“Good night, John-Boy.”
If those words mean nothing to you, you’re probably under age 40, perhaps a millennial. If they do, you’re probably a boomer, to whom they are unforgettable, bound to bring back visions of a better time and a better place, an era, in the words Thursday of one fan of “The Waltons,” when “family was so much more appreciated.”
The setting of “The Waltons,” from which “Good night, John-Boy” derived fame, belongs to “The Greatest Generation.” The television series was set in the Depression, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, just below the “taller ridges … rimmed with a fading autumn silver,” as Earl Hamner Jr. wrote in his semi-autobiographical novel “Spencer’s Mountain,” from which “The Waltons” was drawn.
On “The Waltons,” John-Boy was played by actor Richard Thomas, better known these days not as the bookish country boy he once personified but as the spy-hunting bureaucrat Agent Gaad on another hit series, “The Americans.”
In real life, John-Boy was indeed Hamner, creator and narrator of the show as well as author of “Spencer’s Mountain.” Now he is gone. He was 92, a veteran of World War II, one of America’s best-loved writers and, as the narrator of “The Waltons,” a much-loved voice.
His son broke the news Thursday on Facebook:
“I am very sorry to be the bearer of sad news. My father, Earl Hamner, passed away today at 12:20 PM Pacific time. Dad died peacefully in his sleep at Cedar Sinai Hospital. He was surrounded by family, and we were playing his favorite music, John Denver’s Rocky Mountain Collection. Dad took his last breath half way through Rocky Mountain High. … We had the good fortune to keep him in our lives a bit longer despite the odds against him. He never got enough of this great gift of life with which we have all been so deeply blessed — and he hung on as tightly as anyone could with insatiable passion and wonder. My heart is broken as I say, ‘Goodnight, Dad!’”
Real lives
All of the Waltons were based on real people — Hamner’s family, his grandfather and grandmother, his father and mother, and his brothers and sisters, of whom there were seven in the show but eight in real life. They lived crowded together in what Hamner described as a “little crackerbox” in Schuyler, Virginia, where his father labored as a coal miner and factory worker, until the jobs ran out.
While “The Waltons” may have seemed irrelevant to the social upheaval of the era in which it was broadcast, it was, in fact, an antidote to it.
As the Museum of Broadcasting expressed it: The family portrayal was “in sharp contrast to the problem-ridden urban families of the ‘socially relevant’ sitcoms such as ‘All in the Family,’ ‘Maude’ or ‘Sanford and Son’ which vied with it for top billing in the Nielsen ratings. Set in the fictitious rural community of Walton’s Mountain, Virginia, during the 1930s, the episodic narrative focused upon a large and dignified, ‘salt-of-the-earth’ rural white family consisting of grandparents, parents and seven children.”
“Audiences in all entertainment media have been brutalized by crudities, vulgarity, violence, indifference and ineptitude,” Hamner wrote in the Los Angeles Times in 1972. With the Waltons “we are attempting to make an honest, positive statement on the affirmation of man.”
It was a sanitized version of the Great Depression, though. The production notes, cited in the Museum of Broadcasting by Pamela Wilson, said “That the Waltons are poor should be obvious, but there should be no hint of squalor or debased living conditions usually associated with poverty.”
‘Good night’ ritual
“The story,” Hamner said in an oral history for the Archive of American Television, “reminded people a lot of their own experiences or the way they wished their own experiences had been.”
As he tells it, it was indeed his own experience, down to the “good night” ritual that concluded each show. With the night descending on Walton’s Mountain, the camera would show the lights going out room by room. And as they did, the day’s inevitable crisis resolved, the family would banter for a moment about it and finally:
“Good night, John-Boy.”
“Good night, Elizabeth.”
“Good night, Daddy.”
“Good night, Son.”
“Good night, Mama.”
“Good night, Mary Ellen.”
“Good night, Jim Bob.”
