A Walton
Easter
(March 31,
1997)
(number 4,
post-season movie)
Starring: Richard Thomas, Ralph Waite, Michael Learned, Jon Walmsley, Judy Norton, Mary Beth McDonough, Eric Scott, David Harper, Kami Cotler.
Special
Appearances: Grandma Walton (Ellen Corby).
Music: John Rubinstein, Producer: Sam Manners.
Executive Producers: Earl Hamner, Lee Rich, & Rich Heller.
Written
by: Julie Sayres, Directed by: Bill Corcoran.
Setting: A few days before Easter 1969 and John and Olivia’s 40th
anniversary.
John-Boy
reports live on the Channel 8 News about the historic Moon landing. Later that
night, John-Boy tells Janet that Random House wants to send a reporter from
Life magazine with him during their visit to Walton’s Mountain. The proposed
photographs and article will help publicize John-Boy’s newest novel. John-Boy
wonders if Janet should make the journey to celebrate his parent’s fortieth
wedding anniversary because she is pregnant. But, Janet reassures her husband
that the baby is not due for a month.
Olivia
teaches a grade school class when the principal (Erin) enters the classroom
with a new student, Jimmy Weeks. Olivia becomes concerned about the new boy
when he mispronounces a word.
John
eats a pie that Olivia bought at Ike’s store. They talk about their upcoming
wedding anniversary, planning to spend the day at a Virginia Beach inn. Later,
as John and Ben work at the mill, John-Boy and Janet drive up. Olivia rushes
out to greet them, and finds Aurora Jeffries, a reporter, emerging from the
car. Soon Jim Bob drives up to hug John-Boy and Janet. John and Olivia aren’t
comfortable with Aurora’s pushy personality. They sit at the supper table
talking about Janet’s pregnancy when Mary Ellen walks in with her two children.
Later, John-Boy pauses at the front porch to watch his father. He remembers the
first time he told his father that he wanted to become a writer. Drew drives up
with a homemade bent-willow rocking chair, making the suggestion that they
build more to sell. John likes the idea, but Ben is against it.
Olivia
looks out the window to see Elizabeth drive up in a taxi. Elizabeth announces
she came from Rhodesia, then England, and on to Washington DC. but is home to
settle down. After talking with Elizabeth, John-Boy returns to the porch,
looking up to the sky to think:
“Small things call me home, no matter where I am,
the call of a night bird, the rumble of a train crossing a trestle, the scent
of crabapple, the lowing of a sleepy cow, can call me home again.”
Back
inside, John-Boy comments that the night sky here is better than in New York
City. Janet says that it’s not a contest. John and Olivia look on, concerned
with their tone. John-Boy admits to Janet that he is thinking about relocating
them to the Mountain. Janet thinks he is uncomfortable in New York City, but
John-Boy says he’s not. Later Janet tells Olivia that she doesn’t mean to
criticize her husband. John-Boy tells his father that he sees Grandpa in many
places. He reassures John that everything is fine between him and his wife,
saying they have a wonderful life in NYC, but likes the idea of moving back.
John reminds him that he will soon must think about a wife and a new baby.
Outside
the hardware store John-Boy greets Verdie. They reminisce about earlier times
and their current lives. Verdie mentions that Old Man Walker is selling the
cabin where John-Boy writes. At the same time Drew drives up while Elizabeth is
picking wildflowers. When Elizabeth asks if he is going to ask her to the
movies, Drew admits he has a girlfriend. Elizabeth is crushed that he didn’t
wait for her. Later John-Boy shows Aurora the area around Druscilla’s Pond. She
tells him that his books remind her of idyllic times.
At
school Olivia asks Jimmy why he doesn’t want to sign up for the spelling bee.
He doesn’t want to talk about it. When Erin walks in, Olivia tells her that she
would like to speak with his parents. John-Boy writes in the cabin when Jason
and Ben drive up, followed by Erin, Jim Bob, Elizabeth, and Toni to plan their
parent’s anniversary. They decide on a get-together before their parents leave
for Virginia Beach.
While
John, Olivia, and John-Boy eat their meal, Aurora disturbs them with her
camera. Elizabeth then walks in to say the Baldwin sisters have indicated that
they urgently need to see John and John-Boy. At their house Miss Mamie and Miss
Emily confess they are getting older, wishing to entrust their most valuable
possession, their Papa’s Recipe, to John (in honor of Zebulon). The group
drinks a toast. Erin and Elizabeth eat at a diner where Elizabeth overhears
Drew’s girlfriend talk about the relationship to the waitress. Erin tells her
sister that the girl is a “sappy, little thing” and that Drew made the mistake
by not waiting for her. Janet helps Olivia make applesauce cake, telling her that
she realizes John-Boy loves the area where he grew up. Olivia and Janet talk
about the joys of raising children.
