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The Waltons
S1.E5
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IMDbPro

The Typewriter

  • Episode aired Oct 12, 1972
  • TV-G
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
239
YOUR RATING
Richard Thomas, Mary Jackson, Helen Kleeb, and Jon Walmsley in The Waltons (1972)
DramaFamilyRomance

John-Boy secretly borrows a typewriter from the Baldwin sisters, and Mary Ellen inadvertently gives it to a junk dealer.John-Boy secretly borrows a typewriter from the Baldwin sisters, and Mary Ellen inadvertently gives it to a junk dealer.John-Boy secretly borrows a typewriter from the Baldwin sisters, and Mary Ellen inadvertently gives it to a junk dealer.

  • Director
    • Philip Leacock
  • Writers
    • Earl Hamner Jr.
    • Theodore Apstein
  • Stars
    • Richard Thomas
    • Ralph Waite
    • Michael Learned
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    239
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Philip Leacock
    • Writers
      • Earl Hamner Jr.
      • Theodore Apstein
    • Stars
      • Richard Thomas
      • Ralph Waite
      • Michael Learned
    • 3User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos5

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    Top cast23

    Edit
    Richard Thomas
    Richard Thomas
    • John-Boy Walton
    Ralph Waite
    Ralph Waite
    • John Walton, Sr.
    Michael Learned
    Michael Learned
    • Olivia Walton
    • (as Miss Michael Learned)
    Ellen Corby
    Ellen Corby
    • Esther Walton
    Will Geer
    Will Geer
    • The Grandfather
    Judy Norton
    Judy Norton
    • Mary Ellen Walton
    Jon Walmsley
    Jon Walmsley
    • Jason Walton
    Mary Beth McDonough
    Mary Beth McDonough
    • Erin Walton
    • (as Mary Elizabeth McDonough)
    Eric Scott
    Eric Scott
    • Ben Walton
    David W. Harper
    David W. Harper
    • Jim-Bob Walton
    • (as David Harper)
    Kami Cotler
    Kami Cotler
    • Elizabeth Walton
    Mary Jackson
    Mary Jackson
    • Emily Baldwin
    Helen Kleeb
    Helen Kleeb
    • Mamie Baldwin
    George Tobias
    George Tobias
    • Junk Man Vernon Rutley
    Mariclare Costello
    Mariclare Costello
    • Miss Rosemary Hunter
    Joe Conley
    Joe Conley
    • Ike Godsey
    John Crawford
    John Crawford
    • Sheriff Ep Bridges
    Harry Hickox
    Harry Hickox
    • Junkyard Owner
    • Director
      • Philip Leacock
    • Writers
      • Earl Hamner Jr.
      • Theodore Apstein
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews3

    7.9239
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10garyldibert

    John Boys First Story

    This episode aired on October 12 1972, with this opening. From the very beginning, when I thought of writing, it was about my family, our home and Waltons Mountain. This was my world, the only kind of life I knew well enough to tell people about. I remember a day in the 1930's when I finally felt ready to show one of my stories to someone for the very first time. John Boy is sitting in the schoolhouse with Miss. Hunter, while she reads his story that he wrote. After talking to John Boy, Miss Hunter suggests that John Boy send the story into a magazine for printing. So with the help of Grandma John Boy puts the story in and envelope and puts in the mail. So now, the wait is on and it's driving John boy and the family crazy. Meanwhile, Mary Ellen decides to put a dollar down on a beauty kit that she thinks can make her a movie star. Days later John Boy gets a letter in the mail that tells him that they don't accept hand written manuscripts. Therefore, Grandpa tells John Boy that there's a typewriter in Jefferson County and it belongs to the Baldwin Sisters. Therefore, John Boy goes to the Baldwin Sisters and asks them if he can see and then use the typewriter to rewrite his manuscript on the typewriter and send it back to the magazine company. Therefore, the Baldwin Sisters give John Boy the typewriter to use and John Boy hides it in the shed outback so Olivia doesn't find it. After John Boy finishes his story, he puts the typewriter in an old box and Leaves in the shed. He takes the type written story, shows it to Miss Hunter, and then resubmits the story to the magazine. Meanwhile Mary Ellen is looking for money to help buy her beauty kit. Therefore, Olivia tells Mary Ellen that she can start cleaning out the tool shed. In addition, sells things to the junk man for $1.00. When John Boy goes to get the typewriter to write some more he finds the typewriter is gone. Now they have to go find it or tell the Baldwin Sisters that they loss it. I wasn't impress with this episode so I give this episode 6 weasel stars
    9nlathy-839-300677

    A Writer Needs To Type

    Poor John Boy can't get any stories published if they're handwritten. No matter how good they are, a publisher won't read them. Grandpa inadvertently tips him off about a typewriter the Baldwin sisters have. Trouble is bound to happen, when John Boy types his story out in a tool shed, so his disapproving ( of the Baldwins) mother won't find out. The Baldwins like that John Boy writes about their moonshine recipe in his story. Too bad Mary Ellen sells it to a junk dealer played by venerable character actor George Tobias. One thing this episode does is reference the superior pilot episode Homecoming. Homecoming is well worth seeing for the uninitiated. This episode gets a one star increase for the moving moments with John Boy and Mary Ellen.

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Internal reference to the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake places this episode on and about March 11, 1933.
    • Goofs
      When John and John-Boy return home from searching for the typewriter, Ben says: "Hi, Jim-Bob." as John-Boy walks in through the door. Jim-Bob was already present in the room, so the actor used the wrong character name by accident.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Narrator: From the very beginning, when I thought of writing, it was about my family, our home and Waltons Mountain. This was my world, the only kind of life I knew well enough to tell people about. I remember a day in the 1930's when I finally felt ready to show one of my stories to someone for the very first time.

    • Connections
      Edited into The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons (1980)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 12, 1972 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Hallmark Channel
      • INSP Television Network
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 20, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Lorimar Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h(60 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1
      • 4:3

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