An Easter Story

"**An Easter Story**"
"An Easter Story"
The Waltons episode
Episode no.	Season 1; Episode 24
Directed by	Philip Leacock
Story by	Earl Hamner Jr.
Teleplay by	John McGreevey
Original air date	April 19, 1973

"An Easter Story" was the final episode of the first season of The Waltons. It was also the first two-hour show of the series.[1]

Plot

Olivia begins to experience pain and fatigue, and eventually collapses after church. Numbness in her legs turns to paralysis, and she is diagnosed with polio. However, she refuses to believe that she will never walk again.

Jason is inspired by Grandma as she does her housework. He composes a song he calls "The Ironing Board Blues" which he performs in an amateur talent contest. He wins the contest and a new guitar. The family watches him perform. Back at home, they reenact the contest for Olivia and Erin.

When John-Boy checks in to apply at the University of Virginia, he finds out there is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of polio. John-Boy seeks the doctor out and he tells John-Boy of a new experimental treatment. John-Boy and Grandma encourage Olivia to try the exercises against the advice of the doctor, who suggests that the experimental treatment could leave her worse off. At first, she has hope of recovery by Easter, but then she becomes discouraged and resigns herself to life in a wheelchair. However, shortly before Easter, she dreams that Elizabeth calls out for help, and she gets up out of bed without effort.

Olivia attends the Easter sunrise service on the mountain with her family, celebrating the apparent miracle.

Cast

Richard Thomas as John-Boy Walton
Ralph Waite as John Walton, Sr.
Michael Learned as Olivia Walton
Ellen Corby as Ester Walton
Will Geer as The Grandfather
Judy Norton as Mary Ellen Walton
Jon Walmsley as Jason Walton
Mary Beth McDonough as Erin Walton
Eric Scott as Ben Walton
David W. Harper as Jim-Bob Walton
Kami Cotler as Elizabeth Walton
Joe Conley as Ike Godsey
Earl Hamner Jr. as The Narrator
Joseph Bernard as Snyder
Joe Frank Carollo as Tom
Don Collier as Dr. Miller
John Crawford as Sheriff Ep Bridges
David Doremus as George William "GW" Haines

Production

Writing

The episode was written by Earl Hamner, Jr. and John McGreevey.[2]^: 78

Reception

In 2009, TV Guide ranked this episode #77 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.[3]

Awards

Award	Year[lower-alpha 1]	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref(s)
Emmy Award	1973	Outstanding Drama Series		Won	[4]
Emmy Award	1973	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	Richard Thomas	Won	[5]
Emmy Award	1973	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series	Michael Learned	Won	[6]
Emmy Award	1973	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series	Ellen Corby	Won	[7]
Emmy Award	1973	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series	Will Geer	Nominated	[8]

Notes

Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

References

Hamner, Earl, Jr. (2002). Goodnight John-Boy : a celebration of an American family and the values that have sustained us through good times and bad. Ralph Giffin. Nashville, TN: Cumberland House. p. 85. ISBN 1-58182-298-7. OCLC 50339848.
Person, James E. (2005). Earl Hamner, From Walton's Mountain to Tomorrow. Cumberland House. ISBN 9781581824551.
"TV's Top 100 Episodes of All Time: #80-61". TV Guide. Archived from the original on March 14, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
"Outstanding Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
"Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
"Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
"Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
"Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[4] Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

[1] Hamner, Earl, Jr. (2002). Goodnight John-Boy : a celebration of an American family and the values that have sustained us through good times and bad. Ralph Giffin. Nashville, TN: Cumberland House. p. 85. ISBN 1-58182-298-7. OCLC 50339848.

[2] Person, James E. (2005). Earl Hamner, From Walton's Mountain to Tomorrow. Cumberland House. ISBN 9781581824551.

[3] "TV's Top 100 Episodes of All Time: #80-61". TV Guide. Archived from the original on March 14, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2021.

[5] "Outstanding Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.

[6] "Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.

[7] "Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.

[8] "Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.

[9] "Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1973". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-02-07.

The Waltons
The Waltons Episodes Characters
Earl Hamner Jr. Spencer's Mountain An Easter Story
Richard Thomas Ralph Waite Michael Learned Ellen Corby Will Geer Jon Walmsley Judy Norton Mary Elizabeth McDonough Eric Scott David W. Harper Kami Cotler Joe Conley Ronnie Claire Edwards Tom Bower Leslie Winston Peggy Rea

TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time (2009)
1-20	1. "The Contest" (Seinfeld, 1992) 2. "College" (The Sopranos, 1999) 3. "Chuckles Bites the Dust" (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, 1975) 4. "Lucy Does a TV Commercial" (I Love Lucy, 1952) 5. "Pilot" (Lost, 2004) 6. "Love's Labor Lost" (ER, 1994) 7. "Better Living Through TV" (The Honeymooners, 1955) 8. "Nixon vs. Kennedy" (Mad Men, 2007) 9. "Cousin Maude's Visit" (All in the Family, 1971) 10. "Day 1: 11.00pm - 12.00am" (24, 2002) 11. "Time Enough at Last" (The Twilight Zone, 1959) 12. "4/22/1979 - Steve Martin / The Blues Brothers" (Saturday Night Live, 1978) 13. "It May Look Like a Walnut" (The Dick Van Dyke Show, 1961) 14. "Once More, with Feeling" (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 2001) 15. "Goodbye Mr. Fish" (The Cosby Show, 1984) 16. "The Judgement" (The Fugitive, 1967) 17. "Trapped in the Closet" (South Park, 2005) 18. "Opie the Birdman" (The Andy Griffith Show, 1963) 19. "Diversity Day" (The Office, 2005) 20. "Abyssinia, Henry" (MASH*, 1975)
21-40	21. "The One with the Embryos" (Friends, 1998) 22. "Everyone's Waiting" (Six Feet Under, 2005) 23. "Time Heals" (St. Elsewhere, 1986) 24. "Krusty Gets Kancelled" (The Simpsons, 1993) 25. "Subway" (Homicide: Life on the Street, 1997) 26. "Final Grades" (The Wire, 2006) 27. "The Special Section" (Curb Your Enthusiasm, 2002) 28. "Black Tie" (30 Rock, 2007) 29. "Showdown" (Cheers, 1983) 30. "Hearts and Souls" (NYPD Blue, 1998) 31. "The Ski Lodge" (Frasier, 1998) 32. "Development Arrested" (Arrested Development, 2006) 33. "A Stash From the Past" (Roseanne, 1993) 34. "A Second Look" (Thirtysomething, 1991) 35. "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" (The X-Files, 1995) 36. "The Best of Both Worlds: Part I" (Star Trek: The Next Generation, 1990) 37. "Over the River and Through the Woods" (The Bob Newhart Show, 1975) 38. "Possible Kill Screen" (The Shield, 2008) 39. "Pilot" (The Wonder Years, 1988) 40. "Two Cathedrals" (The West Wing, 2001)
41-60	41. "Carded and Discarded" (Freaks and Geeks, 2000) 42. "Marie's Sculpture" (Everybody Loves Raymond, 2001) 43. "Blood on the Scales" (Battlestar Galactica, 2009) 44. "Self-Esteem" (My So-Called Life, 1994) 45. "Luke and Laura's Wedding" (General Hospital, 1981) 46. "The Puppy Episode" (Ellen, 1997) 47. "Grave Danger" (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, 2005) 48. "Atomic Shakespeare" (Moonlighting, 1986) 49. "The British Invasion" (Dexter, 2007) 50. "Flip" (The Larry Sanders Show, 1998) 51. "Reverend Jim: A Space Odyssey" (Taxi, 1979) 52. "Because I Know Patty" (Damages, 2007) 53. "Went With the Wind" (The Carol Burnett Show, 1976) 54. "Pilot" (Twin Peaks, 1990) 55. "One Wonderful Day" (Desperate Housewives, 2005) 56. "Slap Bet" (How I Met Your Mother, 2006) 57. "Freedom's Last Stand" (Hill Street Blues, 1982) 58. "Password" (The Odd Couple, 1972) 59. "Lamb to the Slaughter" (Alfred Hitchcock Presents, 1958) 60. "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis" (The Big Bang Theory, 2008)
61-80	61. "Good to the Last Drop" (L.A. Law, 1991) 62. "Life Choice" (Law & Order, 1991) 63. "Losing My Religion" (Grey's Anatomy, 2006) 64. "You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato" (Murphy Brown, 1992) 65. "Turkeys Away" (WKRP in Cincinnati, 1978) 66. "Three Stories (House)" (House, 2005) 67. "The Threat" (Dynasty, 1983) 68. "Company Man" (Heroes, 2007) 69. "A House Divided" (Dallas, 1980) 70. "Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little" (Sex and the City, 2003) 71. "I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away" (Little House on the Prairie, 1978) 72. "Better Luck Next Time" (Batman, 1966) 73. "Demon with a Glass Hand" (The Outer Limits, 1964) 74. "Homo for the Holidays" (Will & Grace, 1999) 75. "Raincoats and Recipes" (Gilmore Girls, 2004) 76. "The Real Thing: Part II" (Family Ties, 1985) 77. "An Easter Story" (The Waltons, 1973) 78. "I Will Remember You" (Angel, 1999) 79. "Angels in Chains" (Charlie's Angels, 1976) 80. "The City on the Edge of Forever" (Star Trek: The Original Series, 1967)
81-100	81. "Rosetta" (Smallville, 2003) 82. "Revenging Angel" (Farscape, 2001) 83. "Black Jesus" (Good Times, 1974) 84. "The Telling" (Alias, 2003) 85. "The Bitch Is Back" (Melrose Place, 1994) 86. "My Musical" (Scrubs, 2007) 87. "Fonzie Loves Pinky" (Happy Days, 1976) 88. "Did You See the Sunrise?" (Magnum, P.I., 1982) 89. "Orphans" (Beauty and the Beast, 1989) 90. "Bowling" (Malcolm in the Middle, 2001) 91. "Spring Dance" (Beverly Hills, 90210, 1991) 92. "Intervention" (Party of Five, 1997) 93. "Come Ye Saints" (Big Love, 2009) 94. "Cro-Magnon" (Ally McBeal, 1998) 95. "No Rest for the Wicked" (Supernatural, 2008) 96. "Baptism" (Rescue Me, 2009) 97. "Chicken Soup" (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, 1976) 98. "Peekaboo" (Breaking Bad, 2009) 99. "Blue Harvest" (Family Guy, 2007) 100. "The Subject Was Noses" (The Brady Bunch, 1973)