12/13/1979. Thursday, 8 pm. 1 hour.

CBS. Season 8 of 9. Episode 173.

Family drama

Code: WW 12/1979

PLOT

Mary Ellen prods Erin into teaming with her and entering a 12-mile run and ride race, and places some dangerously steep bets that they will win. The ridicule of several men only spurs the girls on after they enter the horse race.

CREDITS

Writers: E.F. Wallengren, Claylene Jones.

Director: Gwen Arner.

REGULAR CAST

Ralph Waite as John Walton

Robert Wightman as (this season’s) John Boy Walton

Judy Norton-Taylor as Mary Ellen Walton Willard

Mary Beth McDonough as Erin Walton

Kami Cotler as Elizabeth Walton

GUEST CAST

Jonathan Banks as Jeb Sanders

Mitch Carter as Sam Barker

Lewis Arquette as J.D. Pickett

CHARACTER

Jeb is a lazy, sexist gold-bricker. Good ol' boy country accent. Gets taught a lesson when the girls beat him and his friend Sam Barker in the race, and he has to go back to the loading dock job he tried to finagle his way out of by claiming he had a bad back. JB gets to run full out at the end of the race.

COSTUME

It’s A Cloth Cap role. When he and Sam lose the race, he throws his cap down and kicks it.

LINES

"It’s that gol-durned back of mine, went out again."

"Ain’t you the bossy one. I swear, you give a woman a man’s job it goes to her head quicker ‘n a bottle of rye whisky."

"You weren’t a girl, I’d punch you right square in the nose."

SCREEN TIME

7 scenes, in all except act 2.

WORKED WITH

Mitch Carter (IDM 4/1979)