The series initially takes place on waltons mountain, virginia during the time of the great depression. On family, life and the waltons an exclusive interview. The family home had no telephone and only two books. Earl hamner, creator of tvs the waltons and falcon crest, in a june 1999 file image. The waltons based more than loosely on hamners life and family in. This book also provided the basis for the waltons named after another. A christmas story and was broadcast on december 19, 1971. The waltons the book tv episode 1974 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Following the success of a 1971 madefortelevision movie based on the beloved characters, the homecoming. This is a real fanbook for aficionadoes of tv series the waltons. For many who watched the waltons during its original run and, now on insp, the walton family represented family life based on love, values and morals with a good deal of humor and compassion. Interesting background information on the hamner family, and how the waltons television series mirrored many of hamners own growingup experiences. Tall, lean, fineboned, redheaded youngsters growing up in the blue ridge mountains of virginia during the depression. The overwhelming critical and audience response to the special led to the series the waltons which had a spectacular run of eight years on cbs followed by a year of special programs on nbc.
Each story had its inspiration either in a n actual event or in the character of one of the people involved. Just when you couldnt imagine love the characters any. The series pilot was known as the homecoming, a 1973 american drama film. Each one seems to be an adventure revolving around one of the six younger walton children and they are very much written in the same style as the series. In this opening installment, the waltons, led by matriarch olivia walton patricia neal, spend an anxious 1933 christmas eve together as they await the arrival of their father during a snowstorm. The waltons comings and goings the waltons home page. Show creator hamner began to tell his familys story in the novel. With the death of ralph waite on thursday, people looks back at the rest of the cast. For nine seasons spanning 10 years, audiences tuned in to watch the wholesome story of johnboy and his family on the waltons. In 1971, the waltons, living on waltons mountain, made their first tv appearance in the homecoming, a christmas special based on hamners 1970 novel by the same name. The series pilot aired as a television movie entitled the homecoming. The easter story 1976 which novelizes the episode of the easter story, where olivia is stricken with polio.
Surprising the waltons facts from behind the scenes. According to earl hamner about the stories if is real. The movie was also the basis for the tv show the waltons. The waltons 1972 1981 opening and closing theme with. This is exactly what he said on questions most frequently not every one. Earl hamner, creator of the waltons and the model for johnboy, lives in california with his wife, jane.
Hamner later wrote another book with a similar theme and setting called the. Families struggled day to day due to the price increase of consumer goods and decrease of work available. The waltons cast reveals they were taken advantage of. Can you tell the difference between the waltons and the 1963 movie it was based on. Can you tell the difference between the walton sisters. Hamner centered the homecoming s action on his own fathers thirtythreemile bus commute plus six more on foot between work and home on the weekends. The waltons was a beloved television program, created by earl hamner, jr. Cbs called us the waltons, and put us on television. Bantam books published three waltons books, which were novelized episodes of the show.
The show focuses on a large extended family living in a small community during the depression and world war ii and offers a glimpse at how people coped with the times turbulent. July 10, 1923 march 24, 2016 was an american television writer and producer sometimes credited as earl hamner, best known for his work in the. The waltons of waltons mountain emerson creek pottery. The sensibilities of the 1970s demanded that said scenes be cleaned up for the madefortv public, so you have to read between the lines to catch it. My father called us his thoroughbreds, and put us on a pedestal. The time setting for the show was the great depression and wwii.
Lies the small town of schulyer, virginia, home of the hamner family the reallife family on which the waltons were based. Created by earl hamner jr with jon walmsley, mary beth mcdonough, eric scott, judy norton. The real life family who inspired the waltons oversixty. The show is centered on a family in a rural virginia community during the great depression and world war ii. The tv show was placed on a fictional waltons mountain, in fictitious jefferson county, virginia. Memorabilia while the show was screening, several types of waltons merchandise appeared on the market, some of which is quite collectible today. After the success of their initial television movie, the homecoming. The book is also about writing, scripting, disappointments, the politics of television, etc. In an exclusive interview with closer weekly, surviving actors from the cast of the waltons share surprising secrets from the set and tell closer that despite a strong family bond, many members of.
Growing up with the family the real waltons born july 10th, 1923 earl hamner jr. The show is centered on a family in a rural virginia community during the great depression and world war ii the series pilot aired as a television movie entitled the homecoming. But hamner first created a television show called, the homecoming, which aired in 1971. The classic novel that inspired the television series the walto. It was based off of hamners book spencers mountain, as well as a 1963 movie also titled the waltons. He continued to write into his 90s, once noting proudly that the. Turns out it is a vanity press that just prints books but you pay for it. In 1970 the distinguished virginian was asked by lorimar productions to write a television special based on his novel the homecoming. This madefortv drama, based on the book by earl hamner jr. The show followed the trials and travails of a family living in rural virginia around the time of the great depression and second world war. What the cast of the waltons looks like today jesus daily.
Books earl hamner has had many books published, including the homecoming, the book which the first waltons movie was based on. They divide their time between studio city and laguna beach with periodic visits to virginia, as earl puts it, to smell the redbud and dogwood and to touch my roots. Based on the book spencers mountain written by earl hammer, jr. Just when you couldnt imagine love the characters any more, it turns out earl based the characters off his own family.
Parents need to know that the waltons is a classic, longrunning drama series based on a book by earl hamner, jr. The waltons is based on the rural upbringing of creator earl hamner jr. This family drama tells the story of the waltons growing up in virginia during the great depression and world war ii. Ellen corby from the waltons wrote a book about a traveling pebble.
The waltons is an american television series created by earl hamner jr. The waltons was a television series that was based on the book spencers mountain by earl hamner jr. The waltons is based on characters that earl hamner jr. The waltons is an american television series created by earl hamner, jr. Hamner published nearly a dozen books and wrote hundreds of tv scripts. In this classic novel that inspired the tv series the waltons, a father struggles to.
Interviews with the walton children and others who worked with earl hamner on various films and projects. This was earl hamners second novel, which he based on his own childhood in. When america needed them, the waltons were there fortyfive years ago the waltons debuted on television. For generations, the spencers lived on the mountain that still bears their name in the blue hills of virginia. The author of the books on which it was based and later massively involved in the televising of it provides a potted autobiography of his childhood in virginia with lots of bw pics and his postcollege life as a writer. I loved the waltons but wondered how it would work in book form. Fans of the 1970s television drama the waltons were saddened to learn of the passing of ralph waite on thursday at age 85. The show was such a success, producers decided to try runni.
The waltons is an american drama television series about a family in rural virginia during the great depression and world war ii. With richard thomas, ralph waite, michael learned, ellen corby. Whitman books published a set of six novels based on the series in 1975. Hamner was involved in many films and television projects over his career besides the waltons series. Even in the face of dire economic times, the family and community supported each other through hardship, disappointment and tragedy and joined together to. Then in 1971 the christmas special the homecoming made its debut on tv which was then turned into the series the waltons. Although the waltons was a fictional show, it was based on the life of author earl. The show was based on hamners book, spencers mountain, about a family in rural virginia. Spencers mountain was written by earl hamner, the same man who developed the waltons. The mountain town of schuyler is home to about 400 residents, and there the twostory hamner family home still stands.