“The Waltons” Reunion Special to Air October 18th on INSP

Richard Thomas, Ralph Waite, Michael Learned, Mary McDonough, Judy Norton, Eric Scott, Jon Walmsley, David Harper, Kami Cotler, and series creator Earl Hamner will appear on the special, which airs October 18th at 7:00pm EST on INSP.

Indian Land, SC – America’s favorite family “The Waltons” will return to television on Monday, October 18th at 7:00pm EST for an exclusive reunion special, “A Waltons Family Reunion,” on INSP. The surviving cast members of the American television classic will journey back to “Walton’s Mountain” almost 30 years after the series ended its iconic run.

Hosted by Mary McDonough (Erin Walton), the reunion special will feature Richard Thomas (John Boy), Ralph Waite (John Walton), Michael Learned (Olivia Walton), Judy Norton (Mary Ellen Walton), Eric Scott (Ben Walton), Jon Walmsley (Jason Walton), David Harper (Jim-Bob Walton), Kami Cotler (Elizabeth Walton), and series creator Earl Hamner. The veteran cast will reminisce about the series, its impact on American culture and family life, and what they’ve been up to since the series ended its original run in 1981.

“We’re excited to assemble the cast of ‘The Waltons’ for a reunion special on INSP,” said Doug Butts, Programming SVP for INSP. “Having all of the surviving cast members together on television is a real treat. ‘The Waltons’ transcended television and spoke to an ideal of family unity and surviving difficult times that many Americans still strive for today. We’re excited that people will have another chance to see and hear from this cast.”

“The Waltons” follows one family’s life as they run a lumber mill during the Great Depression in rural Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Created and narrated by author Earl Hamner, Jr., the program is a reflection of Hamner’s own upbringing during the same era, with his experiences re-told to the viewer through the eyes of aspiring writer John Boy Walton (portrayed by Richard Thomas). The close-knit family includes father John Walton (Ralph Waite) and his wife Olivia (Michael Learned), and their children John Boy, Mary Ellen, Jim-Bob, Elizabeth, Jason, Erin, and Ben. Grandparents Zeb (Will Geer) and Esther (Ellen Corby) serve as the elders of this large and loving family, who together face the challenges of 1930s United States while living on “Walton’s Mountain.” The series ran from September 1972-August 1981 and earned a total of 13 Emmy® Awards during its original run.

Beginning Monday, October 18th on INSP, viewers also can journey back with “The Waltons” at 1pm EST and 8pm EST when the series begins its exclusive Monday-Friday run on the network.

INSP is available in more than 60 million homes across the US on more than 2,800 cable systems and on DIRECTV channel 364 and DISH Network channel 259. Viewers can check their local program guides for channel line-up information or visit /the-waltons.

October 5, 2010
Contact: Melissa Prince
704.724.0745
mprince@insp.com