I just noticed Earl Hamner’s obituary in Friday’s Guardian, you can read it here if you’re interested. He died in March but I think the Guardian is a bit behind with some obituaries – it has been such a busy year! It was one of those times when I looked and thought – I assumed he was already dead! In case you don’t know, Earl Hamner Jr was the man who created The Waltons, but he did an awful lot more than that.
As a youngster I loved The Waltons, I know it has a reputation for being sickly sweet and schmaltzy but I think if that is your idea of the series then you must never have watched it.
The Walton family is portrayed as a realistic one with the siblings often at daggers drawn with each other, the reality in large families. Even grandma and grampa had a rocky relationship, often not speaking to each other and referring to each other as ‘old man’ and ‘old woman’ in a cutting way. Hamner based The Waltons on his own family’s experiences of life in Virginia in the 1930s.
I must admit that I haven’t read any of his books. Have any of you?
What do you think of The Waltons? I saw a Walton Christmas film recently and I could just sit down and watch the whole series again given the chance. You might call it ‘comfort’ viewing, but there was always some sort of crisis going on and that house is one that I could move into right now. Castles, palaces and the like have never appealed to me as a home.
It’s a shame this is just a film set.
Katrina,
I’m so saddened and suprised to learn of Earl Hamner’s death. I’m not sure why I didn’t’ hear about it when it happened, but The Waltons series is near and dear to my heart. I watched it when it originally aired here in the US, and I’ve enjoyed owning all of the episodes on DVD and rewatching them several times over the years. I am not a fan of what I call sappy tv programs, but what I know about my own father’s life growing up during the depression in the south with 8 siblings on a farm, I think the who was a somewhat realistic portrayal of life in those days. I still think of their house as my “dream” home”:)
Paula
Paula,
Earl Hamner certainly had a good ‘innings’ and I hadn’t realised that he went on to do so much more in television. I might have to get the DVDs too as I only realised they were re-showing The Waltons a while ago when it was already far into the episodes. It does have an air of authenticity to me and I just have the experience of being brought up in a large family.
I adored The Waltons – it reminded me very much of my own extended family “down on the farm”.
When I saw it first in the 1970s I recall I identified with John-Boy; I was interested to observe that re-watching it forty years later I identify with the Mom.
Beautiful finely-crafted series.
Valerie,
I was 12 or 13 when I first saw it and it was Elizabeth that I identified with back then. I’m the youngest of five and of course I had the same long red hair. In fact when I started working in the local library one of the older women called me Elizabeth.
I loved the Waltons, which was on from my high-school years through the first few years of working after college. The latter episodes I didn’t get the chance to view, but I did see those in re-runs. I think one of the U.S. cable stations is still running episodes. Ken and I used to watch every evening one season when it was on as re-runs during our dinner hour. Personally I don’t think it was ever schmaltzy for its time. It dealt with hard-hitting issues from time to time, and always portrayed the honest working people’s point of view. The family dynamics were superb, as was the acting. Very true to life.
It’s so interesting that he was born the same year as my mother. Their views on life during the Great Depression were very similar.
Oops! And no, I’ve never read his books, though I’d be interested.
Judith,
I’d be interested in reading the books too, but I don’t think they’re easy to get a hold of. BTW I’ve just finished Touch Not the Cat – how are you getting on with it?
Judith,
I wonder if your mother enjoyed watching The Waltons then, and if so did it bring back good or bad memories. I think that the series seems like a real piece of social history, and shows how world history changed the lives of ordinary people. I agree about the acting, whoever chose the actors got it just perfect.
I had not heard he died! Naturally I get all our news via Scotland! We loved the Waltons at my house too and I agree I would pick that old farm house over a mansion anytime! I have not read any of his books.
Peggy,
Strangely I get most of my Scottish news from – you! If we ever manage to get any of his books maybe we can have a readalong.
I loved the Waltons too. The family dynamics were fascinating and I loved the scenery – well everything about it really. I haven’t read any of his books either.
Margaret,
Yes the scenery was lovely too, in fact I loved just about everything and I always wanted a porch like theirs and a screen door would be good too. It would be nice to be able to leave a door open with no fear of beasties flying in, in the summer of course.
I too, loved The Waltons and watched it avidly. I just noticed that the first episode aired in 1972, so I would have been 15 at that time. I would have guessed it started some years earlier than that. Interesting that I watched it, and all that it represented to me, throughout my somewhat sulky and rebellious teenage years. (I can’t imagine The Waltons was a cool show for the type of person I thought myself to be!) Perhaps it was the realistic relationships within the family that appealed to me. Family has always been hugely important to me, even when I was rebelling against it!
When Ralph Waite – the father – died in 2014, I read up a bit about the cast. Every character seemed so natural and real – and the actors seem to have been the same. No celebrity culture going on.
I identified with John Boy and his aspirations to be a writer but probably most wanted to be Mary Ellen. I admired her strength and spirit.
I’ve never read any of the books either. It would be interesting to do so.
Sandra,
I agree about the actors and I believe that Elizabeth turned her back on acting feeling that being a teacher was much more important to her, she seems happy with her choice. I would have been 12 or 13 when it was first shown in 1972 and I was an avid T.Rex/Bowie/Bryan Ferry fan so The Waltons was quite a change from those interests. It would be interetsing to read the books, but I don’t think they’re easy to get here.
Loved the show – reminded me of home. Mom’s family lived in a house much like that one and Dad’s family – also in the Appalachian mountains – had a big ole porch like that as well. Both had farms in that same general area. Made for a lot of childhood memories for me. (BTW – “old man (or woman)” was a term of endearment. It’s all in the tone.
Pearl,
What lovely memories you must have, I would have wanted to hang on to a house like that if I had one in my family!
I seem to remember the old couple not speaking to each other for ages though and sending messages via the grandchildren to that ‘old man’ or ‘old woman’ almost growling it!
I’d have hated to move away from a house like that, but I suppose it was a hard life. A lot of those Appalachian settlers were from Scotland, you can still hear it in the music.
Grandma was a MacLachlan. And, sadly, the house was literally falling apart. Dad had to have it torn down.
Pearl,
I had forgotten that you said you were a MacLachlan. I always wondered how well those wooden houses wore. I suspect that the wood had to be renewed continually to keep them in good shape – and termites must have been a worry.