“That was something that we actually did when I was growing up,” Hamner said. “Sometimes we’d get carried away saying so many good nights that my father, who had to get up in the morning, would say, alright, that’s enough. And Richard Thomas, after his first trip to Virginia, he said, ‘you know, I always wondered how you people could say good night and be heard. But then I saw the house and it was such a little crackerbox that now I understand.’”
The order of “good nights” varied from episode to episode, of which, by the way, there were over 200, a remarkable achievement particularly in view of the skepticism with which CBS executives viewed the staying power of the series when it debuted in 1971, following a successful airing of “The Homecoming,” a 1 hour and 40 minute made-for-TV pre-cursor to “The Waltons” based on a Hamner book of the same name. “It got around the industry,” Hamner said, “that this was a show about poor people living in the Depression years in the backwoods of Virginia. And everybody said, well, ‘that won’t last.’”
Predictable plots
The plots, each one of them described on Wikipedia, were fairly predictable, most of the time:
“John-Boy is anxious to prove himself on a turkey hunt with his father and two friends, but finds he can’t shoot a turkey, which he equates with premeditated murder. He has no trouble killing a bear when it attacks his father.”
“John-Boy borrows an antique typewriter from the Baldwin sisters so he can submit a proper manuscript to a magazine. Mary Ellen inadvertently sells the typewriter to a traveling junk dealer. Fortunately, Sheriff Bridges is able to help her track it down.”
But occasionally, the ugly world outside Walton’s Mountain would intrude:
“A troubled teenager from Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, whose father was murdered by a gangster runs away from the Civilian Conservation Corps to Walton’s Mountain. The Waltons take him in and teach him that he can trust some people and he doesn’t have to fight (literally) for everything he gets.”
“A Jewish Nazi-refugee family moves to Walton’s Mountain from Germany. Expecting to find similar anti-semitism in America, the bitter, distrustful father, Professor Mann, chooses to protect his family by hiding their faith, and cancels plans for his son’s impending bar mitzvah. … John Boy discovers the family secret, and helps the boy find a rabbi while the others open their home for the ceremony.”
“The Waltons” ran until 1981, receiving five Emmy awards in its first season and more than a dozen over the years.
Hamner, the AP reported, died in Los Angeles and had recently been battling pneumonia, said Ray Castro Jr., a friend of Hamner’s who produced a documentary, “Earl Hamner Storyteller,” about the writer. In addition to “The Waltons,” Hamner created the long-running TV drama “Falcon Crest” and collaborated with Rod Serling on “The Twilight Zone.”
Hamner is survived by his wife, Jane; son, Scott; and a daughter, Caroline.
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FAQs
Good night, John-Boy. Good night, Elizabeth. Good night, Daddy. Good night, Son.
Did Earl Hamner pass away? ›
Earl Hamner Jr., who drew on warm memories of his Depression childhood in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to create the enormously popular 1970s television series “The Waltons,” died on Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 92. The cause was bladder cancer, his daughter, Caroline Hamner, said. Mr.
What did The Waltons say at the end of the show? ›
"I hope that you'll remember this house as I do," Earl Hamner narrates in the closing moments of the final episode of The Waltons.
How did Elizabeth get paralyzed on The Waltons? ›
Elizabeth breaks both legs in a fall from a log pile. When she comes home from the hospital, the family must adjust to her injuries and devise ways to help her walk again, something the Doctors aren't sure she'll be able to do.
What was the secret about Jim Bob on The Waltons? ›
They find Jim-Bob's birth record but they also discover that Jim-Bob had a twin, Joseph Zebulon Walton who died at birth. Esther learns from Ike and Flossie Brimmer that Jim-Bob is asking questions concerning he birth. She talks to John and tells him it is time for him to tell him about the circ*mstances.
Who did Jim Bob get pregnant on The Waltons? ›
A girl (Jennifer Jason Leigh) claims she is pregnant with Jim-Bob's baby.
What was Olivia's illness on The Waltons? ›
Her character's abrupt disappearance was explained by Olivia developing tuberculosis and entering a sanatorium in Arizona. She made occasional guest appearances until the show's cancelation and later appeared in four of the six Waltons reunion movies made during the 1980s and 1990s.
