Whatever Happened To Jonesy From The Waltons? - Looper (2024)

Whatever Happened To Jonesy From The Waltons? - Looper (2)

Whatever Happened To Jonesy From The Waltons? - Looper (3)

Whatever Happened To Jonesy From The Waltons?

ByVictoria Miller/April 10, 2022 7:42 pm EST

"The Waltons" were one of TV's most beloved –- and supersized –- TV families. John and Virginia Walton (Ralph Waite, Michael Learned) had a long list of "goodnights" to say each night, what with seven kids and two grandparents living in their rural Virginia home. And over the course of the CBS drama's nine seasons, the clan expanded even more with the addition of new spouses and grandkids.

One of the most heartbreaking "Waltons" storylines was when Mary Ellen Walton's (Judy Norton) husband, Dr. Curt Willard, was presumed dead following the attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II. He miraculously reappeared, but the couple ultimately divorced, and it was several years before the mother of one found love again, this time with Arlington Wescott Jones III, aka "Jonesy," played by Richard Gilliland. Jonesy first turned upin the 1981 "Waltons" episode "The Whirlwind," per IMDb. The character only appeared in two episodes of the original series, which ended in June 1981, but Gilliland returned for three "Waltons" TV movies in 1982, including a Mother's Day reunion special in which Mary Ellen and Jonesy wed on Walton's Mountain.

Forty years after her character found love with Jonesy on "The Waltons," Norton looked back at the character with fondness. In June 2021, Norton posted a YouTube video about fathers and talked about how her TV husband became a role model for her character's son, John-Curtis, as well as Jonesy and Mary Ellen's later children, Clay and Katie. "He was a wonderful mentor and role model for John-Curtis as he was getting older. So, a great addition to the Walton family,"Norton said. Here's what happened toGilliland after the show ended.

Richard Gilliland went on to marry a TV co-star

Whatever Happened To Jonesy From The Waltons? - Looper (5)

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Following his stint on "The Waltons," Richard Gilliland became a regular on the short-lived ABC sitcom "Just Our Luck" in 1983. He also appeared on CBS' "Heartland" and the ABC drama "thirtysomething," but he had better luck when he landed a recurring role on "Designing Women" as J.D. Shackelford. Not only did he snag a part on one of the biggest sitcoms on television at the time, but he met his future wife in co-star Jean Smart. In June 1987, the two married in an outdoor ceremony hosted by fellow "Designing Women" couple Dixie Carter and Hal Holbrook, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Thirty-four years later, Gilliland died unexpectedly on March 18, 2021, at age 71, after a brief illness, per People. Shortly after, Smart told The New Yorker that her late husband was "one of those actors who never got the chance to really show what he could do." "A couple of times onstage, he did," Smart said. "But he really sacrificed his career for me to be able to take advantage of my opportunities."

Gilliland's "Waltons" wife also paid tribute to him following his death. In April 2021, Judy Norton posted to her YouTube channel to reveal that she still has a little ceramic dog Gilliland gave her as a gift when they worked together four decades ago. "I will always remember Richard's smile," Norton said. "It was so evident in every episode. He was so enduring as a person, as a character, that he fit seamlessly into The Walton family. My only regret is he wasn't around to do more episodes."

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Whatever Happened To Jonesy From The Waltons? - Looper (2024)

FAQs

What happened to the character Jonesy on The Waltons? ›

Jonesy and Mary-Ellen got married in the reunion movie on Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain. “Mary-Ellen married again to Jonesy, played by Richard Gilliland,” Norton says in the video. “And Jonesy became a stepfather to John Curtis.

Did Mary Ellen have children 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 second husband on The Waltons? ›

In the final seasons of The Waltons, it's revealed that Curt is still alive and living off of Walton's Mountain, in a relationship with another woman, pretending not to know of Mary Ellen or John Curtis's existence.

Which Waltons have passed away? ›

Andrew Duggan (John Walton) 1988 at age 64 of throat cancer in Westwood, CA. Edgar Bergen (Grandpa) 1978 age 75 of a heart attack in Las Vegas, NV. Ellen Corby (Grandma) 1999 age 87 natural causes in Woodland Hills, CA. Dorothy Stickney (Miss Emily) 1998 age 101 at her home in NYC.

