When The Waltons premiered on September 14, 1972, viewers had been launched to the close-knit Walton household dwelling in rural Virginia in the course of the Nice Melancholy. The heartwarming drama, created by Earl Hamner Jr. and based mostly on his personal childhood, turned an immediate hit on CBS, working for 9 seasons (1972 to 1981), spawning a number of TV film sequels, and incomes a number of Emmy Awards in addition to a spot in tv historical past. Greater than 50 years later, The Waltons stays a beloved basic of Seventies household tv, which begs the query: who from the primary forged continues to be with us right now?