In
the cabin, John-Boy reminisces about swimming in Druscilla’s Pond and hearing
his Momma’s voice. That night John and Olivia ponder why everybody feels upset.
They talk about their forty years together, hoping their children will be as
happy together. Janet peers out the window as John-Boy tells her that she has
never looked lovelier. She wonders if she is ready for their first child, hoping
to be half as good a mother as Olivia. John-Boy remembers how wonderful it was
growing up here and believes it to be a great place to raise children. Not
wanting to leave her career in NYC, Janet and John-Boy argue about where they
will live. John-Boy leaves for the porch, confused about how he feels. He hears
crying in the tree house, finding Elizabeth upset about Drew. Both wish they
were five years old again.
The
next morning John-Boy admits to his mother that the argument last night was
about the possibility of moving back. When Janet enters the room Olivia excuses
herself, bringing back a quilt that Grandma made when John-Boy was born. Janet
isn’t sure John-Boy married the right woman but Olivia reassures her that he
did. John and Drew show the antique chair to Lincoln Terry, an antique dealer,
who decides to order ten for delivery next week. At Jason’s house John-Boy
observes Jason’s four children playing in the house. At Jimmy Week’s house
Olivia finds that his father believes his son is slow, but Olivia thinks Jimmy
only needs encouragement. The mother knows her son likes to read, but the
father is not convinced. While Ben and Drew work on the order, John worries
about the bills. Ben decides to start advertising. Drew tells John that he
never intended to hurt Elizabeth. John understands.
That
night Elizabeth talks with her mother, telling her that she thinks Drew is
“fickle”. Olivia thinks that Drew was ready to settle down before she was
ready, and suggests she not show Drew her sad feelings. John-Boy finds Janet
packing her suitcase, wanting to be alone. Admitting his thoughts have been
jumbled, John-Boy convinces her to come to bed. In the morning Olivia walks
into the house to find John-Boy packing a picnic basket. She asks for advice on
Jimmy. John-Boy suggests that his old dictionary helped him when he was growing
up, and suggests she take it to the boy. Elizabeth brings Drew lemonade and
wishes him the best with his girlfriend (Jeannie). Drew is now more confused.
At the picnic John-Boy and Janet discuss how babies bring out the best and the
worst in people. Janet admits that him wanting to move away from NYC is like an
attack of everything they had together. John feels his decision to buy the old
cabin and ten acres for a vacation retreat is a good compromise. But, Janet
becomes angry that he made the decision without first asking her, thinking Long
Island or the Adirondacks are better spots.
Olivia
gives the dictionary to Mr. Weeks who doesn’t think the book is a good idea.
Olivia leaves the dictionary, whereupon Jimmy finds it, happy with it. John-Boy
tells Janet that he is sorry for not telling her about the cabin. Saying he
will cancel the deal, Janet says “no”, now realizing how important his home is
to him and their children. At Janet’s shower Erin gives her a little hat and
dress. But Janet feels scared.
At
school Jimmy wonders how to spell a word from a book he is reading. They look
up “magnanimous” in the dictionary. Olivia says the book’s meaning is to
believe in yourself. Jimmy thinks about what she said, and decides to sign up
for the spelling bee. Olivia is very happy with his decision. At the house Mary
Ellen is checking Janet’s vital signs when she hears two heartbeats. Janet is
stunned to learn she is carrying twins. John-Boy just then comes in saying, “Am
I interrupting anything?” Over supper the family discuss the news. John-Boy is
especially concerned with the added expenses. The next day John and Drew
deliver the chair order, but find the store is vacant. The man outside says the
owner was three-months behind in his rent. Back home John and Drew talk with
John-Boy about the predicament they are in, when Aurora interrupts. John-Boy
takes her off to discuss the article, where she takes one last picture of
John-Boy leaning against a tree, before she returns to NYC.
Verdie
visits Olivia to tell her that “your people and my people” have been living
side by side for years. She asks her friend and her family to join her church
at Easter’s sunrise service. Olivia says “yes”, where-upon the pair catches up
on news. (Harley is fine.)
