Waltons vs LHOP plots

I never realized how many Walton's episode plots showed up on LHOP. I know some Bonanza plots did, almost to the letter.
This one had Todd Bridges (The Stray) and the actress who played Hester Sue. Since Hallmark has the Walton's on more now, I am seeing more than usual.

I don't' know who borrowed from whom, but it seems many of the Walton shows were first. Great TV either way, I wish they could still write like this. Just to spend a day with the Ingall's or Walton's would have been nice. ; )

Part of me likes the waltons over little house. But yeah watching it I noticed some of the same actors.

I guess there are so many plots...they tend to overlap, at the time, when they weren't all reruns, you saw it once a year, you didn't notice as much.

The Walton's has more realistic plots but both have their charm.

Both shows are among my all-time favorites. There are a lot of similarities, with the importance of family and the strong sense of community. There are a lot of crossover guest stars. For example, both Victor French and Bonnie Bartlett appeared on The Waltons, as did Alan Fudge, who played Joseph Coulter in the LHotP episode Money Crop and was a recurring character on 7th Heaven. Also, Rachel Longaker, who played Aimee Godsey on The Waltons, played Ginny in the LHotP episode Little Women. I'm sure there were many others, but I can't think of them now.

Here's a few other Walton guest stars that were on Little House: Helen Kleeb, Victor Izay, Tony becker, Rance Howard, Walker Edmiston, Ivor Francis, Michael Conrad, Don Collier, David Hooks and Steve Shaw.

With the Waltons Earl stayed more to the truth of what happned in them times. He didn't change much. When with little house M.L Didn't follow the books that much.

But yeah I agree with what you guy's have said.

They had a reunion on GMA...wish LHOP would. Sadly less a living, but still a nice group.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/10/18/the-waltons-reunion-gma-video/

sweetkrissy2011 wrote:

With the Waltons Earl stayed more to the truth of what happned in them times. He didn't change much. When with little house M.L Didn't follow the books that much.

Albert. That fictional character! Sniveling up in that loft and asking if it was too much to ask for Charles to adopt him…………

And that ridiculous scene in Fagin when Laura calls him Brother for the first time! Fiction!

Or that sentimental little kid that loved Mr. Singerman so much and defended him against a bunch of bigoted adults and children! Fiction!

And that  fictional scene when Albert was dying and wanted to go back to that one horse town, just because he became Albert Ingalls there!

Or that silly scene in the loft when Albert takes a thorn out of Carrie’s finger and she hugs him for it. Fiction!!

And what about Houston Lamb, another piece of fiction, who loved those  orphaned brothers just because they wanted to stay together in "Silent Cry."

And then there was Andy, another fictional character that waisted our time loving his parents and doing those stupid fictional things with Laura!

And that friendship between Charles and Edwards! Pure fiction!

And Adam Kendall, another fictional character teaching Mary to read and getting her through the toughest time in her life!

And that fictional Erich Schiller in "Harriet's Happenings"...protecting his Mother and Father he loved from being called illiterate.

And Percival…..we won’t even go there!

And there was James and Cassandra! Totally fictional! Cassandra, always crying and sniveling about something! Not to mention James, who was always worried about putting the Ingalls out. Charles dragging them home to keep them out of an orphanage! Pure fiction!

And that fictional Nellie’s restaurant! Should have thrown all those fictional scenes out too! Who needs the restaurant! It was fictional.

And then there was that fictional Solomon, complaining about not being able to go to school just because he was black! And then having the nerve enough to tell those kids in Walnut Grove that they were lucky to be able to go to school!  Pure fiction!

Oh, and there was Jenny, in that sentimental fictional “Little Women”. Sure she cut her hair to get her Mother a dress! We ALL know that that kind of thing could never happen.

And Peter! Another fictional kid who just wanted one thing. The love of his Father! Fiction!

And Mr. Edwards adopting John Jr, Alicia and Carl just so so they could stay together. Fat chance that would ever happen!

And to think that Michael would conjure up a story about Charles fixing a shoe so Olga could walk in Town Party Country Party.  

And "The Election"! Elmer pineing away at the end about the virtues of treating other people with respect. Pure fiction!  

Then there was that complaining little kid Gideon. Moaning about kids abusing him just because he stuttered! How silly! Almost as silly as Anna in the Music Box. Another one that couldn’t take a little child abuse because she stuttered!

