- Welcome back to another segment
of "Behind The Scenes Of The Waltons".
Today, I'm going to be talking about the episode.
"Grandma Comes Home".
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So Ellen coming back, "Grandma Comes Home"
that was a very significant episode,
not just for all of the cast who had missed Ellen very much
while she was gone.
Also for television in general.
I think this was one of the very first times
that a company had actually brought a stroke victim
back to work or put them to work
or hired them after a stroke as severe as Ellen's was.
Her right side was still pretty much paralyzed
and that really impaired her speech as well.
So the struggles that you see
in this episode with her speech are very real.
Ellen had her stroke in 1976
during the filming of the episode, "The Ferris Wheel"
she didn't arrive at work one day.
Being the professional that she was, she was never late.
And when she didn't arrive for work
Will Geer said something's wrong.
And he and a couple of the producers went to Ellen's house
and they found her and took her to the hospital
and it's entirely likely that they saved her life.
What's ironic is that "Grandma Comes Home"
was the last episode of Season 6
and then Will Geer died between Season 6 and Season 7.
So we started Season 7
with the episode where we pay tribute
to Grandpa and say goodbye to him up on the mountain.
Just as Ellen came back, we lost Will.
After her stroke,
she had very limited capacity to form words
and she worked very hard to get those words out.
There were certain phrases that were easier for her
but when she had dialogue
she had to really concentrate over and over
and sometimes she had to have somebody else right there
to mouth the words so she could try to form them.
So it was very difficult for Ellen and for the rest of us
because we didn't know how best to support and assist her.
And she would get very frustrated
because she wanted to be able to articulate
what was going on and wasn't able to
and so she would get very frustrated.
Some of the moments that really stand out for me
are the beautiful first moment
of Grandma with John Curtis.
I thought that was just so sweet to see,
all those generations together
and Ellen's very real joy
in seeing John Curtis and later on in holding him.
So I was very glad that we had that opportunity
for the audience to see that moment.
Another moment was when Ellen answers the phone,
when Grandma tries to answer the phone
and she can't get the words out.
And that was a lot
of what would happen when Ellen was trying to speak
is that noises - sounds would just come out
and she couldn't articulate the actual words.
So that was quite a moment.
I loved though, that she went outside
and she's looking around, she can't find anybody.
And Jim Bob pulls up
and he said, "You want to go for a ride?"
And I absolutely adored her "Yeah".
That just was so Ellen.
It was so natural.
And I thought it was just such a sweet moment there
the joy that she got
out of going for that ride with Jim Bob.
So I was thrilled to see some of the lighter moments
that they gave to us,
to the audience within the episode.
So it wasn't all quite so heartbreaking
because it was really heartbreaking.
Some of the other lighter moments in this episode
surrounded the storyline with Elizabeth,
who was going through that awkward age
and then her 4-H project.
And Olivia wants her to do a sewing project
and she wants to do something with an animal.
And so there's the whole storyline with the pig
with Jabez and with Clarence and I mean
what a sweet storyline and what a lovely message
about a person being more than their exterior.
Here's, poor Clarence who is chubby
and Elizabeth thinks that people make fun of him
and she doesn't want to be associated with that.
And her mother reprimands her about that -
and rightly so - that she shouldn't be avoiding him.
He's a friend and she should not avoid him.
So Elizabeth, during the course
of the episode comes to appreciate him much more
and ultimately offers to share the 4-H project with him.
And they will raise the pig together.
But I thought it was very sweet
how he intentionally gave her the pig
knowing the pig would keep coming back
and that he would get to see her.
And of course, Ben plays the whole prank
with putting the pig
in the baby carriage to pull one over on Mary Ellen
and then she spends the rest of the episode
trying to get back at him.
So just the sibling dynamics we're in full view
which I just love. Of course, the scene on the porch
with Michael, when they're snapping beans
and she's trying to explain to Olivia how she feels
that she isn't being given things to do
that she feels like nobody needs her
and when Olivia finally understands what's being said
just the emotion between the two of them,
oh, Kleenex time (laughs).
You can't script that. That is two actresses
making an incredible moment on screen.
But probably one of my favorite moments of this episode
is after Grandpa who has been so worried about Grandma
and why she doesn't seem to be herself.
He finally reads her diary and finds out
that she made a promise to God
that if she got to come home, she would never be cross
or angry with anybody. Never have a harsh word for anybody.
And he reveals that he made a promise also
that if she came back, he would take care of her
and she would never have to raise a finger again
and they find themselves at a crossroad
and recognizing Grandma's need to feel needed
and important in the family.
He marches out and he hands her that broom
and tells her she has to earn her keep.
And she whaps him with that broom and says,
(dramatic music)
"You old fool."
She said that so many times during the course of the series
but I think this one was probably the most significant
because that was epitomized
that relationship between Grandma and Grandpa.
So absolutely beautiful moment.
But one of the easiest things for Ellen to say was, "Oh boy",
which frequently she would say.
She says it in this episode.
And often if she couldn't get any other words out
that's what she would say.
So once she came back
you probably heard that phrase a few more times
than some others.
And we heard that a lot in real life.
So it was so wonderful to have Ellen back with us on the set
and back part of the Walton family for all of you.
So there you are.
That's my tribute to the episode, "Grandma Comes Home".
I hope you've enjoyed this.
Please do tune in again for more episodes
of behind the scenes of "The Waltons".
Till next time, take care and thanks for watching.