TVLINE | So this is a case where on TV you were stricter than in real life. But we couldn’t keep him in the family because he was black, so we had to take him to Verdie Grant (played by Lynn Hamilton), and that was very painful. “The Waltons” ran for 10 years in the ’70s and ’80s, featuring the lives of a large clan of homespun country folk in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. [Laughs]. But she showed up on that set. I feel like the Walton kids are my family, too. “He was my spiritual husband,” Learned said. We had a wonderful housekeeper named Mrs. Blair who was a lifesaver for me, I couldn’t have asked for anyone better. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, People are stepping up to help the seniors in their lives navigate the vaccine sign-up process, Capitol Police investigate whether GOP Rep. Andy Harris tried to take gun on House floor. We were rather arrogant at times, when I look back on it. This content is currently not available in your region. TVLINE | What would you say was the most controversial or daring storyline The Waltons tackled? He’s done that a few times over the years. She did stick with the show. Plus, it was Olivia Walton — we wanted her to be OK! Anne and Joseph (twin to "Jim Bob") both died at birth. We both quit smoking. To celebrate Mother's Day 2020, TVLine is catching up with iconic TV moms from well-remembered series of the past. I’m one of six, too — all girls! When Mary Ellen remarried a year after her husband's apparent death in the television series "The Waltons," Marion Hamner Hawkes wasn't happy … He said, “Well, I had to go to the bathroom,” so he got up and walked. But we both got sober. The Bed and Breakfast … Michael Learned has some iconic roles to her name in Hollywood but none quite so popular as Ma Walton or Olivia Walton it seems. You know, [Season 1’s “The Easter Story”] got me my first Emmy, I think. It was a wonderful opportunity for Lynn Hamilton to really show her stuff as an actor; she’s wonderful. We rely on readers like you to uphold a free press. It wasn’t acceptable. Ebenezer Walton : Well, the Methodists will be ringin' in Christmas, and so will the Episcopals. My poor mother more than my father, really. Apart from merely acting the character, Learned tried to mold Olivia into a less fictional mother. To celebrate Mother’s Day 2020, TVLine is catching up with iconic TV moms from well-remembered series of the past. Ellen Corby 1999 see above Merie Earle (Maude) 1984 at age 95 or Uremic Poisoning after surgery in Glendale, CA. I would never do that in real life! “You were my mother growing up” — I get a lot of that. We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. Well, the Baptist bell is gonna be ringin' right along with 'em. Michael Learned in the regular series. Three of the wins were for The Waltons (1973, 1974, 1976), while the other was for Nurse (1982). On the other hand, the actress was 12 years older than her on-screen son, Richard Thomas. And polio was very scary to a preschooler. But I have made many amends to Earl. First up is The Waltons' Michael Learned, who as Olivia Walton … Families that big are not too common. Details from "The Walton's" in the kitchen in John and Olivia's Bed and Breakfast in Schuyler, Va. on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. Michael Learned, Actress: The Waltons. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. She’s the mother of America!” But hopefully that perception has changed by now. She was born to Elizabeth Duane and Bruce Learned. Learned (Olivia Walton), 74, just finished a touring stage production of Driving Miss Daisy and will appear in the indie drama Afterlife. I can’t even remember a lot of them because they run together after a while, but there was one that touched me very deeply. See more ideas about Walton, The waltons tv show, John boy. Michael Learned who is most famous for her role as Olivia Walton in the series The Waltons, used to be an America’s sweetheart. So they wrote me that two-hour polio show, which was a great gift. She is the recipient of four Primetime Emmy Award: one for Nurse and three for drama series The Waltons. TVLINE | Very recently on one of the NCIS shows, Richard Thomas (“John-Boy”) played a really shady character. She has won a record four Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series; three for The Waltons (1973, 74, 76), and one for Nurse (1982). For me it has worked in the reverse — “Oh, we can’t have her do that! She had a wonderful, wonderful attitude about what was a terrible hardship for an actress, having no voice. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Initially, the mother of seven moves to Washington D.C. to be with her eldest son John-Boy, who's injured while reporting on the war in Europe. “We were lucky,” Learned warmly noted as our interview below got underway. TVLINE | I don’t remember how I came across it, but a few weeks ago I was watching a scene with  Ellen Corby after she had her real-life stroke. And I protested at the time. First up is The Waltons‘ Michael Learned, who as Olivia Walton lorded over a brood of seven kids, with husband John (played by Ralph Waite), in Earl Hamner Jr.’s TV adaptation of his novel Spencer’s Mountain. What was that stretch of time like for you? It moves me to this day. She is the wife of John, daughter-in-law of Esther & Zebulon and the mother of John-Boy, Jason, Mary-Ellen, Ben, Jim-Bob and Elizabeth.She lost a total of two babies: Jim-Bob's twin brother and an unborn baby. Well, the first Emmy was a big thrill because I didn’t expect it at all. It was a painful subject, but that’s the way it was in the South at the time. What happened to Olivia Walton? She was a little stricter with the kids than I was, and we needed that because I was very permissive as a parent…. Not really, no. Olivia Walton : Poppa, it's awful slippery outside. She grew up in Alberene, Virginia under her maiden name, Daly. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. €5 every 4 weeks or just €50 €20 for the first year, €7 every 4 weeks or just €70 €30 for the first year. And he was supposed to be paralyzed for life. She was 83. There was one scene where Olivia is waiting for Reverend Fordwick to come over and she has the kids all dressed in their woolen Sunday best, and there’s this big pitcher of lemonade on the table and she won’t let them have any until the reverend arrives. KNOXVILLE — While some actresses claim their longtime acting roles stereotyped them and limited the roles they received later, you won't hear that from actress Michael Learned, who played “Olivia Walton” on the much-loved television drama, “The Waltons.” Sign up for TVLine's Newsletter. Thankfully, she survived the polio attack and continued to play a role in the series. So the show, in a way, helped us to heal. Family drama "The Waltons" aired on CBS from 1972-81. And to this day we are all lifelong friends. The Waltons: Will Geer 1978 at age 76 of respiratory arrest in LA. 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