Oh, and let’s not forget that  story about Samson in Blind Journey when he teaches Mrs. Olsen about loving all kids regardless of their color. Pure fiction!

And Caroline, with all she had to do, actually teaching school and helping Abel to read! Another piece of fiction!

And Mary! Sure she read Psalms to the congregation after coming home from the Blind School! And waving to Adam when she left, it doesn’t get any more fictional than that.

And then comes Jason...another fictional one! Giving a dying woman a ton of love before she dies......Fiction!

And Laura, hanging around in old house getting an old man through his grief after losing his wife. We all know that never happened!

And that sentimental "Christmas at Plum Creek" when Carrie looks up at that star! Where did he get that from?

Yea, Albert was fictional. Adam Kendall was fictional along with a bunch of others! Winoka was fictional! And we are all are familiar with that fictional thing he did called “As Long As We’re Together.” That fable about a family being together! Pure fiction!

And then, the topper of them all! "He Was Only Twelve." Can you imagine writing a story about a Father with enough faith in God to believe his son could be saved!

Michael should have stuck with the books! What was he thinking?

The show would have ended in a month or two....way too boring after a few episodes.

I guess it would have been boring if he stayed with the books. But it been nicer if it followed the books more better.

I hate that episode "He Was Only Twelve." . Most boring episode. Just doesn't happened in real life. I wish they didn't add in james and her. They should have gotten a storyline for carrie.

I do like they had mary marry someone. I didn't mind albert.

They had Elizabeth fall down a well today....maybe how the Carrie story got thought of.

I know the purists wanted the books to be more part of the story, and it did get crazy toward the end, but they weren't "TV" material beyond a few shows...or maybe movies. The Long Winter would have been a good 2 hour movie, the Pilot which they did, but they didn't get into very much mischief and they had to do a show a week.

I agree, it wasn't very good toward the end, but he had to expand what he had or it would have been pretty dull. I did like some of the plots from the books though, Christmas's and other stories...but they had other ideas. All and all, they did the best they knew at the time.

Ike and Corabeth remind me of Nels and Harriet to some degree. Of course, there's the obvious parallel that they're the owners of the only store in town, but there are similarities in character traits as well. Corabeth, like Harriet, is culturally sophisticated and somewhat laments that there is no access to fine culture in her small town, albeit without the nastiness often exhibited by Harriet. Ike, meanwhile, like Nels, often just wants to be one of the guys and hang out. Corabeth and Harriet both make most of the family and business decisions, and Ike and Nels both struggle with when to assert themselves.

BTW, I'm often amused that Corabeth always refers to Ike as "Mr. Godsey".

I've always looked at the shows and the books as two different ways to celebrate Laura's legacy. Even Laura's books are considered fiction. There are some outlandish LHOP episodes I wish didn't exist, like "For the Love of Blanche," but overall, Michael did a fine job portraying a romantic version of life in the mid-1800s. As Dean once told me in an interview, Michael went for the "little girl's" version of the story, "allowing the romance to set the tone of what he was doing." He did not focus on how hard homesteading was; the harsh realities that plagued these families trying to build the country.

Obviously it worked or we wouldn't be talking about the show 40 years later and it still wouldn't be on TV.

bethandmanly wrote:

I've always looked at the shows and the books as two different ways to celebrate Laura's legacy. Even Laura's books are considered fiction. There are some outlandish LHOP episodes I wish didn't exist, like "For the Love of Blanche," but overall, Michael did a fine job portraying a romantic version of life in the mid-1800s. As Dean once told me in an interview, Michael went for the "little girl's" version of the story, "allowing the romance to set the tone of what he was doing." He did not focus on how hard homesteading was; the harsh realities that plagued these families trying to build the country.

Obviously it worked or we wouldn't be talking about the show 40 years later and it still wouldn't be on TV.

Bottom line is that they were two great shows! Very similar in their messages. Its funny that on the Waltons forums they complain about the same thing in later episodes, such as the story lines getting weaker and it being on too long. I just can't bring myself to criticize Michael and nit pick the stories. Not with all the wonderful stories he did over the nine year span. The world was lucky to have him and all those great characters! Can you imagine a world without this forum?

Well I guess I can understand that then. It would be dull if they followed the books. I understand they can't copy a book to every words. Just some Episodes I can't stand to watch of Little house. Like the Halloween dream. Always skip it.