Did Mary Ellen divorce Jonesy? ›

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.

Why did Liv go away on The Waltons? ›

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.

Who did John Boy Walton marry? ›

He meets Janet Gilchrist who is an editor for Harper's magazine. The two are married on Walton's Mountain.

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!

Who did Jonesy marry on The Waltons? ›

Appearing first in the appropriately titled episode "The Whirlwind," Jonesy strikes up a passionate romance with Mary Ellen. Things don't work out on the show but thanks to the sequel TV movies, that wasn't the last time audiences saw Jonesy. He and Mary Ellen marry in Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain.

Who did Jim Bob get pregnant on The Waltons? ›

A girl (Jennifer Jason Leigh) claims she is pregnant with Jim-Bob's baby.

What happened to Mary Ellen's oldest son on The Waltons? ›

Even though John-Curtis was a well-known character in “The Waltons,” he did not appear in the special reunion productions. According to Judy Norton, her television son's absence from the show's reunion movies had to do with finances and not storylines.

What happened to Mary Ellen son? ›

In season six, they welcome a son, John Curtis Willard. In season seven, Mary Ellen receives a telegram notifying her that Curt has been killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor, but in season nine she learns he is still alive, using an assumed name.

Did the grandmother on The Waltons have a stroke in real life? ›

Ellen Corby died in 1999, but she is remembered as Grandma Walton on the hit television show, The Waltons. Her work on the show earned her three Emmy awards. Yet her career almost ended in 1976 after a stroke that left her with aphasia.

Are Sam Walton's children still alive? ›

Walton married Helen Robson on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1943. They had four children: Samuel Robson (Rob) born in 1944, John Thomas (1946–2005), James Carr (Jim) born in 1948, and Alice Louise born in 1949. Walton supported various charitable causes.

Is Waltons Mountain a real place? ›

While the television series took place on a fictional "Walton's Mountain," in Virginia, and the book on "Spencer's Mountain" in Wyoming, both are actually based on Hamner's hometown of Schuyler, VA. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that the Walton's Mountain Museum is located right here in Schuyler, VA.

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 .

Does Mary Ellen Walton have children? ›

In the sixth season of The Waltons, Mary Ellen's son John Curtis is born, introducing the first Walton grandkid on the mountain.

What happened to Ben and Cindy's baby on The Waltons? ›

Virginia is only ever depicted on screen as a baby (in the show's final two seasons) and a toddler (in the 1982 reunion special Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain), but her eventual death at the age of 17 is mentioned in the fourth TV film, A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion.

Is the real Olivia Walton still alive? ›

Michael Learned (born April 9, 1939) is an American actress, known for her role as Olivia Walton in the long-running CBS drama series The Waltons (1972–1981).
...
Michael Learned
Learned in a publicity photo as Olivia Walton, 1972
BornApril 9, 1939 Washington, D.C., U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1961–present
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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.

Was Ike Godsey a real person? ›

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.

How many times did John-Boy get married? ›

Richard Thomas rejoins the Waltons for a CBS special. Richard Thomas managed to get married twice, to different women in a three-week span last year.

How many kids did John-Boy Walton have? ›

For the young stars who played the seven children of John and Olivia, their costars became like siblings. After all, they grew up and worked together for nearly a decade.

Where was The Waltons filmed at? ›

“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.

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.

Does the cast of The Waltons get residuals? ›

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.

Why did Ralph Waite leave The Waltons in season 9? ›

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.

Does Ben stay married on The Waltons? ›

Sadly she died a few days after giving birth to their daughter Ashley in 1992 after she developed leukemia during the pregnancy. Eric and his third wife Cindy. They married in 2001 and have 2 children together.
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Ben Walton.
Featured storylines
"The Obstacle" (s7-ep14)"The Outsider" (s7-ep29)
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Are the Baldwin sisters from The Waltons still alive? ›

They reprised their roles as the Baldwin sisters for TV movies A Walton Wedding (1995) and A Walton Easter (1997). Helen Kleeb passed away just shy of her 97th birthday in late December, 2003. Two years later, Mary Jackson died shortly after her 95th birthday in December of 2005.

