Ralph Waite

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 (1972–1981), which he occasionally directed. He later had recurring roles in NCIS as Jackson Gibbs, the father of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and in Bones, as Seeley Booth's grandfather.

Waite had supporting roles in movies such as Cool Hand Luke (1967), Five Easy Pieces (1970), The Grissom Gang (1971), The Bodyguard (1992), and Cliffhanger (1993).

Early life Waite, the eldest of five children, was born in White Plains, New York, on June 22, 1928, to Ralph H. Waite, a construction engineer, and Esther (née Mitchell) Waite. He graduated from White Plains Senior High School in 1946. Too young for World War II, Waite served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1946 to 1948, then graduated from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He worked briefly as a social worker. Waite earned a master's degree from Yale University's Divinity School and was an ordained Presbyterian minister and religious editor at Harper & Row, New York, before deciding on an acting career. He was a member of the Peninsula Players summer theater program during the 1963 season, and studied under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio.

Career Wait'es first professional role was the chief of police in The Balcony in a 1960 production of the play in New York. In 1963, he made his Broadway debut as the Minister in Marathon '33, written and directed by June Havoc. He next appeared in Blues for Mister Charlie, and worked on- and off-Broadway steadily throughout the 1960s. His first film role was in Cool Hand Luke in 1967, followed by multiple other film roles.

Beginning in 1972, Waite appeared in The Waltons for nine seasons and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his portrayal of John Walton Sr., the father of seven children, in the series that followed a Virginia family during the Great Depression. Waite was also the director for 16 episodes of the series.

Waite founded the experimental Los Angeles Actor's theatre in 1975 and served as its artistic director.

In 1977, he appeared in the mini-series Roots and was nominated for an Emmy Award. Other television roles included The Mississippi (1982-1984), Murder One (1996), Carnivàle (2003-2005), and Days of Our Lives (2009-2013).

Waite originated the role of Will Kidder in the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Young Man from Atlanta by playwright Horton Foote, in 1995.

His later films included The Bodyguard, the part of Frank the helicopter pilot in the 1993 film Cliffhanger, and as the mysterious time traveler in Timequest (2002). He also voiced Shadow in Homeward Bound II.

In the 2000s, Waite had recurring roles in NCIS as Jackson Gibbs, the father of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and in Bones as Seeley Booth's grandfather.

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, 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. He was defeated in that election by Mary Bono, Sonny's widow, and lost to her again that November.

On October 21, 1991, Waite introduced former California Governor Jerry Brown 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 Palm Desert, California, of natural causes at age 85. He is buried in White Plains Rural Cemetery in New York. The NCIS episode "Honor Thy Father", the season 11 finale, is dedicated to Waite's memory.

Filmography Film Director On the Nickel (1980) (Also writer)

Actor

Television Director Year Title Notes 1973-1980 The Waltons 16 episodes 1983 The Mississippi Episode "Mardi Gras"

Actor Year Title Role Notes 1966 Look Up and Live Host 1967–1968 N.Y.P.D. Robert Stryker 1970 Bonanza Hoby Episode "The Lady and the Mark" 1971 Nichols Sam Burton 1972–1981 The Waltons John Walton Sr. 1977 Roots Slater, First Mate 1978 CBS: On the Air Himself 1983 The Mississippi Ben Walker 1987 Reading Rainbow 1989 Murder, She Wrote District Attorney Paul Robbins 1993 Roseanne Dr. Gerald Baker 1994 Time Trax Lamont Carson 1996 Murder One Malcolm Dietrich 1997 Orleans Otis Leblanc1999 The Outer Limits Gene Morton Chicken Soup for the Soul Dad Rocket Power Doc Freimouth Voice 2001 All My Children Bart 2003–2005 Carnivàle Reverend Norman Balthus 2004 The Practice Walter Josephson 2007 Cold Case Felton Metz 2008 CSI Sheriff Montgomery Episode "Young Man with a Horn" 2008–2013 NCIS Jackson Gibbs 8 episodes 2008 The Cleaner Jonus Mullins 2009–2014 Days of Our Lives Father Matt 2009 Grey's Anatomy Irving Waller Episode "Tainted Obligation" 2009–2013 Bones Hank Booth 3 episodes 2011 Off the Map Abuelito Episode "On the Mean Streets of San Miguel"

TV movies Brawley 2009 Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective Grandpa Ventura

Theatre Marathon '33 (1963) Blues for Mister Charlie (1964) Hogan's Goat (play) (1965) The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald (1967) Other People's Money (play, before the film) (1991, Trinity Repertory Company, Providence, RI) The Young Man from Atlanta (1995)