I didn't mind the last 2 seasons of the waltons. The only thing is I didn't care much for the other actor who played john boy. He did good tho.

Another thing is I even noticed in Road to Avonlea they stayed with the books. They even changed some things around too. When I read the books I noticed they didn't have Aunt hetty. I was thinking the show would have been boring if she wasn't added. This show remains me all time favorited.

I guess people will always complain about something with classic shows lol

TV/Movies and books are very different mediums. Being a writer, I can't imagine trying to make a book fit perfectly for the big or small screen. I'm okay with new storylines as long as they stay true to the characters. When they kill off a character in the show that didn't die in the book or if the character in the show is totally different in thoughts and deeds than how the author created him/her, then it doesn't work for me at all.

The problem with books and movies is simple.....a matter of time. Writing a screen play from a book always presents the same dilemma. Telling a story and deciding what to put in, and what to leave out. Tough job! And on top of that, the channels slice it up to get those all important commercials in.
Hallmark is a master at it.......and some of the scenes they cut are integral to the story.

I've listened to many a screenwriter talk about how they ponder cut scenes from a final print. It just goes with the medium. I finished a 300 page novel several months ago, and thought about what the process would be converting it to a screen play. I wouldn't want to do it!

Yeah it must be a tough job.

Nels once said to Harriet that she should be put in a cage and fed with a stick....It applied to both her and Cora Beth.........Both of them were a piece of work!

yES! She was kind of a snob. I didn't like the why she raised Elizabeth. Think that was her name.

I just tried to watch some Waltons episodes. It's just sooooo boring! It doesn't make me laugh, cry, or relate to anyone.
Little House had comedic moments, villains in Nellie and Harriet, and boy, Michael Landon could make you squirt your tear ducts out.

littlehouselover wrote:

The show would have ended in a month or two....way too boring after a few episodes.

They've pretty much said that fact.

bestshowever wrote:

I just tried to watch some Waltons episodes. It's just sooooo boring!

And most of the actors on there make my skin crawl.  I really don't like any of them.  At least I see someone else in the world dislikes "The Waltons", too.  Although, my feelings are borderlining on hate.  I pretty much hate "The Waltons".  It is no secret.  I don't see anything redeeming about the show, or any of the actors, at all.  I didn't like it when I was a kid and I hate it now.

But as long as we're talking about shows copying other shows, how about "Dr. Quinn"?  I started watching it years ago when I went through a phase of insomnia.  It was on in the middle on the night.  And there were moments and situations where I was thinking "Didnn't Pa do something like that?" or "Ma had that same thing happen to her".  

I've said this before and I will say this again.  I don't care that they fictionalized anything on LH.  I really don't.  While some things may seem a little silly when it comes to a storyline, it doesn't bother me because it is just a television show.  That is it.  Also, like I have also said before, I can completely separate the TV show from the books.  And I can separate the books from reality.  I love both the show and books.  And I appreciate the truth.  I can take each thing for what it is.  I have no problem doing that whatsoever.

Besides, Albert is one of my favorite characters from TV (I like him much better than Mary - I like Adam - another fictional character - better than Mary!) So I can't really be against his addition at all.

My brother was watching "Bonanza" (this was a few years ago) and he called me up when it was done. He said something about the LH theme being on there. I said "No it wasn't". He said "Yes, it was. Michael Landon was being chased by a horse and they were playing the music". Now, I may have my memory a little mixed up, but I am pretty sure he was talking about Michael Landon and this horse. If I am wrong, it is because he has told me enough that has happened on the show. But I am pretty sure he said that name and situation. Anyway, forget using the same actors/stories. They used the same music!

sweetkrissy2011 wrote:

yES! She was kind of a snob. I didn't like the why she raised Elizabeth. Think that was her name.

No, it's Aimee, who Corabeth and Ike adopt. Elizabeth is John & Olivia's youngest daughter. Corabeth raised Aimee, like etiquette. (Something like that.)

I know it's Aimee was adopt by them. & Ya I know Elizabeth was there youngest,. 

I don't know why I said Elizabeth. I mean aimee, lol



I thought the waltons was boring at first when I watched it. Then when I sat at watched all the dvds I got into it and enjoyed. I think it was a good show.

^ Okay.


I didn't start watching the Waltons until in 2008. I might seen it when I was kid. From the reruns. Here and there. But, once I start watching it. I fell in love with The Waltons. If, I'm having bad day or stressed out. I watched The Waltons.