Ralph Waite (June 22, 1928 – February 13, 2014) was an American actor, best known for his lead role as John Walton Sr. on ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book '' Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 fil ...

'' (1972–1981), which he occasionally directed. He also had recurring roles in '' NCIS'' as Jackson Gibbs, the father of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and ''

Bones A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, a ...

'', as

Seeley Booth Seeley Joseph Booth is a fictional character in the US television series '' Bones'' (2005–2017), portrayed by David Boreanaz. Agent Booth is a co-protagonist of the series with Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), whom he affectionately re ...

's grandfather. Waite had supporting roles in movies such as '' Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), ''

Five Easy Pieces ''Five Easy Pieces'' is a 1970 American drama film directed by Bob Rafelson, written by Carole Eastman (as Adrien Joyce) and Rafelson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Susan Anspach, Lois Smith, and Ralph Waite. The film tells the s ...

'' (1970), ''

The Grissom Gang ''The Grissom Gang'' is a 1971 American crime neo noir directed and produced by Robert Aldrich from a screenplay by Leon Griffiths. The film is the second adaptation of the 1939 novel '' No Orchids for Miss Blandish'' by James Hadley Chase; ...

'' (1971), '' The Bodyguard'' (1992), and ''

Cliffhanger A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode or a film of serialized fiction. A cliffhang ...

'' (1993).

Early life

Waite, the eldest of five children, was born in

White Plains, New York (Always Faithful) , image_seal = WhitePlainsSeal.png , seal_link = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = U.S. state, State , su ...

, on June 22, 1928, to Ralph H. Waite, a construction engineer, and Esther (née Mitchell) Waite. He graduated from

White Plains Senior High School White Plains Senior High School is a high school in the White Plains Public Schools system of White Plains, New York, United States. It was selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a School of Excellence in 1986–1987. The school's code ...

in 1946. Too young for

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Waite served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1946 to 1948, then graduated from

Bucknell University Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, it now consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, Freeman College of Management, and the College of Engineering ...

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania Lewisburg is a borough in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States, south by southeast of Williamsport and north of Harrisburg. In the past, it was the commercial center for a fertile grain and general farming region. The population was 5,1 ...

. He worked briefly as a social worker. Waite earned a master's degree from

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

Divinity School A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...

and was an ordained

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

minister and religious editor at Harper & Row, New York, before deciding on an acting career. He was a member of the

Peninsula Players Peninsula Players is a summer theater located in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Founded in 1935 by Richard and Caroline Fisher, it is known as "America's Oldest Professional Resident Summer Theatre." History The Players was founded in 1935 by the br ...

summer theater program during the 1963 season. In 1963, Waite made his Broadway debut as the Minister in ''Marathon '33'', written and directed by

June Havoc June Havoc (born Ellen Evangeline Hovick; November 8, 1912 – March 28, 2010) was a Canadian American actress, dancer, stage director and memoirist. Havoc was a child vaudeville performer under the tutelage of her mother Rose Thompson Hovick, ...

. He next appeared in ''

Blues for Mister Charlie ''Blues for Mister Charlie'' is James Baldwin's second play, a social commentary drama in three acts. It was first produced and published in 1964. The play is dedicated to the memory of Medgar Evers, his widow and children, and to the memory of th ...

'', and worked on- and off-Broadway steadily throughout the 1960s.

Film work

His film work included roles in '' Cool Hand Luke'', ''

'', '' Lawman'', '' Kid Blue'', ''

'', ''

Chato's Land ''Chato's Land'' is a 1972 Western Technicolor film directed by Michael Winner, starring Charles Bronson and Jack Palance. In Apache country, the half-native Chato shoots the local sheriff in self-defense, and finds himself hunted by a posse of ...

'', and ''

The Stone Killer ''The Stone Killer'' is a 1973 American action neo noir thriller film produced and directed by Michael Winner and starring Charles Bronson. It came out in between '' The Mechanic'' (1972) and ''Death Wish'' (1974), all three of which teamed up ac ...

''. His later films included '' The Bodyguard'', the part of Frank the helicopter pilot in the 1993 film ''

'', and as the mysterious time traveler in '' Timequest'' (2002). He also voiced Shadow in ''Homeward Bound II''.

Later stage work

Waite scored a personal triumph when he created the role of Will Kidder in the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' The Young Man from Atlanta'', by playwright

Horton Foote Albert Horton Foote Jr. (March 14, 1916March 4, 2009) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He received Academy Awards for his screenplays for the 1962 film ''To Kill a Mockingbird'', which was adapted from the 1960 novel of the same name ...

