(31 Oct 1974) 56-3-8
Writer: Caryl Ledner.
Director: Jack Shea.
Music: Alexander
Courage.
"Sometimes the future
tries to warn us by casting a shadow over the present. Such a warning came to us
one morning in the form of a scent of smoke borne by the
wind."
Olivia and Grandma walk out of Ike’s store
and see smoke coming from the deserted Hanover place. Thinking hobos may have
moved in, they investigate. They find a woman sitting on the porch wondering why
her stove doesn’t work. Grandma looks inside while Olivia tries to calm the
stranger. Grandma says the damper was closed. Olivia introduces herself and
Esther to Susan Hanover, who is Bertram Hanover’s daughter-in-law, and Ted
Hanover’s wife. Esther remembers Bertram Hanover from her younger days. Susan’s
two children walk up, Alicia and Charles, acting like they don’t enjoy the
country. Esther shows Susan how to work the damper. Susan says she is at her
wit’s end, never having lived before in the country, coming from a New York City
apartment. Olivia invites them to supper at six o’clock; their house is the
first one on the right. As they leave Grandma can’t believe Bertram Hanover’s
son is here, telling Olivia that Bertram was one of her beaus.
John fixes a bench from the supper table,
while Grandma shows Olivia an old picture of her and Bertram at the country
fair. Zeb thinks he was a “parlor snake” who after Esther said no to his
marriage proposal asked Sabrina Wilkins two weeks later. Zeb says, “Like father,
like son, mark my words!” At supper, John-Boy is introduced to the Hanovers
after coming in late. Alicia tries to guess his major: law (no), art (maybe),
engineering (definitely no), or music. John-Boy says journalism. She suggests
that her father could have his writings read by NYC publishers, saying that
Maxwell Perkins (J. Scott Fitzgerald’s editor) is a close friend. Ted says that
his NYC days are over, but Alicia says hers are not. Grandma and Olivia clear
the table as they talk about the country’s recovery. Ted says his family is not
too keen on country living. Charles wants to look around and asks Erin to show
him the sights.
John-Boy is studying in his room when Erin
asks him what to do if Charles would try to kiss her. John-Boy asks if she wants
him to kiss her, and Erin says yes. John-Boy tells her that one little kiss is
okay. Erin responds, “What else is there?” John mills logs when Ted arrives to
ask for advice. He volunteers to assist John, and spends the morning working
along side. John invites him for lunch where Grandma comments that he is the
“spitting-image” of his father. Ted asks Olivia to befriend Susan and convince
her that the country life is best for her. Olivia agrees to be her friend, but
Susan must decide for herself whether she will like country life.
Mary Ellen goes over to the Hanover house to
tell Charles that Miss Hunter says he can go to school. In Alicia’s room, Mary
Ellen tries on one of her Paris dresses. Alicia asks if John-Boy dates, and if
he has a steady girlfriend. Mary Ellen answers yes and no to her questions. When
she models the dress to Alicia and Susan they provide her with a turban and
purse, and give her the outfit. Mary Ellen says see has seen nothing as
beautiful as the dress. When Mary Ellen walks home she is told that she looks
like a movie star by the boys, and Olivia says she looks like Ginger Rogers.
Mary Ellen becomes upset and runs upstairs, followed by Olivia who asks her
daughter what is wrong. Finally Olivia says that the dress does not belong here,
and what a person wears does not decide who you are.
Erin shows Charles the schoolyard, but he
doesn’t understand how she can stand all this excitement. He sits with her on a
swing seat. When he puts his hands on her shoulders she asks him to stop.
Charles calls her “too provincial”. Elizabeth and Olivia are preparing supper
when Alicia walks in, telling them how Charles is so disgusting. Olivia doesn’t
like her tone, saying she can’t get away with that with her. John-Boy comes
downstairs and Alicia and he go for a walk. At supper, John-Boy leaves early to
write an article because Alicia has written to Maxwell Perkins saying she will
send him a piece by a exciting, new writer. Erin talks back to her mother, and
Elizabeth doesn’t understand what is happening with the family. Grandpa says it
is the “curse of the Hanovers”.
