Rose Nylund's Letter to Gorby -- Samantha Smith Tribute? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

cjmalagodi · 12-30-2003, 11:13 PM

Not long ago, I watched a rerun of "The Golden Girls" in which one episode was about Rose (Betty White) wrote a letter to Gorbachev, who was then the Soviet Leader. In her letter, Rose wrote about pledging for world peace, against nuclear war, etc. I am wondering if this episode is a special tribute to Samantha Smith, who wrote a letter to Andropov, pledging for peace. I first watched this episode in 1985, the year Samantha was killed in a plane crash three years after she wrote that historic letter. I find that episode very touching.

If Samantha had lived, she would have loved this episode.

CJ Malagodi

jayman75 · 12-31-2003, 11:08 AM

Who? What?

Who is Samantha Smith?

GoldenGuy · 01-01-2004, 02:46 AM

I don't know who Samantha Smith, but this is definitely one great episode of The Golden Girls.

Dianne3 · 01-02-2004, 03:18 PM

Samantha Smith was an 11 year old girl, who became famous, because she wrote to Gorbachev, and he replied.

Tragically, she also died at 11, not long after she became famous. I think she was killed in a plane crash, along with her father.

Good call on that episode. Yes, I do think that was a tribute.

After all, GG put a lot of what was happening at the time, into their dialogue.

cjmalagodi · 01-03-2004, 10:37 PM

To Lurkernomore:

I need to correct you on your response. Samantha Smith was 13 years old when she was killed in the plane crash three years after she wrote the letter to Andropov, not Gorbachev.

I hope that will help.

CJ Malagodi

Dianne3 · 01-05-2004, 12:34 PM

To Cjmalagodi:

I am fairly confident that Samantha Smith was not killed three years later, but within the same year.

Also, you could not have seen this episode in 1985. 1985 was the first season of GG, and the Gorbachev episode, was either a third or fourth season episode. I think it was in the third season.

I felt tempted to correct you on the above point, but I usually don't feel comfortable correcting people.

I am also sure Samantha was 11, although who she actually wrote to, I may be wrong there.

Of course, we can always search the internet, to find out whose right & wrong.

Dianne3 · 01-05-2004, 01:05 PM

I just did some internet research, and it now looks like, I have to correct myself.

Samantha Smith - June 29, 1972- August 25, 1985

Yes, she was 13, when she was killed. She was 10 when she wrote that letter, but probably 11, when she became a household name. That's why I remember 11.

I thought this happened around 1986 for some reason. I was off by a few years.

And she did write to Andropov, not Gorbachev.

douglasjc · 01-31-2004, 01:22 AM

in 1987. It was one my favorite shows and Sadly Samantha Smith died before seeing the fall of the Berlin Wall, Collapse of the USSR and the Internet. God Bless her

12-30-2003, 11:13 PM	#1
cjmalagodi Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 23, 2003 Posts: 46	Rose Nylund's Letter to Gorby -- Samantha Smith Tribute? Not long ago, I watched a rerun of "The Golden Girls" in which one episode was about Rose (Betty White) wrote a letter to Gorbachev, who was then the Soviet Leader. In her letter, Rose wrote about pledging for world peace, against nuclear war, etc. I am wondering if this episode is a special tribute to Samantha Smith, who wrote a letter to Andropov, pledging for peace. I first watched this episode in 1985, the year Samantha was killed in a plane crash three years after she wrote that historic letter. I find that episode very touching. If Samantha had lived, she would have loved this episode. CJ Malagodi

12-31-2003, 11:08 AM	#2
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	Who? What? Who is Samantha Smith?
	__________________ A fan of quality, classic television comedies and holiday specials... The Wonder Years,The Golden Girls,Burns and Allen, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Are You Being Served?, Family Guy, South Park, Designing Women, Dallas, The Facts of Life, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Twilight Zone, Original Scooby-Doo, Murphy Brown, The Big Bang Theory... Talk to me about one of these shows, and I'm all yours...

01-01-2004, 02:46 AM	#3
GoldenGuy MAAAAAA Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2002 Posts: 446	I don't know who Samantha Smith, but this is definitely one great episode of The Golden Girls.
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01-03-2004, 10:37 PM	#5
cjmalagodi Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 23, 2003 Posts: 46	Corrections to Lukernomore's response To Lurkernomore: I need to correct you on your response. Samantha Smith was 13 years old when she was killed in the plane crash three years after she wrote the letter to Andropov, not Gorbachev. I hope that will help. CJ Malagodi

01-31-2004, 01:22 AM	#8
douglasjc Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 318	The episode in Question was aired in 1987. It was one my favorite shows and Sadly Samantha Smith died before seeing the fall of the Berlin Wall, Collapse of the USSR and the Internet. God Bless her

01-02-2004, 03:18 PM	#4
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,058	Samantha Smith was an 11 year old girl, who became famous, because she wrote to Gorbachev, and he replied. Tragically, she also died at 11, not long after she became famous. I think she was killed in a plane crash, along with her father. Good call on that episode. Yes, I do think that was a tribute. After all, GG put a lot of what was happening at the time, into their dialogue.

01-05-2004, 12:34 PM	#6
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,058	To Cjmalagodi: I am fairly confident that Samantha Smith was not killed three years later, but within the same year. Also, you could not have seen this episode in 1985. 1985 was the first season of GG, and the Gorbachev episode, was either a third or fourth season episode. I think it was in the third season. I felt tempted to correct you on the above point, but I usually don't feel comfortable correcting people. I am also sure Samantha was 11, although who she actually wrote to, I may be wrong there. Of course, we can always search the internet, to find out whose right & wrong.

01-05-2004, 01:05 PM	#7
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,058	I just did some internet research, and it now looks like, I have to correct myself. Samantha Smith - June 29, 1972- August 25, 1985 Yes, she was 13, when she was killed. She was 10 when she wrote that letter, but probably 11, when she became a household name. That's why I remember 11. I thought this happened around 1986 for some reason. I was off by a few years. And she did write to Andropov, not Gorbachev.