This 1974 photo provided by CBS shows, from left, DavidHarper, Eric Scott, and Michael Learned. The CBS photo archive.
I watched all 221 episodes of The Waltons, plus six follow up television movies. I still watch it on MeTV or my DVD collection. In celebration of its 50th birthday, I feel particularly knowledgeable to take a look at this landmark television series and how it changed the course of family-friendly stories on television.
The expectations were low for The Waltons when they first aired. The flip Wilson show was on NBC and the mod squad was on ABC. Most media pundits didn't think there would be more than 13 episodes.
In an interview I did with Richard Thomas, who played John-Boy, he said that no one knew what to expect in the movie. I think there was a better chance to find an audience with only three networks at the time. There have never been ensemble dramas that focused on a family.
The first time we met the family was in the holiday TV film The Homecoming: A Christmas Story in 1971. The hope was that viewers would take to this tale of a warm and loving family of 11 individuals living in a fictional mountain in Jefferson County, Virginia. They eventually did.
The actors in the television series "The Waltons" are shown in this picture. The second row is made up of Jon Walmsley, Ellen Corby, Will Geer, Kami Cotler and David W.Harper. Michael Learned is in the top row. The CBS photo archive.
The second season of The Waltons was the second highest-rated show in all of prime time. The first season of the show won six awards, including Outstanding Drama Series and acting awards for Michael Learned and Richard Thomas. ThePeabody was earned by the Waltons that year as well. The end sequence in each episode featuring the family saying goodnight to one another has become a cultural trademark.
Thomas said that his character was not a hero or a crime fighter. It was a representation of a leading male character that we hadn't seen before.
He said that they told some important stories. Poverty, racism, religion, book burning, aging, illness, death, illiteracy, and so many other things. The stories and situations were very real. A spotlight is placed on them.
A portrait of Richard Thomas, who played the role of John Boy Walton in the television show.
Michael Learned, who played the mother in the movie, once told me that they were not the family you wanted to be. We were like an extended family and you can't fake it. Even if it was only for an hour each week, you could sit back and escape from reality. The key to our success was the story told by Earlhamner.
The actress embraces the actor in a scene from the show.
Earl Hamner Jr. was the oldest of eight children and not seven as portrayed on The Waltons. Ben was a combination of two of his brothers.
The stories of would-be writer John-Boy were narrated by Hamner's drawl.
The life-inspired novel Spencer's Mountain, which was adapted into a movie in 1963, had been published previously by Hamner. Fonda was considered for the part of John Walton.
Fonda was not interested according to Lee Rich. Rich said that after showing the pilot to Henry Fonda, he asked what he wanted him to do. The family is the center of attention. You don't need me, I'm not needed.
A scene from the film "Spencer's Mountain" was filmed in 1963.
Michael Learned left The Waltons before the series ended, along with Richard Thomas, Ellen Corby and Will Geer. After a stroke in the middle of the fifth season, Corby could only return on a limited basis, and Geer died after the sixth season ended.
Richard Thomas said he was hungry for other opportunities. The Waltons was a great show. The premise was that a family was celebrating life even though it was hard. Over the years, we've remained synonymous with family values and people who care about each other.
Here are some interesting facts about The Waltons.
On September 14, 1972 a family gathers around the radio to listen to a ventriloquist and his puppet. It was a shout-out to the man who originated the role of the grandfather in the movie.
The two men, wearing football uniforms, are having a nice talk.
Ellen and Beulah appeared in the 1946 holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life. Mrs. Bailey and Mrs. Davis were played by two different actresses.
There is a poster for Frank Capra's 1946 comedy-drama 'It's A Wonderful Life'. Left to right are Frank Faylen, H.B. Warner, Gloria Grahame, Reed and Stewart. The photo was taken by the Silver Screen Collection.
Will Geer, the happy-go-lucky grandfather, was always happy to have a sip of the Baldwin ladies' "recipe." Geer passed away in between seasons six and seven on April 22, 1978, after he and Esther were able to get back together. The man was 76.
The seventh season opener pays tribute to the memory of Geer's grandpa.
Mary said that Will Geer was like his character. He loved life and planted seeds on the set. He was a great grandpa to us.
Ellen Corby and Will Geer play the roles of Grandpa and Grandma in the television show. "Granny comes home" Ellen returned to the show after recovering from a stroke.
John Ritter played Reverend Matthew Fordwick on The Waltons. He played a young minister in Pray TV.
John offered to do a comedy called Three's Company but was not sure if he wanted to do it. He was hesitant about committing. He was told to look at what happened.
A promotional portrait for the television series, "Three's Company", was taken in 1979. The photo was taken by ABC Television.
The Dragonfly Inn on Gilmore Girls was the location of the family home on The Waltons. The house was destroyed in a fire.
Over the course of the show's run, Michael Learned and Ellen Corby both won three times. In addition to Richard Thomas winning the first season of the show, Will Geer and Beulah Bondi won statuettes for their roles.
The Best Drama Series was won by the Waltons.
American actors Michael Learned and Richard Thomas were both nominated for an award. The photo was taken by Max Miller at Fotos International.
Back to Thursday, September 14, 1972 It was the first week on the networks. There were pictures and editorial about the new shows in the TV Guide preview issue. The Bob Newhart Show was one of the new shows that aired this week. I was looking forward to seeing the fictional family that I met in The Homecoming: A Christmas Story.
From the very first episode, when the family discovers a young deafness girl at their doorstep, to the last, when the Baldwin sisters throw a lavish ball, we celebrate television's most famous family.
It's been 50 years since The Waltons were first shown.
Will Geer dances a jig for the family on the property that has been there for generations.
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