Did Mary Ellen get divorced on The Waltons? ›
Then Curt was killed at Pearl Harbor in the 1978 season, and Mary Ellen found new love with Arlington Wescott "Jonesy" Jones (Richard Gililand) while taking premed courses. The romance was threatened when Curt was discovered not to have died after all, but the two decided their marriage had ended and divorced.
Was there a real Ike Godsey? ›
In addition to the Walton characters, other roles, such as the “recipe-making” Baldwin sisters and General Store owner, Ike Godsey were also inspired by real people.
Is Mr Godsey still alive? ›
Joe Conley (March 3, 1928 – July 7, 2013) was an American actor who played many small roles on television and is most remembered for his role as the storekeeper Ike Godsey in The Waltons. Buffalo, New York, U.S. Newbury Park, California, U.S.
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Filmography.
The main story is set in Walton's Mountain, a fictional mountain community in the fictitious Jefferson County, Virginia. The real place upon which the stories are based is the community of Schuyler in Nelson County, Virginia.
Why did The Waltons get Cancelled? ›
The announcement shocked fans, but the network's decision came after The Waltons had spent years on a gradual descent from the top of the TV ratings. The show had dipped from No. 2 in its second season, down to the nation's No. 42 show by its ninth.
Did any of The Waltons date each other? ›
The love stories carried over behind the scenes. Ma and Pa Walton — Ralph Waite and Michael Learned — quietly fell on love on set. And remember Jason and Toni, who we just mentioned in the prior paragraph? Well, actors Jon Walmsley and Lisa Harrison tied the knot in real life in 1979!
Did Olivia have a miscarriage on The Waltons? ›
Later while the family relaxes in the living room Olivia senses that something is wrong. She loses the baby and John explains to the children that maybe that is nature's way of saying that maybe the conditions weren't right for a healthy baby and that the birth wasn't meant to be.
Why did Erin and Paul divorce on The Waltons? ›
During the end voice over , John boy states that Erin's marriage is as strong today as it was when they got married , but in A Walton Thanksgiving reunion , she is divorced and states that it was because she found out Paul was cheating on her .
Did Olivia Walton get polio? ›
Summary: The entire family suffers a crisis when Olivia is stricken with polio. Dr. Vance prescribes the accepted treatment, but Olivia does not get better.
Did Grandma Walton died on the show? ›
What illness did the mother on The Waltons have? ›
Olivia is leaving Walton's Mountain, hustled off with tuberculosis to an Arizona sanatorium while her family somehow forges a path between unbearable grief and unbearable stoicism.
Is the story of The Waltons true? ›
All of the Waltons were based on real people — Hamner's family, his grandfather and grandmother, his father and mother, and his brothers and sisters, of whom there were seven in the show but eight in real life.
Did the Hamner family really own a mountain? ›
People have been asking for more than four decades if "the family is real" and "is there a 'real' Walton's Mountain?" The answer is yes. Though the names might be different Earl Hamner based the show on his memories of growing up in rural Virginia with his family during the depression.
Ralph Waite was fired from his role due to budgetary issues. The show had become more expensive as Waite aged, and at the same time the ratings started to decline.
Who has passed away from The Waltons show? ›
Ellen Corby (Grandma) 1999 age 87 natural causes in Woodland Hills, CA. Dorothy Stickney (Miss Emily) 1998 age 101 at her home in NYC. Cleavon Little (Hawthorne Dooley) 1992 age 53 of colon cancer in Sherman Oaks, CA. Woodrow Parfrey (Ike Godsey) 1984 at age 61 of a heart attack in LA.
Who does Jim-Bob marry on Waltons? ›
He marries the schoolteacher, Rosemary Hunter, in season four.
Why was John-Boy replaced on The Waltons? ›
The cast may be new, but the story remains the same. In fact, one very familiar face was invited back to Waltons Mountain to narrate it. Hamner Jr. passed in 2016, after leaving an indelible impression in pop culture, so producers had to find a replacement.
