Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
The Waltons
S4.E5
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Boondoggle

  • Episode aired Oct 9, 1975
  • TV-G
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
139
YOUR RATING
The Boondoggle (1975)
DramaFamilyRomance

A traveling reporter visits the mountain to write story about Judge Baldwin. What he finds upsets the Baldwin sisters and disturbs the community.A traveling reporter visits the mountain to write story about Judge Baldwin. What he finds upsets the Baldwin sisters and disturbs the community.A traveling reporter visits the mountain to write story about Judge Baldwin. What he finds upsets the Baldwin sisters and disturbs the community.

  • Director
    • Ralph Waite
  • Writers
    • Earl Hamner Jr.
    • Claire Whitaker
    • Rod Peterson
  • Stars
    • Richard Thomas
    • Ralph Waite
    • Michael Learned
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    139
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ralph Waite
    • Writers
      • Earl Hamner Jr.
      • Claire Whitaker
      • Rod Peterson
    • Stars
      • Richard Thomas
      • Ralph Waite
      • Michael Learned
    • 1User review
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast19

    Edit
    Richard Thomas
    Richard Thomas
    • John-Boy Walton
    Ralph Waite
    Ralph Waite
    • John Walton, Sr.
    Michael Learned
    Michael Learned
    • Olivia Walton
    • (as Miss Michael Learned)
    Ellen Corby
    Ellen Corby
    • Esther Walton
    Will Geer
    Will Geer
    • The Grandfather
    Judy Norton
    Judy Norton
    • Mary Ellen Walton
    Jon Walmsley
    Jon Walmsley
    • Jason Walton
    Mary Beth McDonough
    Mary Beth McDonough
    • Erin Walton
    • (as Mary Elizabeth McDonough)
    Eric Scott
    Eric Scott
    • Ben Walton
    David W. Harper
    David W. Harper
    • Jim-Bob Walton
    Kami Cotler
    Kami Cotler
    • Elizabeth Walton
    Earl Hamner Jr.
    Earl Hamner Jr.
    • The Narrator
    • (voice)
    • (as Earl Hamner)
    David Clarke
    David Clarke
    • Abel Bingly
    Mary Jackson
    Mary Jackson
    • Emily Baldwin
    Helen Kleeb
    Helen Kleeb
    • Mamie Baldwin
    Kevin Lee
    • Buck
    Nora Marlowe
    Nora Marlowe
    • Mrs. Flossie Brimmer
    Richard McKenzie
    Richard McKenzie
    • Porter Sims
    • Director
      • Ralph Waite
    • Writers
      • Earl Hamner Jr.
      • Claire Whitaker
      • Rod Peterson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews1

    7.4139
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7nlathy-839-300677

    Outsider stirs up trouble

    Interesting look at problems of muckraking. Fun to watch Ellen Corby rail about overrated New Deal. Dumb back story fills out the episode. Richard Thomas is brilliant.

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Federal Writers' Project (FWP) that Porter Sims works for was an actual part of the Works Progress Administration, part of President Roosevelt's New Deal. As a writer for the FWP, Sims was in good company; other notable writers involved include John Cheever, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright.
    • Goofs
      When they were tossing pennies, the reverse was shown to reveal the Lincoln Memorial. Those pennies were minted in 1959 and later.
    • Quotes

      Narrator: [narration as John 'John Boy' Walton, Jr. reading from his journal] Of all the people who visited Waltons Mountain during my growing to manhood years, I remember one especially. He was a man who brought new ideas to an old way of life. For a brief time his presence stirred the Walton household, and threatened the time-honored traditions of our quiet community.

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 9, 1975 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Hallmark Channel
      • INSP Television Network
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 20, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Lorimar Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1
      • 4:3

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    The Boondoggle (1975)
    Top Gap
    What is the Spanish language plot outline for The Boondoggle (1975)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.