The Ten Things You Didnt Know About the Waltons

Things Y'all Didn't Know About 'The Waltons'

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Back in the '70s and '80s, a lot of networks focused on wholesome family series which led to huge hit shows such as Trivial House on the Prairie, The Brady Bunch, and The Waltons. The Waltons first aired in December 1971 as a television set movie earlier premiering the serial in 1972 and went on to have nine very successful seasons earlier coming to an finish after being canceled by NBC in 1981. More than than 35 years after take a look back at the beloved show with these x things you never knew well-nigh the series, the cast, and life on set:

10. Basis For The Prove

The Waltons was created by Earl Hamner, Jr. and was based off his volume Spencer's Mount which was turned into a 1963 film of the same name. As information technology turns out, Hamner based the book and subsequent flick and show off of his own family. He grew upwardly with seven siblings after whom he based each Walton child, and based the Walton grandparents after his ain grandparents.

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9. Getting The Cast

Before Michael Learned became the beloved dame of the Waltons, the function was actually given to Patricia Neal. Unfortunately Neal's previous health issues became a problem and Learned had to be brought in to supersede her. Meanwhile, producers first wanted Henry Fonda to star in the series equally John Walton after he had the lead part in the 1963 flick. Instead Fonda saw the two-60 minutes pilot and said, "What do you want me for? The kid is the star! The whole family unit is the star! You don't need me."

(c)Lorimar. Courtesy: Everett Collection.

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8. The Walton House

Instead of being on Walton's Mount in rural Virginia, the Walton house was actually located to the n of Warner Bros. Studios in Brubank, California, and the slope of the mountain was actually a slope of the Hollywood Hills. In the late '90s, the firm was dismantled and moved to the Warner Bros. ranch lot at Hollywood Manner and is still used as a workable outside ready. In fact, the outside was famously used as the ready of the Dragonfly Inn in season 1 of the hit serial Gilmore Girls.

Source: Lorimar

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seven. The Goodnight Sequence

By basing the series and family unit after his ain family, Hamner also incorporated some of his family'southward routines and traditions which includes the iconic "goodnight" sequence at the finish of each episode. Hamner explained that he and his family used to say goodnight to each other repeatedly until their father would tell them to exist quiet. There are only a few episodes where the episode doesn't terminate with the goodnight routine including the two part episode "The Outrage" in which President Roosevelt dies.

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6. Backside The Scenes

After the show came to an end, much of the cast spoke out about how they were treated on the show, and many were not happy. Eric Scott, who played Ben Walton, said that the young actors were taken reward of, adding they got paid very niggling even though they substantially dedicated their childhoods to the series. The cast frequently joked about how cheap Lorimar Productions was, and one time Michael Learned even confronted the producers about their attitude towards the bandage. "She went to the producers and said, 'These kids have given you years of their lives and you lot tin't get them something?' We ended upwards getting a little muffin handbasket with, like, 3 muffins in it," Judy Norton explained.

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v. John Ritter

For some The Waltons is best known for beingness ane of the offset long-running roles of the late, peachy John Ritter, who portrayed Reverend Matthew Fordwick through 18 episodes. When he left the show after 1976 it was because he had landed his iconic role on Three's Company and later said his only regret in taking the part was the fact he had to leave his role on The Waltons.

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4. The Walton Parents

Ralph Waite equally John Walton and Michael Learned equally Olivia Walton proved to be the perfect choices to lead the Walton family, simply they weren't without their troubles. Both actors acknowledge to take had a problem with alcoholism while the show was going on, and Waite credits his on-screen family for helping him become sober. "He credited the bear witness for being the reason he got sober. He said, 'I sat at that place ane day at the kitchen table with all you kids and I felt like such a fake.' He took himself to AA and got sober," Judy Norton, who portrayed Mary Ellen, revealed. As for Learned, she plainly striking stone bottom with her drinking effectually season five and got sober between season v and half-dozen. Afterwards, Learned besides revealed that she tried dating her on-screen hubby in existent life! "We were both single. So I drove out to Malibu, but we just looked at each other and said, 'Nah, I don't recall so.' And then all of our lovemaking was on-screen!"

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3. Their Truthful Selves

Given the fourth dimension the show was filmed and when it was ready, many Hollywood actors hid their sexuality because it was not accepted. It was after learned that Ellen Corby, who played the strict Grandma Walton, was actually a lesbian off-set up, and Volition Greer, who played Grandpa Walton, was bi-sexual and went on to take a serious human relationship with Harry Hay who went on to exist one of the fundamental figures of the gay rights movement.

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2. Shedding the Image

Later years portraying the squeaky clean and wholesome family, many of the child actors who grew upwards on gear up were eager to shed the epitome they had come to exist known by through their Walton roles. Judy Norton, who portrayed Mary Ellen, shocked many when she went nude for a Playboy spread in 1985 in an effort to shed her good girl image. Unfortunately the photoshoot did not exactly boost her career and she later said she regrets doing it if but because it seems to be the only matter anyone wanted to talk to her nigh even a decade after. Similarly, Mary McDonough, who portrayed Norton's younger sis Ellen, made the decision to get breast implants after The Waltons came to an end in hopes she would become meliorate roles. Shortly afterwards, however, she began suffering serious wellness issues which she attributes to getting bad implants and has get an activist for women's health issues.

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1. Becoming A Success

Despite launching the show, it seems very few people had high hopes for The Waltons when they turned the two-hour Television movie into a series. Even CBS weren't so sure nigh their own show, especially since it was competing with NBC's The Flip Wilson Show and ABC's Mod Squad. Surprisingly, however, The Waltons came in and beat out both shows in ratings and Mod Squad was canceled by the time the season came to an end. Meanwhile Flip Wilson saw what was happening and opted to leave his ain show, bringing information technology to an end in 1974. At kickoff Ralph Waite was not going to audition for the role of John Walton considering he didn't desire to exist locked into a long-running TV serial, only even his amanuensis didn't take loftier hopes for the series and convinced him to practice it. "It volition never sell. Yous exercise the pilot. You lot selection upwardly a couple of bucks and then you get back to New York."

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Telisa Carter

Telisa enjoys learning and writing about all things amusement in the world of Hollywood. When she isn't catching upwards on her favorite TV shows, she likes to read, and obsess over all things football.

The Ten Things You Didnt Know About the Waltons

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