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Ralph Waite

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Not to be confused withRalph White.

Ralph Waite
Waite at the 40th anniversary ofThe Waltonson September 29, 2012
Born(1928-06-22)June 22, 1928
White Plains, New York,U.S.
DiedFebruary 13, 2014(2014-02-13)(aged 85)
Palm Desert, California,U.S.
Resting placeWhite Plains Rural Cemetery
Alma materBucknell Universityand Yale Divinity School
Occupation(s)Actor, political activist
Years active1954–2014
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
Beverly Waite
​
​
(m.1951;div.1966)​
Kerry Shear Waite
​
​
(m.1977;div.1981)​
Linda East
​
(m.1982)​
Children3

Ralph Waite(June 22, 1928 – February 13, 2014) was an American actor, best known for his lead role asJohn Walton Sr.onThe Waltons(1972–1981), which he occasionally directed. He later had recurring roles as two other heroic fathers; inNCISasJackson Gibbs,the father ofLeroy Jethro Gibbs,and inBones,asSeeley Booth's grandfather. Waite had supporting roles in movies such asCool Hand Luke(1967),Five Easy Pieces(1970),The Grissom Gang(1971),The Bodyguard(1992), andCliffhanger(1993).[1]

Early life[edit]

Waite, the eldest of five children, was born inWhite Plains, New York,on June 22, 1928, to Ralph H. Waite, a construction engineer, and Esther (née Mitchell) Waite.[2]He graduated fromWhite Plains Senior High Schoolin 1946. Too young forWorld War II,Waite served in theU.S. Marine Corpsfrom 1946 to 1948, then graduated fromBucknell UniversityinLewisburg, Pennsylvania.He worked briefly as asocial worker.Waite earned a master's degree fromYale University'sDivinity Schooland was an ordainedPresbyterianminister and religious editor atHarper & Row, New York,before deciding on an acting career.[3]He was a member of thePeninsula Playerssummer theater program during the 1963 season.[4]

In 1963, Waite made his Broadway debut as the Minister inMarathon '33,written and directed byJune Havoc.[5]He next appeared inBlues for Mister Charlie,and worked on- and off-Broadway steadily throughout the 1960s.[6]

Film work[edit]

FromThe Waltons(1972), L-R: Ralph Waite,Richard Thomas,andMichael Learned

His film work included roles inCool Hand Luke,Five Easy Pieces,Lawman,Kid Blue,The Grissom Gang,Chato's Land,andThe Stone Killer.His later films includedThe Bodyguard,the part of Frank the helicopter pilot in the 1993 filmCliffhanger,and as the mysterious time traveler inTimequest(2002).[7]He also voiced Shadow inHomeward Bound II.

Later stage work[edit]

Waite scored a personal triumph when he created the role of Will Kidder in the Pulitzer Prize-winningThe Young Man from Atlanta,by playwrightHorton Foote,in 1995.[8]

Personal life[edit]

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.[9]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 inPalm Desert, California.[3]

Political involvement[edit]

Waite ran unsuccessfully forCongressin California as aDemocraton three occasions: In 1990, he challenged veteran GOP incumbentAl McCandlessin theRiverside County-based 37th district, losing by 5%. In 1998, Waite ran in the special election for the then-Palm Springs-based 44th district left vacant by the death of incumbentSonny Bono.[10]He was defeated in that election byMary Bono,Sonny's widow, and lost to her again that November.[11]

On October 21, 1991, Waite introduced former California GovernorJerry Brownprior to the latter's speech announcing his candidacy for the1992 Democratic presidential nomination.[12]

Electoral history[edit]

Year Office Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct
1990 U.S House of Representatives
District 37 		Jeffrey Jacobs 29%
Ralph Waite 71% 		103,961 44.8% Bud Mathewson 27%
Al McCandless73% 		115,469 49.8%
1998 U.S House of Representatives
District 44 (special election) 		Ralph Waite 24,228 28.8% Mary Bono 53,755 64%
1998 U.S House of Representatives
District 39 (general election) 		Ralph Waite 57,697 35.7% Mary Bono 97,013 60.1%

Death[edit]

On February 13, 2014, Waite died inPalm Desert, California,of natural causes at age 85.[13]He is buried inWhite Plains Rural Cemeteryin New York.

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Television[edit]

As director[edit]

As producer[edit]

  • 1984A Good Sport(executive producer)

As writer[edit]

Theatre[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Ralph Waite will be honored in 'NCIS' season finale".USA Today.February 24, 2014.
  2. ^"Ralph Waite profile at".Filmreference.RetrievedAugust 12,2010.
  3. ^ab"Presbyterian Church (USA) – Ralph Waite finds a home in church".Pcusa.org. August 6, 2010.RetrievedAugust 12,2010.
  4. ^Peninsula Players 65th Anniversary Program, 1999
  5. ^Playbill, vol. 1 (January 1964) No. 1, Marathon ’33, p. 27.
  6. ^Byrge, Duane (February 13, 2014)."'The Waltons' Actor Ralph Waite Dead at 85 ".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedApril 30,2018.
  7. ^"R.I.P. 'The Waltons' Patriarch Ralph Waite".Deadline Hollywood.February 13, 2014.RetrievedApril 30,2018.
  8. ^Canby, Vincent (January 30, 1995)."THEATER REVIEW; Nameless Menace In Latest By Foote".The New York Times.RetrievedApril 30,2018.
  9. ^Interview with Beverly WaiteArchivedDecember 7, 2012, at theWayback Machine;accessed May 19, 2014.
  10. ^Lyman, Rick (February 13, 1998)."On Stage and Off".The New York Times.RetrievedAugust 30,2012.
  11. ^"'The Waltons' actor Ralph Waite dies at 85 ".Fox 5 San Diego.February 14, 2014.RetrievedApril 30,2018.
  12. ^Brown Presidential Campaign Announcement,Oct 21 1991
  13. ^"The Waltons' actor Ralph Waite dies at 85 in Palm Desert."ArchivedMay 14, 2014, at theWayback Machine,"Mydesert", February 13, 2014

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ralph_Waite&oldid=1231879954"