Michael Learned left The Waltons in 1979 after eight seasons, but the choice wasn’t as simple as stepping away from a job; it meant walking away from a family she had built on set and a role that had already earned her three Emmy Awards. Like her castmate Richard Thomas, who left after five seasons to pursue other opportunities, Learned’s exit left a noticeable hole in the series. But a combination of exhaustion and desire for new challenges made Learned decide it was time to leave the mountain.