‘Waltons’ Patriarch Ralph Waite Dies at 85
Published at
CBS via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Ralph Waite, the actor who played the patriarch John Walton Sr. on the long-running Depression-era family drama The Waltons, died Thursday, his manager confirmed to ABC News Radio. Waite was 85. No cause of death was announced.
The Waltons aired on CBS from 1971 to 1981 and was followed by a number of made-for-TV movies, including A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion and A Walton Wedding.
Waite earned an Emmy nomination for his role in 1978 and also directed more than a dozen episodes of the drama.
The Waltons also starred Michael Learned as his wife Olivia and Richard Thomas as his son, John-Boy.
Waite’s acting career spanned five decades and included roles in the TV series Bonanza, the critically-acclaimed TV miniseries Roots and the films Cool Hand Luke, Five Easy Pieces, The Bodyguard and Cliffhanger.
Most recently, Waite had a recurring role on the TV series Bones and played Mark Harmon’s father on the CBS drama NCIS.
Waite also had political ambitions and twice ran unsuccessfully for a seat in Congress in 1990 and 1998.
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio