Forbidden love of Ma and Pa Walton
THEY were the perfect husband and wife on long-running American TV drama The Waltons.
Now actress Michael Learned has revealed that her onscreen chemistry with Ralph Waite spilled over into real life.
She said that early in the series’ ten-year run in the 1970s the pair almost became lovers when they were both single – but decided not to take it further for the sake of the show. Miss Learned, 79, said she and Waite – who died in 2014 aged 85 – ‘were in love’ off screen and even went on a date.
‘We had a deep love for each other that we would have ruined if we had taken it that extra step, and we didn’t,’ she told MailOnline. Instead, they became ‘a spiritual husband and wife if you will’.