Ralph Waite dead at 85
It took me by surprise (as most deaths do with most people), but later as I lay in the darkness, feeling a real sense of loss for someone I didn’t know outside of his role as John Walton on the 70s tv show The Waltons, I tried to make sense of it and couldn’t. All I knew was, a man I loved and respected for many years was gone.
For some reason, this news reminded me of one of my favorite episodes. In it’s seventh season, it seemed the end was near; Richard Thomas (who played John Boy) had left a couple years prior to do tv movies and the theater. One year later, Ellen Corby (who played Grandma Walton) suffered a stroke and was also gone (but did return a year or so later in a handful of episodes, in a non speaking role).
Will Geer (who played Grandpa) died one year after that, in the spring of ‘78, and Michael Learned (who played Olivia, John Walton’s wife) left the show in 1979 to star in her own short-lived series Nurse. Ralph Waite was the only adult left.
The producers saw the writing on the wall, and assumed CBS had no choice but to cancel their show. They wrote a final episode titled “Founders Day”, which aired in March 1979 and concluded with Earl Hamner, the creator & narrator of the show, delivering the loveliest goodbye I’ve ever seen. I included a short video of it below.
But this was not the end after all; in a move that surprised everyone, CBS asked them to continue producing another season. I’d like to think such possibilities happen elsewhere as well.
Rest in peace, John Walton
The thing I always say to other people about you is that you're such a decent and good person. For me, I know that kindness in general is so important thing to you, that you miss it in people a lot of time, and that your heart truly goes out to anyone who is vulnerable in whatever way. That Walton clip could be corny but it was really touching and I liked that it mattered to YOU so much.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for the kind words Shawn, your words and feelings will always mean the most to me :)
ReplyDeleteThe Waltons was one of the best shows that aired on television and still is even though the shows are old reruns...I loved all the characters..especially Grandma..RIP to the ones that have left us
ReplyDeleteI loved the Waltons, as a teenager. Our television reception was very poor in the woods, and after the big switch to digital, it was pretty much non-existent. When we moved to town, I got caught up watching re-runs of the Waltons, and I was disappointed at how silly it seemed.
ReplyDeleteI am a bit older than you, but I have to say I still love the Waltons, the memory of a family where everyone loved each other and the bickering never turned violent, and at the end of the day, people call out "Goodnight!!!"
That's very sweet, thanks for sharing Debby...
DeleteOh fer pete's sake. When I saw this, I though, "Jees...I thought 'Daddy' died some time ago..." but I forget stuff... After my reply, I see the date of the post. Well. At least my memory is not completely shot.
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