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4B I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, December 5,2018
The Waltons are timeless
When I was growing up, especially as
a teenager, people would often say, “It
must be hard being a preacher’s kid.”
It could be
difficult
because there
were high
expectations.
Being a
preacher’s
child, though,
was nothing
difficult com
pared to being the wife of a television
writer. My husband has almost ruined
television for me. He walks into the
room when I’m viewing a show — and
by the way, I grew up loving television
— and more often than not, he rolls his
eyes and says, “You’re not watching
that, are you?”
Then, he begins a critique because he
believes in the power of good television.
This has gotten so troublesome that I am
developing low self-esteem when it
comes to television show selection. To
avoid this, I usually put the TV on a
high-brow selection like a PBS docu
mentary then I switch the channel to the
lower brow shows I adore. If I hear
Tink’s footsteps, I quickly hit the previ
ous button so that when he comes into
the room, a pleasing show is on.
There is an exception, though. A show
that unites us in joy and entertainment.
It is the 1970s’ series, The Waltons,
about a Depression-Era family in the
Blue Ridge Mountains. That show holds
up as well today as it did when it
debuted in 1971. The INSP channel runs
two episodes daily so I record them.
John Tinker, truly a child of televi
sion, having grown up in the industry, is
infatuated with its simple yet complex
storytelling. His admiration is so strong
that he watches two or three episodes
nightly.
“This is the best show.” He practically
gushes and Tink is not a gusher. He is
mesmerized by the quality. “Look at
how they take their time in this scene.
The director lets their emotions play
out. This show would never get made
today.”
It almost didn’t get made in 1971. A
Waltons television Christmas movie had
done reasonably well in the ratings but it
was a hard series sale at CBS which,
ironically (because it was Tink’s fami
ly), was investing in modern, fresh
shows like the Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Merv Adelson, partner at Lorimar
Productions, and Earl Hamner, creator
of the show and the model for John Boy,
were in a futile pitch at CBS when
chairman, Bill Paley, walked in. Paley
ran the television and radio network he
built (with genius Frank Stanton) with
an iron fist.
He asked what was being pitched and,
after being brought up to speed, said
decisively, “Do it. We’ve taken a lot out
of television. Let’s give something
back.”
What they gave is still giving after
almost 50 years. It’s drama at its heart
rending best where the characters are
well-defined and the ending, even if it
isn’t idyllic, is satisfying. The emotions
are real and relatable. Though the show
and actors were awarded many acco
lades, Tink says often that Ralph Waite,
who played father John Walton, was
wildly underrated for his nuanced per
formances.
In the two degrees of Tinker separa
tion often found in the entertainment
world, Tink’s brother, Mark, worked on
the show in the beginning of his career.
“I wonder where these outdoor scenes
were shot,” Tink said. The Walton house
is on a studio lot and is still used today.
It was, in fact, on the series, Gilmore
Girls.
“Somewhere an hour north of Los
Angeles.”
Tink, doubting me, texted Mark who
responded quickly with, “An hour from
L.A.”
Our pleasures in The Waltons are
many — Hamner’s melodic narration,
extraordinary storytelling and a depic
tion of rural life filled with rich, inspir
ing characters like people we know.
One night after a particularly satisfy
ing episode, Tink asked quietly,
“Wouldn’t it be something if, 50 years
from now, we had written a show that
was still this relevant and absorbing?”
Indeed, it would. Thank you, Mr. Earl
Hamner. And, you too, Mr. Bill Paley.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of
Mark My Words: A Memoir of Mama. Visit
www.rondarich.com to sign upforherfree
weekly newsletter.
RONDA RICH
Columnist
Bob Christian Dawson County News
Sophomore Mason Barnes rolls in a lay-up in a game against Clarke Central
on Dec. 1.
FROM 1B
Tigers
in,” Pittman said. “You
don’t do that just by show
ing up.”
Chism set the tone for
the second half, opening
the third period by steal
ing the inbound pass and
taking it to the house with
a glass-rattling slam dunk.
Sophomore Mason Barnes
took over the outside
shooting work in the third
period as he was able to
add two more 3-pointers
to put extend the Tigers
lead by double digits for
the final period.
Flowery Branch was
obviously out of gas as the
fourth period opened and
the Tigers were quick to
take advantage and put the
game completely out of
reach as sophomore Max
Tierney joined Barnes,
Chism and Gibson in
scoring during the final set
to win with a score of
79-47.
