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In 1971, CBS aired a made-for-TV movie about a family in rural Virginia celebrating Christmas in the midst of the Great Depression. The Homecoming: A Christmas Story was based on a book by Earl Hamner Jr. and inspired by his own life as a child in the 1930s. The touching story was originally intended as a standalone film. But it proved to be so popular with audiences that network executives decided to turn it into a TV series. Thus, The Waltons was born. 

‘The Waltons’ creator says ‘everything fell into place’ for ‘The Homecoming’

Portrait of 'The Waltons' creator Earl Hamner Jr. wearing a tan jacket
‘The Waltons’ creator Earl Hamner Jr. | CBS via Getty Images
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In 2003, Hamner — who died in 2016 — sat down for a lengthy interview with the Television Academy Foundation where he discussed his life and work. He recalled the origins of The Homecoming, which was based on his semi-autobiographical 1961 book Spencer’s Mountain. 

The book “described a night, Christmas Eve, when my father was working in a distant town and he was late coming home,” Hamner recalled. “And my mother sent me to look for him. It was 1935, I think. The book described some of the adventures I had that night and some that I invented. But it ended with my father coming home and bringing presents for everybody.”

Spencer’s Mountain had previously been adapted as a 1963 feature film with Henry Fonda and Maureen O’Hara. But a few years later, Hamner decided to adapt the work again as a TV movie.

“I had written a good script, we had wonderful actors, and we had a wonderful location. And we had a great director,” he said, adding that “every actor was perfect for their role.” 

“It was one of those things where everything fell into place nicely. All the parts made a perfect whole,” Hamner recalled.

Earl Hamner Jr. said people had a ‘beautiful reaction’ to ‘The Homecoming’ 

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story premiered on Dec. 19, 1971. It starred Patricia Neal and Andrew Duggan as John and Olivia Walton, as well as Richard Thomas as John-Boy Walton. The response was overwhelmingly positive. 

Audiences had a “beautiful reaction” to the movie, Hamner said. “I think the story reminded people a lot of their own experiences or the way they might have wished that their own experiences had been,” he added. “So they reacted with letters and telephone calls. We had a flood of audience reaction.”

Among those who watched The Homecoming was the head of CBS. He also loved the movie. 

“What was most important was that the chairman of the board of CBS saw it and was moved by it,” Hamner said. He wanted to see more of John-Boy and his family and suggested turning it into a series. 

“So when the chairman of the board of CBS says that, you make a series, which we did,” Hamner said. 

The Waltons premiered in 1972 and aired for nine seasons. It won 13 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series and Best Actor for Thomas. In the process, it became one of the most beloved TV shows of all time, with fans coming to love its heartwarming tales of family and togetherness.

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