Ralph Waite

Waite grew up in White Plains, NY where he was born the son of a construction engineer. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 18, and after that, he graduated from Bucknell University and Yale University Divinity School. Throughout all that, he bounced between jobs ranging from social worker to Presbyterian minister. It wasn't until the age of 30 that Waite, after taking issue with some of the church's methodologies and getting political, found his calling as an actor. His first professional work was "The Balcony," an off-Broadway show in 1960 and from there he went on to work his way up the theater chain until he started catching breaks in movies, where he went from a bit part in "Cool Hand Luke" (1967) to co-starring in "Five Easy Pieces" (1970). The latter role garnered him much acclaim, directing him to the role that defined his career: John Walton of "The Waltons" (CBS 1972-1981). A TV sensation, "The Waltons" lasted nine years, netting Waite an Emmy nomination. During the show's run, he also appeared in the TV mini-series "Roots" (ABC 1977), receiving another Emmy nod. Throughout his acting career to this point, Waite dealt with being an alcoholic, and his sickness was the muse behind his well-received writing debut that he also directed, "On the Nickel" (1980), which told the story of a recovering alcoholic. By the late '80s, Waite was still known as Mr. Walton, as most of his work was either the same character in TV movies or characters heavily inspired by his claim to fame. He decided in 1990 to run for Congress in California. While his campaign, along with a pair of 1998 runs, was unsuccessful, his political activity marked another career change, though he still acted, mostly in guest spots on TV shows such as "NCIS" (CBS 2003-) and "Bones" (Fox 2005). 2010 was another shift for Waite, as he returned to the Presbyterian church after 50 years of inactivity. Ralph Waite died of natural causes on February 13, 2014.