Olivia and Susan eat homemade fudge and
coffee as Susan talk about exotic places that she’s visited in Europe (having
been to all countries except Russia). Olivia doesn’t like the talk, making her
yearn to visit such places. Alicia says that the article John-Boy wrote is very
good. She wonders what are his ambitions. He is not sure, maybe eventually
living in New York City in an apartment overlooking a river (like Thomas Wolfe).
Alicia thinks he should leave the area now while he is young. John-Boy says he
will finish college because his parents sacrificed for him. Alicia suggests that
he make the first sentence grab the reader’s attention. John-Boy disagrees that
he should write in a particular “new” style, wanting to feel comfortable with
what he writes.
Erin and Charles walk, but he is bored again,
missing Yankee stadium, and wants to leave. Erin says she would miss him if he
leaved. He kisses Erin, but when he tries to kiss her again Erin says no.
Charles calls her a baby and ignores her. John-Boy and Alicia fight, with her
saying he is a fool, and he saying she is not a lady. Grandma takes the clothes
off the line, asking Erin for help, but she does not hear the request. Mary
Ellen is also ignored as Erin runs to her room. She finds her mother, and when
she asks Olivia is she should kiss Charles if she does not want to kiss him,
Olivia tells her that she does not have to do anything she doesn’t want to do,
and is proud of her acting like an adult. Olivia tells John what happened, and
that the Hanovers upset the family. John tells Ted that his family is paying a
heavy price for his confusion, and that his children do not know their limits.
John says that a father must keep on top of things, and the children need
guidance. Ted agrees. John-Boy tells Grandpa that Alicia did not like his
articles, and he feels like throttling her. Grandpa suggests he take his anger
out on a pile of wood. Grandpa reads the articles while Reckless lies by his
side. John and Olivia comment about how lucky they are with their family. Ted
tells Susan that this venture is reality, unlike their escapes from the
realities from New York. He suggests that they return to NYC and Susan says,
“When do we sail?” A Yellow Taxi Cab stops in front of the Walton house and the
Hanovers say goodbye. Erin gives permission for Charles to kiss her goodbye.
Grandma gives Ted the picture of her and Bertram, much to the delight of
Grandpa. The Hanovers drive off on their way back to New York
City.
"We were never to see
the Hanovers again, although Erin did receive one letter from Charles. She
carried it around for a while, pinned inside her dress over her heart, but then,
a new boy came along, and the last reminder of the Hanovers went out of our
lives."
John:
Liv?
Olivia:
Um?
John: I think I can
let go of the boys when the time comes, but I don't know how it's going to be to
give the girls to some other man.
Olivia: You probably
won't have much to say about it.
John:
Liv?
Olivia:
Yes?
John: Maybe they'll be
old maids!
Olivia: I wouldn't
count on it!
John: Liv, I love
you.
Olivia: Will you go to
sleep!
John: 'Night
Liv.
Olivia: Goodnight,
John.
Ben: Goodnight Mama,
goodnight Daddy.
Erin: Goodnight Mama,
goodnight Daddy.
Olivia: Now look what
you've started!
Elizabeth: Goodnight
Mama, goodnight Daddy!
Jim Bob: Goodnight
Daddy, goodnight Mama.
John & Olivia:
Goodnight.
Notes:
Bertram Hanover, the father of Ted, married Sabrina Wilkins and is a stockbroker in New York City.
Bertram Hanover was an ex-beau of Grandma, having asked her to marry him (but she said no).
The Walton house is the first house on the right from the Hanover house.
Ted Hanover, also a stockbroker, got fed up with the big city and returned to where his father was born, Walton’s Mountain, although he was born and raised in New York City.
Maxwell Perkins was, in reality, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s editor. Refer to: http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/wolfe/perkins.htm.
Linda Purl appears in The Heartbreaker as Curt Willard’s sister Vanessa in season five, episode twenty.
Also
appearing:
Ted Hanover (Mark Miller), Susan Hanover (Barbara Cason), Alicia Hanover (Linda Purl), Charles Hanover (David Gruner).