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The Cast of The Waltons
(© IMAGO / ZUMA Press)

'The Waltons'

The popular "good night" routine in The Waltons was actually based on an activity from the home of the show's creator Earl Hamner Jr. He said that this would go on until his father told him and his siblings to be quiet.

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Don Knotts and John Ritter in 'Three's Company'
(© imago images/Cinema Publishers Collection)

Don Knotts and John Ritter

John Ritter left the show after four seasons because he was offered the lead on Three's Company. He has said that the fact that he had to give up his role as "Reverend Fordwick" was the only regret in taking the role on Three's Company.

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Ralph Waite and Michael Learned in 'The Waltons'.
(© imago images / Mary Evans)

Ralph Waite and Michael Learned

While his character "John Sr." did not go to church regularly, Ralph Waite was a licensed minister in real life. He actually helped out his co-star John Ritter with his role as "Reverend Fordwick".

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Still one of TV's most popular families: 'The Waltons'.
(© imago images / Mary Evans)

The Cast Of 'The Waltons'

"John Walton Sr." (Ralph Waite) actually had an older brother, "Ben", who was killed in World War I. In his honor, "John Sr." named his third son "Ben"!

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Richard Thomas Ralph Waite "John-Boy" "John Walton Sr." 'The Waltons'.
(© imago images / Cinema Publishers Collection)

Richard Thomas and Ralph Waite

For Ralph Waite and Richard Thomas, it actually wasn't the first time they played father and son. They had worked together on the movie Petting in 1969 - Thomas played the role of "Peter" and Waite played his father, but wasn't credited.

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The cast of 'The Waltons'.
(© Getty Images)

The Cast Of 'The Waltons'

Although the show is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia, almost the entire series was actually filmed on the Warner Bros. studio lot in Hollywood, California.