazine. Does anyone out there who collects the memorabilia have that one? I'd love to know more about it.

Hi

Jim-Bob and Elizabeth are my favorite Waltons. Does anyone know how old David Harper and Kami Cotler are now?

Luke

KAREN'S COMMENT: I think David and Kami did an extraordinary job in their roles, especially when they were so young. David would be 39 and Kami is 35.