How old was Mary Ellen Walton when she married? ›

Judy's grown up since she began her TV career playing adolescent Mary Ellen Walton." Judy had been going steady, for two years with a musician sweetheart named Doug Taylor. When they wed, she was 19 years old.

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.

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."

Did Jim Bob Walton ever become a pilot? ›

The character Jim Bob had one ambition: to learn to fly an airplane. While he was medically unfit for the Air Corps, in the final movies he had indeed become a pilot, flying crop dusting and charter flights. The only sibling on the series who had his own room in the house was John-Boy.

Why is John-Boy using a cane on The Waltons? ›

He fractured his ankle filming a motorcycle scene for September 30, 1955 (1977).

Who was the baby John Curtis on The Waltons? ›

Who played John Curtis? According to a report on Distractify, the character of John Curtis Willard was portrayed by twins Michael and Marshall Reed. They played the character from Season 6 to 9.

What happened to Jim Bob? ›

James Hamner, 67, the youngest son in a family immortalized by "The Waltons" on television and the model for the character Jim-Bob Walton, died April 1 at his home in Charlottesville. He had emphysema and heart ailments.

Did Jason and Toni get married on The Waltons? ›

They're naturally at odds but clearly like each other at the same time. Toni visits Walton's Mountain and Jason plays her a song he wrote called “Antoinette.” Jason steals a kiss and they eventually get married in season nine.

How old was Grandma Walton when she died in real life? ›

Although a stroke in 1976 slowed her down, Ellen still made appearances on the series. Her last TV appearance was in 1997 in the TV movie A Walton Easter (1997). On April 14, 1999, Ellen died at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. She was 87 years old.

How old was Grandma Walton when she died? ›

What was Grandma Walton last episode? ›

Grandma Walton was part of a close-knit Virginia family in the drama from writer Earl Hamner Jr. 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.

Do any Waltons still own Walmart? ›

The Walton family is still the major shareholder of Walmart Inc. The children of Walmart founder Sam Walton own about half of all Walmart shares, according to official company documents.

Who is the richest Walmart heir? ›

In September 2016, she owned over US$11 billion in Walmart shares. As of October 2022, Walton has a net worth of $59 billion, making her the 19th-richest person, and the second richest woman in the world according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Newport, Arkansas, U.S.

Are the Waltons the richest family in the world? ›

At $224.5 billion, the Waltons are the richest family in the world thanks to their massive stake in Walmart, the world's largest company by revenue. The fourth generation of the Mars family, the second-richest clan after the Waltons, currently runs the eponymously named Mars candy company.

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.

Was there a real Mary Ellen Walton? ›

Marion Hamner Hawkes, The Real-Life 'Mary Ellen Walton', Dies at 74.

Can you tour Waltons Mountain? ›

Open weekends in April thru December: Saturdays 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Sundays 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Group tours other times: Call 434-263-8400 www.oakland-museum.org.

Who does John-Boy marry in Waltons? ›

He then finds a career in television where he serves as a news anchor. He meets Janet Gilchrist who is an editor for Harper's magazine. The two are married on Walton's Mountain.

What happened between John-Boy and Daisy on The Waltons? ›

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.

How many children did Jim Bob Walton have? ›

She has seven living children: John Walton Jr., Jason Walton, Mary Ellen Walton, Erin Esther Walton, Benjamin Walton II, James Robert Walton, and Elizabeth Tyler Walton. An eighth child, Jim-Bob's twin brother Joseph Zebulon Walton, died at birth.

Did Grandma Walton died on the show? ›

How many times was John-Boy married? ›

Richard Thomas rejoins the Waltons for a CBS special. Richard Thomas managed to get married twice, to different women in a three-week span last year.

What was Daisy's secret in The Waltons? ›

Daisy had given birth to the little girl, Melissa, three years ago, and had put her up for adoption. Daisy and her mother had argued because Daisy had refused to marry the man she did not love. Melissa, however, had been raised by Daisy's mother.

What was the last ever episode of The Waltons? ›

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