Laura and Earl -- Our Laura Ingalls Wilder Forum

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Date Posted: 19:00:32 11/18/02 Mon
Author: Ann
Subject: Laura and Earl

The Waltons/LHOP thread was getting kind of long, so I thought I'd continue on a new one.
The real competition should be between LIW and Earl Hamner, Jr. She was the real Laura and he was the real John-Boy. They both wrote fictionalized books about their lives. Her books were aimed more towards children, his toward adults, but both are family oriented and read by people of all ages.

Both had TV shows based on their books. Laura's of course were based on her LHOP books, Earl's on The Homecoming. The Homecoming was made into a TV movie that was the basis for The Waltons. Thank goodness they re-cast the parents. Patricia Neal is a fine actress, but I don't think I could have taken her week after week. Andrew Duncan seemed a bit too sophisticated for the part, but then I remember him from Bourbon Street Beat. (Give me earthy Ralph Waite, lol.)

The LHOP books were also the basis for the original TV movie that kicked off the show, and subsequent TV movies after the show was over. Hamner's book, Spencer's Mountain (a very Walton-like story), was made into a movie starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara. Hamner worked on the TV series and other TV series as well, including Twilight Zone.
Of course, Laura was elderly by the time TV came along, so even if she'd been inclined, Hollywood scripting would have been pretty much out of the question for her.

LHOP was really aimed at children, but adults watched it, while The Waltons, I think was aimed at the family, with a strong nostalgia appeal for many adults, as many who had lived through the depression were still around.

So, would we have them arm wrestle, count number of books sold, check the ratings for the two series, to determine a winner or what?

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Re: Laura and Earl -- Cindy C, 11:21:50 11/24/02 Sun

I wasn't fond of Patricia Neal either, and am glad they got Michael Learned for the part. Isn't it a coincidence tho, that Patricia Neal also had a part on LHOP as the dying mother of three children? I found both shows enjoyable, actually. They took a person to another place and time, and both shows were about family. I can't arm wrestle on this one!

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