"The Waltons" was based on Earl Hamner Jr.’s book 'Spencer’s Mountain,' which was inspired by his own childhood growing up in rural Virginia during the Great Depression. Olivia was based off his own mother, and yes, I did get to meet her once. | Michael Learned

Olivia Walton assumes board leadership role at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

This is from an interview I did in 2015 with The Emmys / Television Academy. After "The Waltons" I was offered the lead role in "Nurse", based on the bestselling book, "Nurse (1979,) by Peggy Anderson. "Nurse" aired on CBS from 1981 to 1982. I was apprehensive at first but after reading the script I realized that Nurse Mary Benjamin was a much grittier role than Olivia, and ultimately won me my fourth Emmy. In retrospect I realize that one of the threads that runs through the roles I've been ble