, in 1995.

Personal life

Waite was married three times, two marriages ending in divorce. He had three daughters from his first marriage. His eldest daughter, Sharon Waite, died of leukemia when she was 9 years old in 1964.

Liam Waite Liam Waite (born Liam Owen East; March 20, 1971) is an American actor. He is the stepson of Ralph Waite. He is known for portraying a Mars Police Force Officer in John Carpenter's ‘’Ghost of Mars’’ & portraying a father figure in televis ...

, one of Waite's stepsons, is also an actor. After 50 years away from organized religion, Waite returned in 2010 and became an active member of Spirit of the Desert Presbyterian Fellowship in

Palm Desert, California Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs, northeast of San Diego and east of Los Angeles. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census. The city has bee ...

Political involvement

Waite ran unsuccessfully for

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

in California as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

on three occasions: In 1990, he challenged veteran GOP incumbent Al McCandless in the

Riverside County Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Uni ...

-based 37th district, losing by 5%. In 1998, Waite ran in the special election for the then-

Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land ...

-based 44th district left vacant by the death of incumbent

Sonny Bono Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono (; February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and politician who came to fame in partnership with his second wife Cher as the popular singing duo Sonny & Cher. A member of the Republica ...

. He was defeated in that election by

Mary Bono Mary Bono (née Whitaker and formerly Mary Bono Mack, born October 24, 1961) is an American politician, businesswoman, and lobbyist who served Palm Springs and most of central and eastern Riverside County, California, in the U.S. House of Repres ...

, Sonny's widow, and lost to her again that November. On October 21, 1991, Waite introduced former California Governor

Jerry Brown Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 34th and 39th governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected Secretary of S ...

prior to the latter's speech announcing his candidacy for the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination.

Electoral history

Death

On February 13, 2014, Waite died in

, of age-related illnesses at age 85."The Waltons' actor Ralph Waite dies at 85 in Palm Desert."
, "Mydesert.com", February 13, 2014 He is buried in

White Plains Rural Cemetery White Plains Rural Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery, cemetery located in the city of White Plains, New York, White Plains, Westchester County, New York. The cemetery was organized in 1854 and designed in 1855. It contains miles of narrow, ...

in New York.

Filmography

Film

* 1967 '' Cool Hand Luke'' as "Alibi" * 1968 ''

A Lovely Way to Die ''A Lovely Way to Die'' is a 1968 American crime neo noir directed by David Lowell Rich and starring Kirk Douglas, Sylva Koscina, Eli Wallach and Kenneth Haigh. A police officer resigns from the force and becomes a bodyguard to the wife of a w ...

'' as Sean Magruder * 1969 ''

Last Summer ''Last Summer'' is a 1969 teen drama film about adolescent sexuality based on the 1968 novel of the same name by Evan Hunter. Director Frank Perry filmed at Fire Island locations. It stars Catherine Burns, Barbara Hershey, Bruce Davison and R ...

'' as Peter's Father (uncredited) * 1970 ''

'' as Carl Fidelio Dupea * 1971 '' The Pursuit of Happiness'' as Detective Cromie * 1971 ''

The Sporting Club ''The Sporting Club'' is the 1968 debut novel of author Thomas McGuane. Plot summary ''The Sporting Club'' chronicles the friendship and rivalry of Vernor Stanton, an unstable patrician iconoclast, and the protagonist, Stanton's lifelong friend, J ...

'' as Olson * 1971 '' Lawman'' as Jack Dekker * 1971 ''

'' as Mace * 1972 ''

'' as Elias Hooker * 1972 ''Hot Summer Week'' as John * 1972 '' The Magnificent Seven Ride!'' as Jim MacKay * 1973 '' Trouble Man'' as Pete Cockrell * 1973 '' Kid Blue'' as Drummer * 1973 ''

'' as Mathews * 1977 '' Red Alert'' (TV movie) as Henry Stone * 1980 '' OHMS'' (TV movie) as Floyd Wing * 1980 ''

On the Nickel ''On the Nickel'' is a 1980 feature film written, produced by, and starring Ralph Waite. It features five original songs composed for the movie by Tom Waits. The film presents the story of Sam (Donald Moffat), a recovering alcoholic who feels d ...

