The Waltons

FILMED July 1977 I missed John-Boy. I knew John-Boy Walton better than I knew Richard Earl Thomas. I had been involved with John-Boy from when he was a seventeen year-old confused teenager struggling with his conscience over what to do … Continue reading →

FILMED July 1977 Again using the new opening format established in the previous fifth season, the show started with a climactic scene from later in the story, which then led into the billboard. The previous practice had been to select … Continue reading →

FILMED October 1976 EXT. WALTON HOUSE (WB BACKLOT) – DAY October, 1976. I am on the back lot of Warner Bros. studio on the front lawn of the Walton house, studying my script. It is the first day of filming … Continue reading →

FILMED July 1976 I seemed to have skipped Season Four of THE WALTONS and when I returned for Season Five there were several changes, starting with a new billboard to open the show. The previously acceptable start-at-the-beginning-and let-the-program-unfold-in-its-natural-way was no … Continue reading →

FILMED July 1974 One day during my preparation for THE CRADLE producer Robert Jacks invited me to go with him to a screening room where we viewed Sydney Pollack’s production of THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON’T THEY? Bob told me that … Continue reading →

FILMED June 1974 Saturday, our sixth and final day on location in Frazier Park found me with a ton of work to complete and it had to be completed that day. The last two sequences were locations that couldn’t be … Continue reading →

FILMED June 1974 Film clip  is from a recent interview by the Archive of American Television, a division of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation. I was eager to meet Miss Bondi in person. As I’ve written before, … Continue reading →

FILMED December 1973 The day after I wrapped THE GIFT on Stage 26, I reported to THE WALTONS’ production office to prepare my next assignment. THE CRADLE was an ensemble piece, not only more of an ensemble piece than any … Continue reading →

FILMED November 1973 When I returned to THE WALTONS in November, the script I was assigned to direct felt like a gift. It was going to give me the opportunity to make an audience cry. My main goal when directing … Continue reading →

FILMED August 1973 The year following TO TASTE OF TERROR on THE ROOKIES was a bleak year professionally. I was back directing the longer form, but the days of going from a great script on TWILIGHT ZONE to another on … Continue reading →