Why was Olivia written out of The Waltons? ›
Michael Learned didn't like TV acting
The show indicates that she's being treated for tuberculosis in Arizona, but Learned didn't return to Walton's Mountain until the reunion films.
Did Ralph Waite and Michael Learned get along? ›
In 2019, it was reported that Learned and Waite "were in love" off-screen. However, the pair did not pursue a romance. "I loved him very much," she explained. "And we loved each other as much as anybody could love anybody.
Did Mary Ellen have a baby with Jonesy? ›
Mary Ellen marries Dr. Curtis Willard and they have 1 child, John Curtis, before he is lost and presumed dead after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Eventually she remarries Arlington Westcott Jones "Jonesy" and together they have 2 children, Clay and Katie.
What happened to Mary Ellen's? ›
Mary Ellen Wilson (March 1864 – October 30, 1956) also called Mary Ellen McCormack was an American whose case of child abuse led to the creation of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
...
| Mary Ellen Wilson |
|---|
| Died | October 30, 1956 (aged 92) New York, U.S. |
| Spouse | Lewis Schutt ( m. 1888) |
2 more rows1978 Michael Learned decided to quit her contract and leave the successful series "The Waltons". Her departure from the show was declared to the TV audience by tuberculosis disease of "Ma Walton" and her long stay in a sanatorium.
Does The Waltons House still exist? ›
Popularly known as The Waltons House, the Hamner House is the childhood home of Earl Hamner, Jr., novelist and creator of the TV series, The Waltons and was listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register in 2004. The Walton Hamner House is open seven days a week and guided tours begin every half hour from 10am until 4pm.
The Walton's made use of many period appropriate buildings, sets and locations. Being a domestic, family based drama much of the action was staged in and around the Walton family home. While the interiors were filmed on Stage 26 of the former Burbank studios, the house exterior was filmed on the jungle set.
Was there a real John Boy Walton? ›
The real life John-Boy, Earl Hamner Jr., who created 'The Waltons,' dies at age 92.
Is Ronnie Claire Edwards still alive? ›
Did Ike and Corabeth have a child? ›
Corabeth eventually married Ike Godsey (Joe Conley), and they adopted a daughter.
Who owns Waltons Mountain now? ›
You can purchase tickets for tours of the home at the Walton's Mountain Museum in Schuyler. Three longtime fans of the popular TV show "The Waltons" have purchased the Virginia childhood home of the show's creator in an effort to keep it open to the public.
Where was The Waltons actually filmed? ›
“Many of the places mentioned on the series actually do exist in Schuyler.” While filmed on location in California, the fictional Walton family would have been at home in the tiny town of about 300 residents 40 minutes southwest of Charlottesville, Va., in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Where are the real Waltons today? ›
Lies the small town of Schulyer, Virginia, home of the Hamner family – the real-life family on which the Waltons were based. The mountain town of Schuyler is home to about 400 residents, and there the two-story Hamner family home still stands.
Where are The Waltons cars now? ›
The original truck is housed in the Walmart Heritage Museum in Bentonville. The museum's director, Alan Dranow, called Walton's truck a “symbol of humility” and frugality. “It's not just a pickup.
What was the last ever episode of The Waltons? ›
How did The Waltons end? ›
The final episode, titled “The Revel,” aired on June 4, 1981. In the episode, John-Boy goes to New York to pursue his writing career but arrives to find that his manuscript has been rejected. His publisher's secretary gives him enough money to return home and advises him to start a new book. He returned home dejected.
By law 25% of the money went into a protected trust, accessible at 18. We each had agents, so they received 10% and taxes were withheld. The SAG contract included residuals, though things like cable, streaming and video tapes didn't exist then.
Did John-Boy Walton marry Daisy? ›
In The Waltons episode "The Revelation," John-Boy proposes to his girlfriend Daisy, and when she said yes, it was a real moment on the show. But by the episode's end, Daisy has called off the wedding, and the next time we see her, Daisy is just an old flame to John-Boy, never to be rekindled.
Did the parents on The Waltons fall in love? ›
She told Fox News at one point the actors who played Ma and Pa Walton actually developed strong romantic feelings for one another. "We had a deep love for each other that we would have ruined if we had taken that extra step, and we didn't," Learned said. "We never did.
Does Erin marry Paul on The Waltons? ›
Mary Elizabeth McDonough played Erin Walton on the show. Unfortunately, many of her romances end up being ill-fated. They die or end up being less-than-stellar people. Eventually, she meets Paul Northridge and the two get married.
Did Ben and Cindy stay married on The Waltons? ›
The actors playing Ben and Cindy Walton both happily married but still became inseparable. One of the earliest appearances of Cindy Brunson Walton comes in one of the most emotional episodes of The Waltons, an episode called "Founders' Day."
Who all did they say goodnight to in The Waltons? ›
Olivia: Good night, Mary Ellen. Good night, Jim Bob. Jim Bob: Good night, Mama. Good night, Erin.
What is a unique way to say good night? ›
How to Say “Have A Good Night” Differently
- Nighty Night. | Sweet dreams! | Night Night. | Sleep tight!
- Sleep well. | Have a good sleep.
- Go to bed, you sleepy head! | Time to ride the rainbow to dreamland! | Goodnight, the little love of my life! | Lights out! | Dream of Mama/Papa!
Trivia (5) At the end of the episode, everyone is saying goodnight to each other. Jack says "Goodnight, Johnboy," referring to the familiar closing to each episode of "The Waltons".
Where does Good Night John Boy come from? ›
Goodnight, John-Boy is a nostalgic memory book of The Waltons, the number-one television show of its time.
How do you say flirty goodnight? ›
How Do You Say Goodnight In A Flirty Way?
- “Sleep tight, love! I'll be dreaming of you!”
- “Good night, the love of my life. Sweet dreams!”
- “Get some rest! ...
- “Goodnight, most handsome guy/ prettiest girl in my life. ...
- "Sleep tonight, sweetheart. ...
- “Night night, baby. ...
- “Good night, sweetness. ...
- “Sweet kisses tonight.”
Romantic alternatives to saying I love you
Think of how they make you feel, and the effect that being around them has on you. You light up my life. Every time I think of you, my heart jumps and my tummy cartwheels. Your laugh is my favorite sound.
Is John-Boy still alive? ›
In real life, John-Boy was indeed Hamner, creator and narrator of the show as well as author of Spencer's Mountain. Now he is gone. He was 92, a veteran of World War II, one of America's best-loved writers and, as the narrator of The Waltons, a much-loved voice.
Does John-Boy marry Daisy? ›
In The Waltons episode "The Revelation," John-Boy proposes to his girlfriend Daisy, and when she said yes, it was a real moment on the show. But by the episode's end, Daisy has called off the wedding, and the next time we see her, Daisy is just an old flame to John-Boy, never to be rekindled.
Is John-Boy alive? ›
He is best known for his leading role as budding author John-Boy Walton in the CBS drama series The Waltons for which he won an Emmy Award.
...
Richard Thomas (actor)
| Richard Thomas |
|---|
| Born | Richard Earl Thomas June 13, 1951 Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Education | Columbia University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1958–present |
4 more rowsHe got his big break writing episodes for The Twilight Zone, including the popular “You Drive.” His most well-known television series is The Waltons, which is based on his bestselling stories Spencer's Mountain and The Homecoming. Both novels were inspired by his own childhood.
Why is John-Boy using a cane on The Waltons? ›
He fractured his ankle filming a motorcycle scene for September 30, 1955 (1977).
How was John-Boy written off The Waltons? ›
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, John-Boy, like the other men in the family, has to enroll in the military. He eventually becomes a war correspondent, writing for the Stars and Stripes. For a while, some fear that he has vanished, but he returns to Walton's Mountain in the end.
Images: Skydive Saratoga Santa event Saturday at Ellms Family Farm in Charlton (7 photos, 1 video)
