Earl Hamner Jr. Dead at 92

Earl Hamner Jr.

Earl Hamner Jr., who created the popular television drama The Waltons, has died at 92. His son Scott announced on Facebook that Hamner had been suffering from cancer, and died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 23.

The Waltons was based on Hamner's novel, "Spencer's Mountain," which was in turn inspired by Hamner's childhood in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia during the Great Depression.

The series ran for nine seasons on CBS, and featured Richard Thomas as John Boy Walton, an aspiring writer who represented Hamner. John Boy was surrounded by his parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters and the larger community of Walton's Mountain, people living good lives under trying economic conditions.

The Waltons often ended with one of the family members drifting off to sleep with the words, "Good night, John Boy," and an off-camera narration by Hamner himself.

Following the end of The Waltons series, Hamner Jr. created popular primetime soap opera Falcon Crest.

Scott Hamner said of his father's final moments: "He was surrounded by family, and we were playing his favorite music, John Denver's 'Rocky Mountain Collection.' Dad took his last breath halfway through 'Rocky Mountain High.'"

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Co Head-Writer Scott Hamner Taking 'Leave of Absence'; Jill Farren Phelps On The Way?

Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Scott Hamner, Y&R's co-head writer, is taking a temporary leave of absence from the soap.

"I had decided to let my contract expire but Maria [Arena Bell, executive producer/head writer] asked if we could call it a sabbatical instead," explains Hamner. "She really didn't want me to leave, so I agreed to take a few months off. She has been so gracious and generous about my need to take a break and I appreciate that."