Ralph Waite (1928-2014)
The quintessential loving, solid father from TV’s depression era-set The Waltons died yesterday at 85.
Waite had a varied career; a Marine Corps veteran, social worker, editor of religious text, and minister (he also received a Masters of theology from the Yale University school of Divinity ). He finally began acting in regional theater at the age of 30. In 1967 he made a brief but memorable screen debut as a fellow convict in Cool Hand Luke. Throughout the 60s he worked in theater, guest starred on television, and had small appearances in films such as Five Easy Pieces, Last Summer, and A Lovely Way to Die.
In 1971 he took over the role of father John Walton (played in the pilot film The Homecoming by Andrew Duggan). Michael Learned also joined the series as his wife Olivia, but all seven children from the pilot returned to the series. Considered one of the best written domestic dramas in television history, Waite was nominated for an Emmy awards in 1978. After nine years, the still syndicated show remained in the public minds and hearts. The original cast occasionally reunited, appearing in several reunion movies and just last year, appeared in the reunion issue of Entertainment Weekly with creator Earl Hamner.
Waite, who was married three times and had three daughters (one who died at nine years old from Leukemia), admitted to having struggled with alcoholism when he was first cast in the series. He explained the impact the series had on his own life:
“We were doing a scene, Kami Cotler (Elizabeth) and I, in a field after her pet possum had died, and I was explaining to her about life and death. And I remember thinking here is a man really trying to be a good father, kind father, and help his children through some crisis in their life, and when I leave the set at night, I’m acting like a fool. I have to become more like the man I’m playing. The show helped me to get there, it brought that alive in me again. It made me a more mature person and a loving guy. Doing the show had a powerful impact on my life.”
Waite continued doing theater in his off months and in 1977, a year before his first nomination for The Waltons, he was nominated for an Emmy for the disturbing role of Slater, third mate on a slave ship in the landmark miniseries Roots. He continued acting throughout his career, most notably as recurring characters on the series Days of our Lives, NCIS, Bones, Murder One, and the cult series Carnival as Reverend Norman Bathus. He also attempted to run for Congress three times as a Democrat, but lost each bid.
Along with his two daughters, he is survived by stepson, actor Liam Waite, and wife Linda East.
Latest posts by Lesley Coffin (see all)
- Can a Cartoon be a Trojan horse in Politics? Our Cartoon President Uses Lightness to Deliver Truth - June 11, 2019
- Tom Rhodes New 3 Hour Album Covers Something Pretty Big: The World - March 25, 2019
- Ari Shaffir’s Renamed Storyteller Show: An Oral History - February 19, 2019