At
the “All District Spelling Bee” Joanne Potter, Ricky Barnes, Jimmy Weeks, Lily
Bates and others compete. With only Ricky and Jimmy left in the competition,
Mr. Weeks enters the room in time to see his son win the contest. After being
kissed by Olivia, Jimmy hugs his father and kisses his mother, both very proud
of him. Drew admits to Elizabeth that she really “threw him for a loop” when
she invited Jeannie and him to dinner. He admits he never stopped loving her.
After Elizabeth reassures him that she is ready to settle down, Drew asks her,
“Are you going to marry me, or what?” Elizabeth kisses her new fiancé.
John-Boy
asks his parents to help with an inspection at the cabin. As they round the
house John announces that Aurora has found a buyer for the chairs. Around the
house the family greets them with, “Surprise”. John-Boy announces that their
one-night reservation at the Beach Side Inn has been cancelled for a two-night
visit along with dinner reservations at Andre’s Cellar. Jim Bob wants to taste
some Recipe that was made for the first time by a Walton. The next day, as Mary
Ellen, Erin, and Elizabeth prepare sandwiches for their parent’s trip, John
yells inside, “Car’s all ready.” John-Boy and Janet are given a ride as they
return to NYC. Mary Ellen and Erin leave Elizabeth alone at the house with
Drew. John reminds them that they are not married yet. But soon the cars
return, with Janet in labor. As Mary Ellen tends to Janet, John-Boy tells his
father that he feels helpless, and anxious about all the expenses. As they walk
near the water, John pushes his son into the water (as Zeb did to John) to cool
him off. John-Boy can’t believe he did it, but does feel better. The kids have
a tug-of-war contest as Mary Ellen delivers the first baby, a girl. Downstairs
Olivia tells her son that he is a new father, showing him his new daughter.
Soon Janet gives birth to her second child, a son. After seeing both babies
John-Boy now realizes how his parents had enough love to go around for all the
children.
At
the Easter sunrise service the family join Verdie and fellow members for church
services.
Note:
At the beginning of the movie John-Boy appears
on Channel 8 News reporting on the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Neil Armstrong
stepped on the Moon on July 20, 1969. However, the setting for the movie is
Easter in 1969. Easter occurred on April 6, over three months BEFORE the
historic Moon landing.
On the episode The Anniversary John and
Olivia celebrate their 25th anniversary. The previous episode (The
Festival) occurs during the spring of 1940. According to this information,
John and Olivia should have celebrated their 40th anniversary in the
spring of 1955, and their 54th anniversary in the year 1969.
Erin is the principal of the Walton’s
Mountain Elementary School.
Jason and Toni have four children named after
country-western singers: Roy Acuff Walton, Merle Haggard Walton, Patsy Cline
Walton, and Loretta Lynn Walton.
It is mentioned that Mary Ellen has three
children. It is assumed that these children are John-Curtis, Clay, and Katie.
Ben’s wife (Cindy) and children were not been
mentioned in this movie. From past episodes Ben and Cindy had two natural
children (Virginia and Charles Benjamin). Virginia has died, but the couple had
planned to adopt (according to the previous movie). No further mention was made
of this adoption.
Erin has three children according to the
previous movie. In this movie a child (Susan) was mentioned. It is assumed she
is Erin’s daughter. The other two children’s names have not been mentioned.
Erin is the principal of the Walton’s Mountain
Elementary School. Olivia is teaching a grade school class within the school.
Olivia’s granddaughter (Susan) is one of her students in the class.
John was twenty years old and Olivia was
eighteen years old when they married.
The Weeks family moved from North Carolina.
They inherited a farm in the area.
Dr. Lewis is John-Boy and Janet’s doctor in
New York City.
Also appearing:
Toni Hazelton Walton (Lisa Harrison), Janet Gilchrist (Kate McNeil), Susan (Brittany Levenbrown), Miss Mamie and Miss Emily Baldwin (Helen Kleeb and Mary Jackson), Drew Cutler (Tony Becker), Verdie Grant (Lyn Hamilton), Aurora (Sydney Walsh), Calvin Weeks (Peter Crombie), Jimmy Weeks (Zachery Edinton), Rebecca Weeks (Jennifer Parsons), Lincoln Terry (Nicholas Hormann).
Unknown characters for these actors:
Sage Allen, Julie Benz, Mika Bonem, Orlando Brown, Brooks Garrett, Kyla Pratt, Patrick Tyler, Charles Walken, Joe Whipp, Carmen Twillie.