'' as C.G. * 1980 ''Angel City'' (TV movie) as Jared Teeter * 1981 ''The Gentleman Bandit'' (TV movie) as Father Bernard Pagano * 1988 ''Good Old Boy: A Delta Boyhood'' as The Narrator * 1989 ''Red Earth, White Earth'' as Martin * 1990 '' Crash and Burn'' as Lathan Hooks * 1990 ''

Desperate Hours ''Desperate Hours'' is a 1990 American neo-noir action thriller film, and a remake of the 1955 William Wyler crime drama of the same title. Both films are based on the 1954 novel by Joseph Hayes, who also co-wrote the script for this film wi ...

'' * 1992 '' The Bodyguard'' as Herb Farmer * 1993 ''

'' as Ranger Frank * 1994 ''

Sioux City Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County, ...

'' as Drew McDermott * 1996 '' Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco'' as Shadow (voice) * 2000 '' Timequest'' as The Time Traveler * 2002 '' Sunshine State'' as Furman Temple * 2003 '' Blessings'' (TV movie) as Sheriff * 2004 '' Silver City'' as Casey Lyle * 2010 ''

Letters to God ''Letters to God'' is a 2010 American Christian film, Christian drama film directed by David Nixon and starring Robyn Lively, Jeffrey Johnson (actor), Jeffrey Johnson, Tanner Maguire, Michael Bolten and Bailee Madison. The story was written by Pat ...

'' as Cornelius Perryfield * 2011 '' 25 Hill'' as Ed * 2012 ''Gabe the Cupid Dog'' as R.L. Dutton

Television

* 1966 ''

Look Up and Live ''Look Up and Live'' was a 30-minute television anthology series. The series was produced in cooperation with the National Council of Churches and aired on CBS from January 3, 1954 to January 21, 1979. It was a non-denominational Sunday mornin ...

'' as Host * 1967 ''

The Borgia Stick ''The Borgia Stick'' is a 1967 American made-for-television crime drama film starring Don Murray and Inger Stevens. It featured Fritz Weaver, Barry Nelson, Barnard Hughes, Conrad Bain, and Sorrell Booke in supporting roles, and was directed by ...

'' (TV movie) as The Man From Toledo * 1967-1968 ''

N.Y.P.D. The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...

'' as Robert Stryker * 1970 '' Bonanza'' "The Lady and the Mark" as Hoby * 1971 ''

Nichols Nichols may refer to: People *Nichols (surname) *Nichol, a surname Places Canada * Nichols Islands, Nunavut United States * Nichols, California, an unincorporated community * Nichols Canyon, Los Angeles, California * Nichols, Connecticut * Nich ...

'' as Sam Burton * 1972-1981 ''

'' as John Walton Sr. * 1973 ''

The Thanksgiving Story ''The Thanksgiving Story,'' written by Alice Dalgliesh and illustrated by Helen Sewell, is a 1954 picture book published by Demco Media and Charles Scribner's Sons. ''The Thanksgiving Story'' was the runner-up for the Caldecott Medal for 1955 an ...

'' (TV movie) * 1976 ''The Secret Life of John Chapman'' (TV movie) as John Chapman * 1977 ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...

'' as Slater, Third Mate * 1977 '' Waiting for Godot'' (TV movie) as Pozzo * 1978 ''CBS: On the Air'' as Himself * 1980 ''Angel City'' (TV movie) as Jared Teeter * 1981 ''The Gentleman Bandit'' (TV movie) as Father Bernard Pagano * 1982 '' A Wedding on Walton's Mountain'' (TV movie) as John Walton Sr. * 1982 '' Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain'' (TV movie) as John Walton Sr. * 1982 '' A Day for Thanks on Walton's Mountain'' (TV movie) as John Walton Sr. * 1983 ''

The Mississippi The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it ...

'' as Ben Walker Sr. * 1984 ''A Good Sport'' (TV movie) as Tommy O'Bannon * 1984 ''

Growing Pains ''Growing Pains'' is an American television sitcom created by Neal Marlens that aired on ABC from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The show ran for seven seasons, consisting of 166 episodes. The series followed the misadventures of the Se ...

'' (TV movie) as Rob * 1985 ''Crime of Innocence'' (TV movie) as Frank Hayward * 1987 ''

Reading Rainbow ''Reading Rainbow'' is an American educational children's television series that originally aired on PBS and afterwards PBS Kids and PBS Kids Go! from July 11, 1983 to November 10, 2006, with reruns continuing to air until August 28, 2009. 155 ...

'' * 1989 ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'' as District Attorney Paul Robbins * 1990 ''Sparks: The Price of Passion'' (TV movie) as Orville Lemon * 1993 '' A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion'' (TV movie) as John Walton Sr. * 1994 ''

Time Trax ''Time Trax'' is a science fiction television series that first aired in 1993. A police officer, sent two centuries into the past to a parallel Universe, must apprehend and return convicted criminals who have escaped prison in the future. This ...

