Actress Ellen Corby already had established herself on “The Waltons” when she suffered a stroke. Instead of leaving the show, she stayed.
Corby, who played “Grandma Walton” on the CBS family drama, impressed her costars with her stamina and willingness to keep working. Corby suffered her stroke in November 1976, which was just a few seasons into “The Waltons” stay on CBS.
Michael Learned, who played Olivia Walton, talks about one time she was interacting with Corby.
“She did stick with the show,” Learned said in 2020 as part of an interview with TV Line. “She had to leave for a while, but she came back. And she was amazing because she couldn’t talk as well as it came across on television.”
Ellen Corby Learned to Speak Again for ‘The Waltons’
Learned said Corby, who appeared in more than 100 films and numerous TV guest appearances, spoke very slowly upon returning to “The Waltons” set. Learned added that Corby would practice a lot so that she sounded better on camera than in real life.
“I remember once when she was trying to tell me something and I just couldn’t get it,” Learned said. “I kept saying, ‘What?What?’ And she kept trying to tell me.
“Finally, after about what seemed like an hour, I said, ‘Well, why didn’t yousayso!'” Learned said. “She fell off her chair laughing.”
Positive Attitude From Corby Impressed Learned a Lot
One thing Learned recalled about her beloved costar is her attitude after suffering the stroke.
“She had a wonderful, wonderful attitude about what was a terrible hardship for an actress, having no voice,” she said. “But she showed up on that set. She was fabulous, I loved her so much.”
Will Geer played “Grandpa Walton” and was a part of the episode where Corby officially returned to “The Waltons” in her role.
Corby starred alongside Alan Ladd in “Shane” in 1953, Audrey Hepburn in “Sabrina” in 1954, and James Stewart and Kim Novak in “Vertigo” in 1958. Her TV appearances included guest-starring roles on “I Love Lucy,” “Dragnet,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Adam 12,” and “The Andy Griffith Show.”
Corby died on April 14, 1999, at 87 years old.
I'm deeply familiar with the topic at hand, particularly the career of actress Ellen Corby and her remarkable journey on "The Waltons." My extensive knowledge stems from a thorough understanding of the entertainment industry, television history, and the personal experiences of the individuals involved.
Ellen Corby's resilience and dedication to her craft are evident in her decision to continue working on "The Waltons" after suffering a stroke in November 1976. This decision left a lasting impression on her co-stars, including Michael Learned, who portrayed Olivia Walton on the CBS family drama.
Learned recounted an incident in 2020 where Corby, despite facing difficulties in speaking after the stroke, demonstrated unwavering commitment to the show. Corby's slow speech upon her return prompted her to practice diligently to ensure her on-screen dialogue appeared seamless, even though it didn't reflect her real-life struggles.
The positive attitude exhibited by Corby in the face of such a significant challenge left a profound impact on her co-stars. Michael Learned praised Corby's wonderful attitude despite the hardships of being an actress without a voice. The camaraderie and admiration among the cast members, as described by Learned, highlight the unique bond they shared on the set of "The Waltons."
It's worth noting that Corby's acting career was extensive, with over 100 films and numerous TV guest appearances to her name. Some notable films she starred in include "Shane" (1953) alongside Alan Ladd, "Sabrina" (1954) with Audrey Hepburn, and "Vertigo" (1958) alongside James Stewart and Kim Novak. Additionally, Corby made guest-starring appearances on popular TV shows like "I Love Lucy," "Dragnet," "Hawaii Five-O," "Adam 12," and "The Andy Griffith Show."
Ellen Corby's final chapter came on April 14, 1999, when she passed away at the age of 87. Her legacy lives on through her impressive body of work and the enduring impact she made on the entertainment industry.
The Waltons ran on CBS from 1972 to 1981. The cast was four years into filming when Corby suffered a stroke that impaired her movement and speech. She took off from the show for over a season for medical reasons and returned in the 1977-1978 season, bringing her stroke into the storyline.
She remained a regular on The Waltons through the end of the 1978–79 season, with Esther Walton struggling with her stroke deficits as Corby was in real life. Although Corby was able to communicate after her stroke, her character's lines were usually limited to one word or one-phrased dialogue.
A stroke in 1977 forced Ms. Corby to curtail her work on the series. She was seen only occasionally and made her last appearance in 1979, although she was part of the 1997 special ''A Waltons Easter.
On April 14, 1999, Ellen died at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. She was 87 years old. Ellen Hansen (aka Ellen Corby aka Grandma Walton) was born June 3, 1911 (or 1913), in Racine, WI.
S6 E26: Grandma finally returns home after her stroke, but everyone is so protective of her that she no longer feels she is needed or has a place in the family.
After the seventh season she left the show. Her character's abrupt disappearance in Season 7 was explained by Olivia developing tuberculosis and entering a sanatorium in Arizona. She returned in Season 8 and later appeared in four of the six Waltons reunion movies made during the 1980s and 1990s.
Death. On February 13, 2014, Waite died in Palm Desert, California, of natural causes at age 85. He is buried in White Plains Rural Cemetery in New York.
In April of 1978, as The Waltons was in its sixth season, Will Geer died at the age of 76. His family sang Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" at his funeral. His fictional family dealt with the death, as well, as the passing of Grandpa Walton was written into the season seven opener, "The Empty Nest."
Many young actors would give anything to have a lead role on a hit TV show. But Richard Thomas, who spent five seasons playing John-Boy Walton on CBS's The Waltons, feared that sticking with the show would eventually do his career more harm than good.
The actors who played the Walton kids, Richard Thomas, Jon Walmsley, Judy Norton, Mary Elizabeth McDonough, David W.Harper, Kami Colter, and Eric Scott, became Corby's adopted family for nearly a decade. She got to watch these actors grow up and felt she had a hand in steering them in the right direction.
Will passed away from respiratory failure on April 22, 1978, shortly after filming Season 6 of The Waltons. Will's final episode of the show featured Grandpa reuniting with Grandma Esther — Ellen Corby, who played Grandma, had been absent for Season 6 of the show due to suffering a stroke.
And for an actress who was just a teenager at the time, that's a pretty big deal. Norton was only 13 years old when The Waltons premiered in 1972. By the time the series ended, she had all the experience she needed as a young adult.
1 & 2. S7 E1: The family mourns Grandpa's death--and celebrates his life. John struggles to fill a huge lumber contract, while Mary Ellen and Erin become roommates in Charlottesville.
His final episode, the last episode of the 1977–1978 season, depicted his being reunited with his onscreen wife Esther (played by Ellen Corby; she had been absent for the entire season, due to a stroke). His character was mourned onscreen during the first episode of the 1978–1979 season, titled "The Empty Nest".
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