'The Waltons' actress McDonough returns to Schuyler

In the fall of 1992, Mary McDonough came home to the mountain.

Not the make-believe mountain as seen on more than 200 episodes of television’s perennial classic, “The Waltons.” No, this time she was visiting the real one in Schuyler.

As most people know, Schuyler is the hometown of Earl Hamner Jr., who based his 1961 book, “Spencer’s Mountain,” on his childhood growing up there. The novel became a movie of the same title and ultimately made television history as the popular family drama “The Waltons.”

“I’ve been back to Schuyler many times now,” said McDonough, who portrayed Erin Walton on the series and subsequent made-for-television movies. “My first visit was in 1992, when Walton’s Mountain Community Center opened, and something like 6,000 people showed up.

“It was an amazing experience, and since then we have tried to go back every fall. I love it there, and fall is my favorite time of the year.

“On my first visit I wanted to see Earl’s home and the Rockfish River that’s in the show, of course.

“I got a real sense of place and of the people who live there. Everybody is so embracing and warm. I could understand how Earl turned out the way he did by visiting where he grew up.”

McDonough will be making a springtime visit to Schuyler on Saturday to talk about and sign copies of her new book, “Lessons From The Mountain: What I Learned From Erin Walton.” The event will be at 1 p.m. at Waltons Mountain Bed and Breakfast Country Store at 6401 Rockfish River Road in Schuyler.

McDonough was 10 when her life changed forever as the result of being cast as Erin Walton in the 1971 television movie “The Homecoming: A Christmas Story.” Its success led to the series, which originally aired from 1972 to 1981.

The new book provides behind-the-scenes insights about the show that are certain to delight and surprise readers. It also tells the story of McDonough’s struggles and challenges as she tried to be “Mary-not-Erin.”

McDonough, who turned 50 on May 4, said she had a few goals for doing the book.

“I wanted to share the lessons I had learned from being on the show, and from my own extended family and my Walton family,” McDonough said. “And I wanted to share the fun, behind-the-scenes antics and wonderful memories of all the people on the show.

“The fans are so loyal, and I wanted them to have that. And also, when I was younger and going through problems, I felt very alone.

“What I realized was that I wasn’t alone and so many people felt the way I did. I wanted to encourage people not to suffer through by themselves, and to know we’re all in it together.”

McDonough has made a successful transition from child star to accomplished adult actor, writer and director. She had a recurring role on “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and has appeared on a number of other television series, including, “Will and Grace” “ER,” “Boston Legal” and “The West Wing.”

McDonough also wrote and produced the award-winning movie “For the Love of May,” starring Patricia Neal. Outside the acting profession, she has been active in charitable organizations.

In recognition of her work, the Lupus Foundation of America gave her its national award for outstanding service. And the American Heart Association awarded McDonough the Les Etoiles De Coeur [Stars of Heart] Award for her participation in its Healthy Heart campaigns.

McDonough has a lot of experience dealing with problems on and off the screen. Writing the book presented her with some tough ones.

“For me, the book reopened some Tupperware containers I thought I had sealed away pretty tight,” McDonough said. “One of them was my father’s death.

“And it being so close to [“Waltons” grandfather Zeb Walton] Will Geer’s death made it even harder for me to go back and revisit it. I cried a lot writing that.

“And it was hard really exposing how insecure I was and the low self-esteem I had. Sharing that was difficult, as was revisiting bad choices I made. But having come through all that was also a personal victory for me.”

Currently, reruns of “The Waltons” are being aired on three networks. The book provides a treasure trove of trivia relating to the show and things to look for.

The book also reveals the near-magical chemistry among the cast members. In a real sense, McDonough had two loving families, each of which taught her lessons about life.

“The show was a real foundation for me, and the way it affected my life is significant,” McDonough said. “I remember Will Geer pulling me under his arm and teaching me to be grateful for every gig.

“And I mean the gig of life. He taught me how to appreciate the show while I was still on it, so that years later I wouldn’t look back and say, ‘Oh, why didn’t I enjoy that more?’

“Now when I watch an episode of ‘The Waltons’ it seems surreal. It doesn’t seem like it’s me. But it’s fun to watch it, too.

“Of course, I cringe and think I was so terrible. Why did I talk so fast? But it does make me laugh.”

Mary McDonough will be discussing and signing copies of her new book, “Lessons From the Mountain: What I Learned From Erin Walton,” at 1 p.m. Saturday at Waltons Mountain Bed and Breakfast Country Store at 6401 Rockfish River Road in Schuyler.