"The Waltons"
The Waiting (1979)

Director:

Philip Leacock

Writers:

Earl Hamner Jr. (creator)
Kathleen Hite (writer)

TV Series:

"The Waltons" (1972)

Original Air Date:

22 November 1979 (Season 8, Episode 10)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Romance

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Sentimental | Family Relationships | Intimacy | Great Depression | Male Female Relationship

Cast

Ralph Waite	...	John Walton, Sr.
Michael Learned	...	Olivia Walton
Judy Norton-Taylor	...	Mary Ellen Walton Willard
Jon Walmsley	...	Jason Walton
Mary Beth McDonough	...	Erin Walton
Eric Scott	...	Ben Walton
David W. Harper	...	James Robert 'Jim Bob' Walton
Kami Cotler	...	Elizabeth Walton
Joe Conley	...	Ike Godsey
Ronnie Claire Edwards	...	Corabeth Walton Godsey
Earl Hamner Jr.	...	Narrator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
K Callan	...	Nurse Corrigan
Keith Coogan	...	Jeffrey Burton (as Keith Mitchell)
Regis Cordic	...	Dr. Banion
Diana Douglas	...	Mrs. Denman
Martha Nix	...	Serena Burton
Peggy Rea	...	Rose Burton
Marshall Reed	...	John Curtis Willard
Michael Reed	...	John Curtis Willard
Morgan Stevens	...	Sam Stadder
Linda St. James	...	Desk Nurse (as Lynda St. James)
Llynn Storer	...	Orderly
Robert Wightman	...	John 'John-Boy' Walton Jr.
Leslie Winston	...	Cindy Brunson Walton

Directed by
Philip Leacock

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Earl Hamner Jr.		creator (as Earl Hamner)
Kathleen Hite		writer

Produced by
Earl Hamner Jr.	....	executive producer (as Earl Hamner)
Claylene Jones	....	associate producer
Rod Peterson	....	producer
Lee Rich	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alexander Courage

Cinematography by
Gene A. Talvin		(director of photography) (as Gene Talvin)

Film Editing by
Marsh Hendry

Casting by
Pam Polifroni

Art Direction by
Ed Graves

Set Decoration by
Michele Harding Walker

Makeup Department
Edith Lindon	....	hair stylist
William Reynolds	....	makeup artist (as Bill Reynolds)

Production Management
Mitch Ackerman	....	production supervisor
Edward O. Denault	....	executive production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Ferrin	....	first assistant director
Paul Sirmons	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Fred Westcott	....	property master

Sound Department
Victor Guarnier	....	sound effects supervisor
Joe Kavigan	....	sound editor
Norman Webster	....	production sound mixer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shirley Brewton	....	costumer
Gene Ostler	....	costumer

Music Department
Jerry Goldsmith	....	composer: theme music
Ken Runyon	....	music editor

Other crew
Sandy Dvore	....	main title designer
Donna Kemp	....	script supervisor
Claire Whitaker	....	story editor

Robert Donner

...

Yancy Tucker

Directed by
Fielder Cook

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Earl Hamner Jr.		creator (as Earl Hamner)
Gordon Cornell Layne		staff writer

Produced by
Roger La Page	....	line producer

Production Management
Roger La Page	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Lawrence Jr.	....	assistant director (1977-1978)

Art Department
Craig Binkley	....	assistant property master (pilot episode)
Serge Genitempo	....	painter
Kandy Stern	....	set designer

Camera and Electrical Department
Doug Mathias	....	gaffer (1979)
Serge Poupis	....	assistant camera
Robert Schoenhut	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Alfred J. Carranza	....	apprentice film editor
M. Scott Smith	....	apprentice editor

Other crew
John Philip Dayton	....	production assistant
Lynn Guthrie	....	aircraft pilot
Carol Riggins	....	animal trainer
Arrahwanna Thomsen	....	script supervisor (1976) (as Arrah Robinson)

Trivia:

Robert Wightman premiers in this episode as character "John 'John Boy' Walton, Jr.", replacing Richard Thomas who played the eldest Walton son in seasons one through six.

Quotes:

Narrator: [narration as John 'John Boy' Walton, Jr. reading from his journal] Joy and tragedy walked hand in hand during the dark days of World War Two. When good news came it always seemed to be tinged with sadness. The words "your son is alive" were too often followed by the phrase "he is badly injured". When those words came to my family it meant that the long wait was not over, it had just begun.