The Tigers took the
court again during the
North Georgia High
School Showcase on the
Dahlonega campus of the
University of North
Georgia Dec. 1 for their
first-ever matchup against
the Clarke Central
Gladiators out of Athens.
Both teams opened the
first period running the
basketball the length of
the court in a fast-break
style of play that made for
a lot of shots but didn’t
give either team a distinct
advantage.
Over the course of the
period the inside play on
both ends of the court
from Burruss and senior
Ahmad Kamara proved to
be the edge, and the Tigers
out-paced the Gladiators
13-5.
The Dawson County
offense opened up as
Chism created room
underneath the basket in
the second period and
put up the first of his 19
points on the day while
Burruss moved to the
outside and twice found
the net from 3-point ter
ritory.
Clarke Central fought
back, forcing a string of
turnovers that allowed
them to close the gap with
an 8-0 run late in the sec
ond, but the Tigers took a
double-digit lead into
halftime
Chism continued to
drive the lane, finding the
basket for another 8
points, and cleared
defenders from the outside
to allow Burrus and
Gibson both to put in long
buckets. Any momentum
that the Tigers could
establish was interrupted
by the foul-heavy defense
mounted by the Gladiators
as they sent the Tigers to
the line a remarkable 29
times during the game.
The Tigers relied on the
free throw in the fourth
period, scoring 9 of their
20 points from the line
and Gibson, who led the
team in scoring with 29
points, was 13 of 16 from
the top of the key. As the
final buzzer sounded
Dawson County moved to
4-1 on the season with a
77-46 victory over the
Clarke Central Gladiators.
Dawson County trav
eled to Fannin County to
open regional play with a
game against the Rebels
on Dec. 4, but results were
unavailable as of press
time.
DCHS drama students to
perform ‘A Christmas Carol’
By Jessica Taylor
jtaylor@dawsonnews.com
The Tiger Den Players of Dawson
County High School will be presenting
three performances of “A Christmas
Carol” this Friday and Saturday.
The musical, written by Broadway
heavy hitters Alan Menken and Lynn
Ahrens, breathes new life into the clas
sic tale.
Ebenezer Scrooge is a prosperous
curmudgeon who believes that person
al wealth is far more valuable than the
happiness and comfort of others.
With an infuriated “Bah! Humbug!”
Scrooge summates his feelings of
Christmas tidings and charitable giv
ing, but he’s forced to face his selfish
ways when three ghosts on Christmas
Eve lead him through his Past, Present
and Future.
Thanks to their guidance, Scrooge
recognizes his faults and greets
Christmas morning with a cheerful
“Happy Christmas” before spending
the day reconnecting and sharing love
with those that mean the most to him.
The shows are at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 and
Dec. 8 and at 2 p.m. Dec. 8 at the
Performing Arts Center at 1665
Perimeter Road.
Tickets are $5 and will be available
at the door.
King Crossword
ACROSS
42
Intend
man
1 Yard activities
43
Grazing area
13
Wear away
6 Measuring
44
Filleted
18
Since, slangily
device
46
Suitable
21
Belgian city
11 Wig
47
Identify
23
"Get lost!"
12 Show up
49
Sarcastic
25
Conger or
14 Hang around
remark
moray
15 Vocalist
51
Stag's lack
27
Boxer
16 Big bother
52
With malice
29
Cutting
17 Formal pro
53
Butcher's
responses
nouncements
wares
31
"Look
19 Yoko of music
54
Keglers 1 venue
Homeward,
20 Spill the beans
Angel" author
22 Bear hair
DOWN
32
Anti-elderly bias
23 Coaster
1
Large beer
33
Quick look
24 Black-and-
glass
34
Baltimore
white movie,
2
Golfer Palmer
newspaper
e.g.
3
Schlep
36
Snoopy, e.g.
26 90210, for one
4
— out (supple
37
Boutonnieres'
28 Always, in
mented)
sites
verse
5
Helvetica lack
38
Access
30 Mongrel
6
Stomach-
41
Watch-crystal
31 Sways from
related
holder
side to side
7
Met melody
44
Ernie's pal
35 "Gone With
8
Grecian con
45
Prima donna
the Wind" star
tainer
48
— long way
39 Look lascivi
9
51- Across of
(last)
ously
a sort
50
Diarist Anais
40 Three-man
10
Tied
vessel?
11
"The Republic"
©2018 King Features Synd., Inc.
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