'' as Lamont Carson * 1994 '' Sin & Redemption'' (TV movie) as Cal Simms * 1994 ''Keys'' (TV movie) as Dr. C.J. Halligan * 1995 ''A Season of Hope'' (TV movie) as Sam Hackett * 1995 ''

A Walton Wedding A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name ...

'' (TV movie) as John Walton Sr. * 1996 '' Murder One'' as Malcolm Dietrich * 1997 '' Orleans'' as Otis Leblanc * 1997 '' A Walton Easter'' (TV movie) as John Walton Sr. * 1997 ''

The Third Twin ''The Third Twin'' is a techno-thriller by the British writer Ken Follett published in 1996. A ''New York Times'' bestseller, the book deals with genetic engineering and the nature and nurture debate through the subject of identical twins rai ...

'' (TV movie) as Senator Proust * 1999 '' The Outer Limits'' as Gene Morton * 1999 ''

Chicken Soup for the Soul Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is an American self-help, consumer goods and media company based in Cos Cob, Connecticut. It is known for the ''Chicken Soup for the Soul'' book series. The first book, like most subsequent titles in the ...

'' as Dad * 1999 '' Rocket Power'' as Doc Freimouth (voice) * 2000 ''

The President's Man ''The President's Man'' is a 2000 American television film, made-for-television action film starring Chuck Norris and Dylan Neal. A sequel, ''The President's Man: A Line in the Sand'' was made in 2002. It was first shown on CBS on April 2, 2000. ...

'' (TV movie) as President Mathews * 2001 ''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 20 ...

'' as Bart * 2001 ''Spirit'' (TV movie) as Jacob * 2003 '' Blessings'' (TV movie) as Sheriff * 2003-2005 '' Carnivàle'' as Reverend Norman Balthus * 2004 ''

The Practice ''The Practice'' is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley centering on partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC, from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004. It won an Emmy in ...

'' as Walter Josephson * 2007 ''

Cold Case A cold case is a crime, or a suspected crime, that has not yet been fully resolved and is not the subject of a current criminal investigation, but for which new information could emerge from new witness testimony, re-examined archives, new or re ...

'' as Felton Metz * 2008 '' CSI'' "Young Man with a Horn" as Sheriff Montgomery * 2008-2013 '' NCIS'' as Jackson Gibbs (8 episodes) * 2008 '' The Cleaner'' as Jonus Mullins * 2009 '' Ace Ventura Jr: Pet Detective'' (TV movie) as Grandpa Ventura * 2011 '' Kickin' It'' as Principal Keener (7 episodes) * 2009-2014 '' Days of Our Lives'' as Father Matt (recurring) (final appearance) * 2009 ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into se ...

'' "Tainted Obligation" as Irving Waller * 2009-2013 ''

'' as

Hank Booth This is a list of fictional characters in the television series ''Bones (TV series), Bones''. The article deals with the series' main, recurring character, recurring, and minor characters. The series' main characters consists of the fictional Je ...

(3 episodes) * 2011 '' Off the Map'' "On the Mean Streets of San Miguel" as Abuelito

As Director

* 1973-1980 ''

'' (TV series) * 1980 ''

'' * 1983 ''

'' (TV series)

As Producer

* 1984 ''A Good Sport'' (executive producer)

As Writer

* 1980 ''

Theatre

* ''Marathon '33'' (1963) * ''

'' (1964) * '' Hogan's Goat'' (play) (1965) * '' The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald'' (1967) *

Other People's Money ''Other People's Money'' is a 1991 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Norman Jewison, starring Danny DeVito, Gregory Peck and Penelope Ann Miller. It was adapted by screenwriter Alvin Sargent from the 1989 play of the same name by ...

(play, before the film) (1991, Trinity Repertory Company, Providence, RI) * '' The Young Man From Atlanta'' (1995)

References

External links

* * *
Ralph Waite
at the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

'
Actors Studio audio collection

Ralph Waite
on

Biography Channel FYI (stylized as fyi,) is an American basic cable channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between the Disney Media Networks subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications (each owns 50%). The network features lifestyle pr ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waite, Ralph 1928 births 2014 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American Presbyterian ministers American actor-politicians American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors Bucknell University alumni California Democrats Male actors from New York (state) Military personnel from New York (state) People from White Plains, New York United States Marines Yale Divinity School alumni The Waltons