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For all the true fans of The Waltons, we've collected some facts about this beloved show which might be news for you, even if you consider yourself a die-hard fan! Check them out in the following pictures...
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Jon Walmsley, who played "Jason Walton" holds the record for the most appearances by episode. From all of the 221 episodes shot, he only missed eight, appearing in 213 episodes of The Waltons in total! Not too shabby...
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The college that "John-Boy Walton" went to is known as Boatwright University. Did you it was actually based on the University of Richmond in Virginia?
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Patricia Neal was cast as "Olivia Walton" in the pilot. She was unable to continue with her role, due to some problems with her health, so the part ultimately went to Michael Learned. Learned ended up playing the role from the first until the end of the eighth season...
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Until the middle of the ninth season, Ralph Waite ("John Walton Senior") had actually appeared in every single episode of The Waltons.
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The time frame in which the series takes place stretches from the spring of 1933 until June of the year 1946. All in all, 221 episodes were shot and broadcast over the years!
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The wrap party on the set of The Waltons actually already started while they were shooting the very last scene of the series. In the closing scene of the final episode, the last remaining family members and the Godseys gathered at the Baldwin sisters' mansion for a party. As the sisters thanked their guests for coming, the audience can see that several unnamed guests have joined the crowd - these were actually the show's creator Earl Hamner Jr. and some other long-standing members of the crew!
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While shooting the series, Jon Walmsley ("Jason Walton") and Ellen Corby ("Grandma Walton") took a liking to each other. It turns out, that she, who played the grandmother, had never had any real-life grandchildren and he didn't have any grandparents, so they started attending events together and took trips...
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The story of The Waltons is based on Earl Hamner Jr.'s real-life family members. Hamner grew up with seven siblings, each of whom was mirrored in one of the "Walton" characters. He also based the characters of the Walton grandparents on his grandparents on both his mother's and his father's side. Earl Hamner went on to create another TV classic: Falcon Crest!
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In the first episode of the series, the family gathers around their new radio to listen to the Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show. This was an homage to Bergen, the actor who played the original "Grandpa" in the series pilot movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story.
Between 1972 and 1981, The Waltons was one of the most popular shows on TV.
We've collected some interesting trivia and facts all around the show about "John-Boy" and his amazing family...
Click through the gallery slides above for 15 things you probably didn't know about The Waltons. Enjoy!