Outside entertainment, Waite demonstrated his usefulness in politics and community work. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Playbill, vol. An Exclusive Interview with Ralph Waite The Waltons: Our producers had a unique opportunity to sit down with Ralph Waite during the shooting of Old Henry, an INSP original Short-Form series, to answer some of the questions that you recently submitted through the INSP Facebook page. | Photo: Getty Images. Just like with Shear, the actor never had any more children with East. That enduring familial affection, along with the pride of belonging to a show that resonated with viewers all around the world, makes everyone who was part of The Waltons feel privileged to have played a part in the show. Waite then went to Alcoholics Anonymous and got himself sober. But it made everybody laugh. It's easy to lose perspective when surrounded by a community of like-minded people. It depends on how stable your home life is. He later left the ministry, upset with what he saw as hypocrisy in the church, and went to work for Harper & Row as an editor for religious books. Norton also recalls him with his blue eyes, which he would call the baby blues.. In fact, he even demanded that the show cast Native Americans for specific parts. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. In an exclusive interview with Closer Weekly, surviving actors from the cast of The Waltons share surprising secrets from the set and tell Closer that despite a strong family bond, many members of the cast were taken advantage of and exploited while filming the seminal drama. The 53-year-old mother of two has dedicated her life to education, specifically leading charter schools in Los Angeles. The special, which also features Tony-winning star Kelli OHara, was filmed last year before the ongoing coronavirus pandemic impacted the country. For children, it's really complicated. Richard Thomas (center) revealed he's still close with his "Waltons" family, especially Michael Learned (right). Sign up for our newsletter! Fox News: You had the chance to meet Natalie Wood. Ralph Waite got married to Beverly Hall on December 29, 1951. And that is fine with me. As the year comes to an end, the 69-year-old has been reflecting on cherished memories, particularly those from his time filming The Waltons, which focuses on a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. And then suddenly you need to have all of this energy and pretend youre in the middle of a busy family dinner. He lived down in the desert so we didnt seehim as frequently as we saw other members of the cast who lived close by. (YouTube). [9] Liam Waite, one of Waite's stepsons, is also an actor. Fox News: Whats one memory of Waite that still resonates with you?Cotler: His singing. And he said he sort of expected how "The Waltons" would be. He was the show-off, the dreamer, and the storyteller who always had his head in the clouds. He had three daughters from his first marriage. Actor Ralph Waite portrayed the patriarch of "The Waltons" for nine seasons. And I basically support all three site leaders with whatever comes up. We were both single, Michael says. Looking back, how did you escape that so-called child curse that we tend to hear about?Thomas: [I think] youre lucky enough to have success in the business at any age. She called him her spirit husband and has admitted that they loved each other for decades. CBS' NCIS will acknowledge the passing of TV vet Ralph Waite, who recurred as Gibbs' father Jackson, before Season 11 comes to an end, TVLine has learned. The actress admitted that they both ended up quitting smoking and got sober. He said Waite was demanding, sweet, and kind. But when we would be filming around the kitchen table, hed be full of energy and often tell us bawdy jokes., She remembers Waite having quite a laugh that stood out from other The Waltons cast members. Its true that Waite dealt with issues, including alcoholism, during his life and time on The Waltons. He also had lingering memories of a daughter, Sharon Waite, dying of leukemia when she was 9 years old. Waite once worked as a social worker, Harper & Row's religious editor, and minister for the Presbyterian Church. He was frustrated when he realized that his sense of "social justice" was too rigorous for his congregation. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! What triggered his alcoholism more was when his oldest daughter, Sharon, then-9, passed away, and he left the ministry. The end of his first marriage didn't mean the star was utterly done with holy matrimony, though. And we will all have it again. There was a scene between him and me when Elizabeths raccoon dies. So for me, it was a job. Additionally, his decision to start acting led to his divorce with Beverly in 1966. Waite was a great man who was loved by many people despite his faults. said in an interview last year with local paper The . 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. (CBS via Getty Images). You can see in Ralphs performances, the way he prepared, the way that he directed this was not a game we were playing. or redistributed. She recalled a day when he told her that he decided to become sober after sitting at a kitchen table with his onscreen children and realized he felt fake. He also appeared in a few films including On the Nickel (1980) which he wrote and directed.Throughout the run of the series, Waite continued to revert back to his theater roots from time to time. Waite passed away on a Thursday in February 2014 at his home in South Palm Desert. Thomas played John Walton Jr. His character is better known as John-Boy. Fox News: What surprised you the most about Kelli O'Hara while filming this special?Thomas: Nothing surprised me about Kelli because I've known Kelli and her family for many years, and I know what a magnificent artist she is, and also what a wonderful person. Well, I think it was a fitting tribute to Ralph, and done in a very different way, and certainly for us, a different kind of season ending, Harmon said. And we just have to muddle through somehow as the song says until that happens. MICHAEL LEARNED SAYS 'THE WALTONS' SAVED HER LIFE, CALLS NEW FILM 'SECOND ACTS' A 'GIFT', Richard Thomas is hosting "Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir," which was filmed last year. Some of the things he accomplished include heading an alcohol and drug recovery program and helping to build low-income housing. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! So as a little kid, most of that stuff goes right by you. