Remembering The Waltons

In the early 70s Television was going through a bout of criticism by the public because of its violence, there was the fear of government intervention and censorship. CBS decided to make the “Homecoming” into a series. Their reasoning was that once this family-oriented series aired and if it proved a failure, they would have shown they tried to put out a show that the public wanted. But the show did not fail. It took a little time, but it found its audience and CBS unexpectedly found itself with a smash hit on its hands.

The Waltons have been made fun of through the years. Other shows such as Good Times took shots at it for being too wholesome. I watched it when it was originally on. I liked the show and my mom thought I loved the show so she got me a Waltons Lunchbox. So while my buddies had the Superfriends, Evel Knievel, and cool lunchboxes I had the Waltons…yea my buddies got some mileage out of that but it was ok…I would love to have that lunchbox now.

A few years ago I got the complete DVD set and started to watch them again. The series had such quality scripts and the children were believable but the ones who made the show to me were Will Geer and Ellen Corby.

Image result for Will Geer and Ellen Corby

Will Geer’s grandpa was a grandpa everyone would love to have. Johnboy (Richard Thomas) was the lead to the show but when he left it remained solid to me. When Will Geer died the show missed him terribly. Ellen Corby’s grandma could be spicy and cantankerous and she helped balance the show from the sometimes sugary episodes.

The show ages well because it was set in the depression era and that is what you get until later on in the show’s run. The show remained a quality show in part because writer Earl Hamner Jr. remained with the show the nine years it was on. The show ended up winning 11 Emmy Awards…Good Night Johnboy became a catchphrase that you still hear today.

 

 

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

22 thoughts on “Remembering The Waltons”

  2. We used to watch it sometimes as a family… only specific thing I remember about it now was the “Goodnight John Boy, Good night… etc” bit. But I think we liked it well enough.

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    1. Watching it as an adult…I’m really impressed by the kids and how natural they are… which sometimes isn’t the case with young actors and acturesses.

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      1. I posted this before but I believe it was in the first or second episode of Three’s Company John Ritter says “Good Night John Boy” He played the pastor on the Walton’s.

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  3. Just hearing that music and seeing the opening credits triggers a warm-hearted feeling. I’d like to watch the series again. So your mom got you a Waltons lunch box. What a precious memory. The show really is a time capsule of a way of life that has, for the most part, passed on.

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    1. Oh it’s passed on and gone. They made the depression look somewhat appealing…because they stuck together. The writing was just so good…better than I remembered. Often that doesn’t happen when I think back on a show.

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  4. You know, I didn’t even realize it was set during the depression until you mentioned it. Makes sense, ’cause I always thought they dressed that way because they were plain country folk, which they were. I loved that show and yes, the grandparents were so great. Thanks for the reminder!

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    1. What a jerk…typical 8th grader…Well I wasn’t alone.
      Someone else mentioned that show the other day. I’ve never seen it.

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  6. The Walton’s was my grandma’s favorite show. I will watch it today now and then [especially the John Boy years} and remember her. I would watch it with her. I think it reminded her of her family growing up. Great memories of watching the show with her- and hearing her talk of her family.

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  8. I used to love watching The Waltons (there, I said it!!) I can’t believe it was on so late though – I thought it was 60s, not 70s. I’d have been in my twenties by then… eek! Not sure I could watch it now, though… a lot of my viewing tastes have changed too much.

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    1. I watched it as a kid. That was some kind of writing…anyone who made the depression seemed fun!
      Some shows I’ve gone back and watched…some surprise me but some don’t… this one did. I can watch it. I didn’t realize at the time…it was actually some good writing. I loved the grandpa…Will Geer.

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      1. Yes, he was very good.

        A few years ago I bought the box set of Miami Vice which was a show I loved when it was on here in the UK, but for me, on rewatching so many years later, it really hadn’t stood up to the test of time.

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