John-Boy Walton

The Waltons is an American television series that aired for nine seasons (1972–1981) on CBS. A further six TV movies aired in the 1980s and 1990s. Below is a list of the series characters and the actors that portrayed them.

John Walton Jr. (Richard Thomas, pilot, seasons 1–5, two guest shots in season 6; and three 1990s movies; Robert Wightman, seasons 8–9, 1982 movies). Known throughout the series as "John-Boy"; born in 1916, son of Olivia Walton (née Daly) and John Walton Sr. John-Boy is based on author Earl Hamner Jr., who narrates the opening and closing of each episode as the present-day, adult John-Boy. The main character of the series, who is also the oldest of seven surviving children, aged 17 in season one (15 in the pilot), John-Boy is a serious thinker and avid reader with a passion to become a writer. He constantly records his thoughts about his family, friends, and circumstances, and writes stories in a journal/diary. Normally a calm, quiet sort, John-Boy occasionally displays a touch of his father's fiery temper, and can become defensive and indignant when a situation warrants. He is deeply touched by tragic events in history, as he watches the Hindenburg disaster unfold and gets injured trying to rescue people from it, and is infuriated when his community attempts to burn German books in response to hearing about Nazis doing the same to their books. After becoming the first member of his family to graduate from college, he moves to New York City to fulfill his dream. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlists in the military and writes for the Stars and Stripes.

In season 8, he is formally reintroduced to the story once his parents learn he is missing in action. It turns out his plane, the Katie Ann, was shot down and crashed into the sea near Britain while he was out looking for stories. He and the pilot were forced to tread water for hours at a time to stay afloat, but after growing exhausted, his comrade succumbed to his injuries and drowned, while John-Boy, who had suffered extreme head trauma, lost consciousness as he was rescued from the sea. Due to the severity of his injuries, he slipped into a lengthy coma and was flown back to America to undergo medical care, leaving his parents to wait on his recovery. When he at last emerged from his coma, he was stricken with amnesia from the traumatic injury he suffered to his head, and no longer could participate in the war. After World War II ended, he tried to return to New York at the promise of an opportunity waiting for him to tell his own story like many others, but subsequently lost his footing as a novelist due to an over-saturated market of war stories ousting his from consideration. He then turned his attention to reporting news instead and gained a steady means of living once more, but would one day have to break the news of the John F. Kennedy assassination. However, it was in this profession that he finally found the love of his life in the form of Janet, and eventually married her.

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