Michael Learned

Ma Walton was a role that actress Michael Learned took out of complete desperation. She was a single mother without income and a family to take care of. Luckily for her, she managed to bring in $45,000 an episode over six seasons, before the role of the matriarch on The Waltons had run her course.

At a certain point, Learned grew tired of the part with the return of John-Boy, feeling redundant on-screen. Some days, she admitted to sitting on the set for more than 14 hours without anything to do. Obviously, it was time to go at that point.