Goodnight John-Boy (Paperback)

by Earl Hamner (Author), Ralph E. Giffin (Author) "WE WERE A TRADITIONAL VIRGINIA country family: my mother and father, my four sisters, my three brothers, and two sets of grandparents..." (more)
Key Phrases: Mary Ellen, Walton's Mountain, Harry Harris (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
For eight wonderful years The Waltons, the story of a family living in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains during the Depression, entertained America and the world. Yet this television show was more than entertaining. Each episode combined wonderful stories and "teachable moments" in which adults and children alike learned the importance of honesty, hard work, respect, responsibility, self-sacrifice, and kindness. As is true in most families, the Waltons faced many challenges, occasionally stumbled along the way, but they struggled to live their lives within the framework of the values they believed and taught. Goodnight, John Boy is a memory book of The Waltons, the number-one television show of its time. Filled with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and profiles of people who appeared on the show, it introduces readers to the Hamner family members who later became characters on The Waltons, suggests events and locales that inspired many of the episodes, and traces Earl Hamner’s life as a writer from Virginia to New York to Hollywood. Included is a description of each episode plus reminiscences, comments, and personal feelings from numerous people connected with the series—writers, actors, directors, producers, family, and fans. Heavily illustrated with publicity shots and personal photographs taken by cast, crew, and others, Goodnight, John Boy will be a welcomed book by millions of loyal fans. When The Waltons first aired in 1972, it was at the bottom of the Neilson ratings—by December it led the list. That dramatic leap came about because fans told their friends about it and wrote the CBS network to praise the show and to plead that the show not be cancelled. Thirty years later, Goodnight, John Boy is sure to touch the hearts of the show’s fans again.

About the Author
EARL HAMNER is best known as the creator and producer of the Emmy Award–winning series The Waltons. The producer of Falcon Crest and other television series, he has also written for The Twilight Zone, CBS Playhouse, and Theater Guild on the Air. His seven best-selling books include Spencer’s Mountain, The Homecoming, You Can’t Get There from Here, and The Avocado Drive Zoo. He lives in Studio City, California. RALPH E. GIFFIN is president of Blue Ridge Publications in Ocean Pines, Maryland, and the director of The Waltons Museum in Schuyler, Virginia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Cumberland House (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581822987
• ISBN-13: 978-1581822984
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #96,633 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great but some of the story synopsis' are inaccurate, February 14, 2004

By A Customer

As a fan of "The Waltons" since I was 11 when the show premiered in 1972, this book is a must have for ALL fans!! It is truly insightful with many wonderful photographs.

The best part of the book of course are the season by season synopses of the episodes but some of them are inaccurate. For example in the synopsis for "The Thanksgiving Story" there is a subplot with Jason helping the Baldwin Sisters making 'The Recipe'. The sisters decide they want to adopt Jason. However, in the brief synopsis given in the book it is mentioned that BEN is the ONE they want to adopt. Any TRUE BONA FIDE WALTON FAN knows this is wrong. It is Jason whom the Baldwin Ladies had affinity for. THe research for the synopses could have been better as they are brief but I appreciate the commentaries that have been included with some of them. There could also have been more interviews with the cast. I have read and re-read the book many times and have no interview to find with David Harper who played Jim-Bob. Everyone else was included, why wasn't he? Maybe he just didn't make himself available. Another piece of information that should have been addressed but was not was the fact that Richard Thomas was NOT the ONLY John Boy. During the last 2 seasons the show recast the role with actor Robert Wightman in the part. Of course, Richard Thomas was the definitive John Boy and the show wasn't the same after the fifth season, when he left. Why they recast the role will forever remain a mystery. This, by no means, is a reflection on Robert Wightman who brought his own sensitivity and depth to the role....but it WAS a role that COULD not and SHOULD NOT have been recast. It would have been interesting to read Hamner's explanation as to why this was done to give Wightman some credit. He did the best he could given the circumstances. Also, I would have liked to have read more about why Michael Learned left the series during its 7th season and Ralph Waite during the beginning of the final one. These issues weren't talked about, either.

These are minor quirks for a fan like me. All will find this book enjoyable despite the minor flaws mentioned above.

What I have been waiting for and wondering about is when are they going to release all 9 seasons on a DVD boxed set. This show would make a mint!!!!!!!!!! Classic series like "Gilligan's Island", "Lost in Space" and "Little House on the Prairie" are selling like hotcakes and "The Waltons" should be right there with them.

Columbia House has put some episodes out on VHS but they are a waste of money. They pick episodes at random and never offer a complete series.

I have most of the episodes taped off the "Family" channel when it was airing them years ago. But the problem with them is that they are butchered and incomplete. What we "Waltons" fans need now is a complete season by season boxed set on DVD and then we can truly say "Goodnight John Boy".

Earl Hamner I hope you're reading this. Thank you for the precious gift you've given us with "The Waltons".

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great TV History!, August 6, 2003

By	T. Thompson (Wales, ME) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

At the beginning of this summer I can honestly say that I was not a fan of the Waltons. I hadn't really watched it when it was on every night or in reruns. In fact as a kid I avoided it like the plague!
But after this summer I have a new found appreciation for The Waltons. In June, my wife and I visited Schuyler, VA. In that small mountain town, we found the Walton's Mountain Museum. Schuyler, VA is the town that Earl Hamner grew up in. I now have a new found joy for this wholesome show!

If you have a chance visit this town and see where it all began. It is well worth your trip!
This book is a memoir of the years Earl spent writing his books and contributing to the show. It gives you some great insight into what went on behind the scenes, and also why Earl wrote what he wrote.
There is also a handy episode guide with many comments about the show. Each episode is listed in chronological order by air date.
This is a great book for those who love the television show.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Writer's writer., May 10, 2003

By	Jean E. Hughes "wildjean_49" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Goodnight John Boy is all I hoped it would be and more. This book answers most of my questions about the Waltons, the characters and the actors behind them. It tells about individual episodes and how actors felt about them. Someone in the book talks about the series as for writers and he or she was very correct. The character John Boy is the one that got me started journaling and then writing poetry and essays. It is also for families and anyone else who wants to read it Every video of the Waltons I have seen and now this book pushes my inner writer to write for the enjoyment of it as well as the hope to get published. Now I just want to meet Mr.Hamner, Richard Thomas and the actors who played those parts. I love storytelling also and will definitely recommend it to writers and storytellers.