Remembering Joe Conley

Joe Conley spent 50 years on TV playing different characters but he will be best known or his role on The Waltons as Mr. Godsey. As the gentle shopkeeper on Walton's Mountain he brought humor and sympathy to a non-starring role.

Conley was a great character actor during a time where if you started on TV you stayed there. He had dementia during the last ten years and passed away in a elder care home. For those too young to have seen his work a quick Waltonsmarathon may help you appreciate what a good actor can do with a small role.

Waltons Jumped the Shark

The Waltons was plagued with a host of continuity issues. Season one was near perfect but then after that it went off. Certain thing like having Earl Hamner Jr. say that they would never see a traveler again and then a season later the traveler is back but as a different actor. Their timeline was also something of a space-time continuum mess.

And for different actors they win a prize. About 15 characters were played by different actors and I'm only on season seven.

Jumping the Shark

Now the quality of the episodes were going down hill with the stroke of Ellen Corby that lasted 2 seasons or 3+ years in Waltons time. Then the exit of Richard Thomas the main actor. Finally the unexpected death of Will Geer who's characters Grandpa Walton was said to live to a great old age.

The Changeling:
Elizabeth is turning thirteen and gets haunted by a poltergeist. They try to explain it that when young kids go through a "change" ghosts get attached to their energy until their inner conflict is resolved.

The episode had flying furniture and everyone taking this serious. It was hard to watch especially knowing the actors were probably disgusted at the whole thing. Granted Earl Hamner J. did a few Twilight Zone episodes but if they wanted explore the supernatural they could have done it better.


The Warrior: Had an Indian burial ground under the Walton's barn. The entire episode was sketchy and the Pa Walton's reaction was uncharacteristic to say the least. Still it was nothing compared to The Changeling.

The Waltons

That's right kids.

Hallmark channel has been repeating most episodes of The Waltons in order for up to 3 hours a day. On Easter weekend they will have a 24-hour marathon.

This show is great and is better than Little House on the Prairie. I have not seen this show since I was a kid since it was not as a popular rerun as other shows of the time. The acting is great, the sets are really well done, and the themes/episode continue throughout the episodes.

For those who do not know The Waltons is a show about a large family living on their own land during The Great Depression. It is based on the book Spencer's Mountain but is only 10-25% based on real the life author Earl Hamner Jr. So loosely based on real life is most accurate.

Each episode is can be broken down easily:
Someone comes to stay with the Waltons, the visitor(s) have a problem and by being around the Waltons they come to realize how family should work and they resolve the problem.

The show is not heavy handed with the judgement and while church plays a huge role the father is not religious because of his war experience but is more spiritual. The first season is near perfect for a drama with moments of comedy. After that subtle changes start appearing that still haunts shows to this day. Typical stuff like focusing on kids instead of older people, using more sets than outside filming, and complaints about money yet always seeming to have more the next episode ( cough...cough...Desperate Housewives...cough).

John Boy plays the role of observer more than the star, at least in the first 3 seasons. It is kind of odd watching this old show knowing that eventually Richard Thomas leaves and gets replaced and by the end the show gets silly but for now it is good. Take a second and TiVo an episode or two.