Lorimar initially produced made-for-television movies for the "ABC Movie of the Week". Rich bought the script to an adaptation of Earl Hamner Jr.'s novel "The Homecoming" and subsequently sold the rights to CBS. "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story", airing during the 1971 holiday season, was a ratings success, and served as the pilot for Lorimar's first major hit, "The Waltons", which premiered in 1972. Throughout the 1970s, Lorimar produced a number of hit shows, including "Eight Is Enough"; of these, the most popular by far was "Dallas". In 1980, Lorimar purchased the bankrupt Monogram Pictures, in order to revive the company from bankruptcy.