Ralph Waite, Dad of 'The Waltons,' Dead at 86
Source: Yahoo! TV
Ralph Waite, who played patriarch John Walton Sr. on "The Waltons," has died. He was 86 years old.
Waite spent nine seasons in Walton's Mountain as the dad of a rural Depression-era family on CBS's beloved family drama. "The Waltons" was a Top 20 hit in the mid-1970s, and is fondly remembered for the family's heartfelt good-night routine: "Good night, John-Boy."
Read more: http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/ralph-waite--dad-of--the-waltons---dead-at-86-014947713.html
I never watched the show but it is ashame he passed. I am sorry for his family.
I did like his work as Gibbs Dad on NCIS.
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)Aristus
(66,274 posts)Good night, sir.
Safe passage...
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)he was rooted in the past, but was capable of change. He supported his children, even when they did things he didn't agree with. He was a rock.
hlthe2b
(102,101 posts)RIP, sir
Scruffy Rumbler
(961 posts)What Scruffy said.
Loaded Liberal Dem
(230 posts)I thought he'd died years ago! Seriously!
BumRushDaShow
(128,354 posts)This has been a bad week....
Outside of "The Waltons", I also remembered that he played the 3rd mate to Ed Asner's Cpt. Davies on the ship that transported Kunte Kinte to the U.S. in "Roots"... The character talked about the "tight pack" and "loose pack" for the hold depending on how many were to be transproted.
Hadn't heard much about him recently.
R.I.P.
Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)X_Digger
(18,585 posts)Though I don't know if those two roles overlapped.
BumRushDaShow
(128,354 posts)so need to let her know!
BumRushDaShow
(128,354 posts)so good to know he was still going strong!
nikto
(3,284 posts)Gleefully depraved, and very convincing.
BumRushDaShow
(128,354 posts)Very brusque, blunt, and matter-of-fact but he was just doing his job.
R.I.P. to this folksy icon.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)Was nice to see his face again after all the years -- and to see acting was still his gig.
ProfessorPlum
(11,253 posts)And also in Cliffhanger
texanwitch
(18,705 posts)John Walton would have been my grandfather.
My grandparents were farmers.
Goodnight John Walton.
Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)"On The Nickel" 1980
I really liked his TV show "The Mississippi."
Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)who was elected mainly because she was Sonny's widow.
Would have made a great representative.
classof56
(5,376 posts)For some reason I've been watching Waltons reruns lately. Such a gentle and heartwarming show. Have also liked that Ralph has played Gibbs' father in NCIS. Fine actor who has blessed many through the years.
Rest in Peace, Ralph. We shall miss you.
Aristus
(66,274 posts)Or that elegiac trumpet theme?
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Thanks for reminding me of that. I loved that opening too.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)my wife loves the show. I just bought her the first six seasons on DVD. John was always an even keel who usually made the right decisions.
alp227
(32,002 posts)Enough that President George H.W. Bush said that American families should be "a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons."
RIP Ralph.
DebJ
(7,699 posts)justgamma
(3,662 posts)Hubby loves it. My favorite character was Grampa Walton. Mostly enjoy the show, but can't stand Mary Ellen's whiny voice.
Rest in peace, Mr. Waite.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)Grandpa was a card. Just enough of a wild streak in him that he seemed to always be getting in trouble with Grandma. You do know he was gay, right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Geer
Of course, it wasn't talked about back then.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)RIP, Sir.
FailureToCommunicate
(14,006 posts)Elizabeth: Good night, John Boy.
John-Boy: Good night, Elizabeth. Good night, Daddy.
John: Good night, Son. Good night, Mary Ellen.
Mary Ellen: Good night, Daddy. Good night, Mama.
Olivia: Good night, Mary Ellen. Good night, Jim Bob.
Jim Bob: Good night, Mama. Good night, Erin.
Erin: Good night, Jim Bob. Good night, Ben.
Ben: Good night, Erin. Good night, everybody.
Sognefjord
(229 posts)had been a communist in the 1930's and had been blacklisted from films for a long time. That made me like the show a lot more.
Liberty Belle
(9,532 posts)Walking in the woods in Idyllwild. He was just as irrascible in person as in his role as Grandpa Walton. Still loved the show.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)that would shock a lot of right wingers.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Residents and visitors to Los Angeles should remember to treat themselves to a play at Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum which his family directs to this day. An amazing place, built by blacklisted actors and musicians. Woody Guthrie lived on that property.
http://www.theatricum.com/
Sognefjord
(229 posts)Hekate
(90,517 posts)VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)would never watch the Walton's because he thought it was hooey saying "the Waltons were rich in those days... not poor". I however, loved the show and always thought Pa Walton was dreamy...I always heard people he worked with say good things about him too...he seemed like a very nice man. I wish him godspeed on wherever he traverses next!
R.I.P. Pa....
William769
(55,142 posts)R.I.P.
jsr
(7,712 posts)Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)Always enjoyed his work.
mackerel
(4,412 posts)A good friend to Bill W. He will.be missed.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)I recommend the film 'On The Nickel' which he wrote and directed as well as acting a leading role alongside Donald Moffat.
He will be greatly missed.
http://www.onthenickeldvd.com/
toby jo
(1,269 posts)He was a preacher in his early days - funny that he played the one on the Waltons who never went to church, but figured 'god' was inherent in your behavior. That was a great show.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)The 70's.