Earl H. Hamner, Jr.

(delsjourney.com)

“People think all I am is Mr. Walton, ... I've done books and movies and radio. My life has covered the entire span of commercial TV.” Earl Hamner Jr. is more than just the guy that made the hit TV show, Walton’s; he’s a real person who has contributed a lot to our country. That is why Earl Hamner is my hero.

Earl Hamner Jr. was born on July 10, 1923 to Earl and Doris Hamner. He was raised with seven other children on a small farm in Schuyler, Virginia. At the age of six, Earl started writing small poems. One poem about puppies and a red wagon was published in the local newspaper. When He graduated from the Schuyler High School, he went to the Richmond University by a scholarship he had received. After college, Earl was drafted into the Army during World War II. After serving in land mine demolition, he was then moved to Paris as a Quartermaster. Once the war ended, he worked at WMBG radio station.

Earl attended Northwestern University, and then worked in Cincinnati as a writer and radio host. Hamner soon married Jane Martin, and had two children; Scott and Caroline. Now he and his wife live in California, but make frequent trips to Earl’s hometown of Schuyler. Hamner wrote a book about his hometown and family called Spencer’s Mountain. Later, that book was turned into a television series, and Earl produced it; the Walton’s.

The Walton’s is a truly wonderful show. It shows the hardships, trials, and wonderful times of an American family during the Great Depression. It has made it possible for my family to watch television, and not have to worry about turning the TV off, or having the children leave the room. But Earl Hamner is not just a guy who makes TV good.

To me, Earl Hamner has set a precedent of what our television should be like. He has also really put the love of writing in my life because he has shown me that you can make a change just by doing something that you are good at. The things that I admire about him are that he persevered to make television watch-able. Also, I admire that he had the courage to risk a lot of money to make a show that he didn’t know if anyone would watch.

Earl Henry Hamner Jr. is more than just the guy who wrote a book or made the Walton’s. He is a man who has forever engraved the love of the old days in our hearts. And I would just like to say thank you.