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Fox News: For those who will be watching The Tabernacle Choir for the first time, what do you hope they get from this experience?Thomas: If they're Christmas lovers like I am, I hope they have a wonderful Christmas moment and they're able to really indulge in the beauty of the holiday and the majesty of the singing and the whole experience and that that will enrich their Christmas holidays. Fox News: What was it like working with Ralph Waite?Kami Cotler: Im the youngest of all the kids on the show, so my perspective comes from being a little kid. Fox News: How does it feel to know that this special is going to help bring a sense of hope to many who have endured so much loss this year?Thomas: Its been a really rough time for everybody, of course, and nothing can make it all go away and seem better. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. 2. Ralph Waite. So I drove out to Malibu, but we just looked at each other and said, Nah, I dont think so. So all of our lovemaking was on-screen!, Ralph, who had a reputation as a serious stage actor with no great love for children when the series debuted, probably experienced the biggest life change after falling in love with the rest of the Waltons cast. And the way Ralph told the story, he realized he was kneeling in the mud talking to me, that he had a responsibility to raise his children. Last December, Richard Thomas remembered him fondly while speaking to Fox News. 'THE WALTONS' STAR MICHAEL LEARNED TALKS REBOOT RUMORS, Ralph Waltie and Michael Learned in "The Waltons." And so we're very lucky we were able to do it that way. And Ralph Waite's hiatus showed him how out of touch people can be with the rest of the country. Ralph married actress, Kerry Shear, on August 27, 1977, and this marriage too ended in a divorce on August 31, 1981. He was part of my second family.. | Photo: Getty Images. In 1995, he was again seen in the TV movie A Walton Wedding. Rich did not care about the script; however, he asked if Waite was interested in playing John Walton, a father of a Depression family in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In his second TV series The Mississippi (1982), which was produced by his company Ralph Waite Productions, he played a criminal lawyer who abandoned his practice (almost) for a leisurely life captaining a riverboat. Michael Learned and Ralph Waite while filming the episde "The Empty Nest" on June 16, 1978. I hope so. And while shes no longer pursuing acting, Cotler still vividly remembers bringing The Waltons to life and befriending Waite along the way. Throughout the seventies, he strove to expand outside his Walton patriarchal casting with other TV mini-movie endeavors. Waite played patriarch John Walton Sr. on the show. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Ralph has a lovely response as John Walton. What was she like?Cotler: I knew who Natalie Wood was because my father was in love with Natalie Wood. In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail in 2019, Learned revealed the truth behind her and her late co-star's relationship. They will say John-Boy dies in the news when Im gone, says Richard. The Waltons: Judy Norton Discussed the Dark Side of Co-star Ralph Waite After His Death. Market data provided by Factset. The pair had already welcomed three daughters by the time he earned his degree and became a minister in the Presbyterian Church and the United Church of Christ. Once owned a house in Rancho Mirage, California. Thanks to her, he was introduced to the works of theological heavyweights like Niebuhr and Tillich. Ralph Waltie and Michael Learned in "The Waltons.". I was probably 7. "The Waltons" was one of the defining television shows of the early '70s. Ralph Waite, the big-hearted patriarch John Walton in the '70s Depression-era series "The Waltons," passed away five years ago, on Feb. 13, 2014 at age 85 and one co-star who grew up with him. The show was what led him to kick his habit. But behind-the-scenes, Michael, 79, and Ralph who passed away at age 85 in 2014 were much more than just an onscreen Mr. and Mrs. "It was a story about an enormous family and a mother . [10] He was defeated in that election by Mary Bono, Sonny's widow, and lost to her again that November. He soon became a minister for United Church of Christ, Fishers Island. That we were happy and situated. But he always did it with enormous gusto nonetheless. He has appeared in all 414 episodes of the hit show and isnt showing signs of stopping. Waite also directed several episodes of the series during the nine seasons. Ralph joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served there from 1946 to 1948. A portrait of Michael Learned and Ralph Waite on the show "The Waltons." Before becoming a big celebrity, Waite graduated with a BA degree from Bucknell University. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. But again, youve got to give tribute to [writer] Gina [Lucita Monreal] and Gary and their idea to put that together like that, because it was an interesting year. Elizabeth asks the question, "Why do the things you love have to die?" They were writing about their own upbringings in Kentucky, Tennessee or Virginia. Waite was not satisfied. [8], Waite was married three times, two marriages ending in divorce. The star revealed that people were so touched by the show that they would walk up to him and thank him. Occupations came and went, including social worker, religious editor for Harper & Row, and even Presbyterian minister after spending three years at the Yale School of Divinity. All rights reserved. Michael [Learned] organized a dinner for us and we were over at her house. He was a great progressive activist and a great contributor to his community. Kami Cotler, who played Elizabeth Walton, the youngest member of the TV family, enjoyed fame as a child star during her time in the series but has since gone on to pursue a completely different career as an adult. I mean demanding in agoodway, demanding that things be clear and well done. EXCLUSIVE: Richard Thomas wants to offer a joyful holiday during a grim year. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. However, we were able to do this concert last December before the pandemic hit, so we were all together in the theater, I mean, 20,000 people at each performance and everyone on stage together. Here are a couple of the interview segments. He is well known for his acting skills, but before he took up that calling, Waite served the Lord as an ordained minister. Occupations came and went, including social worker, religious editor for Harper & Row, and even Presbyterian minister after spending three . In a 2019 interview, five years after Waite's death, Learned dropped the bombshell generations of "The Waltons" fanatic anticipated. Ralph Waite as a guest star on NCIS season seven in Los Angeles on November 4, 2009, and him with actress Michael Learned in a scene on "The Waltons" circa 1973 | Photos: Cliff Lipson/CBS/Getty Images. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. We were at some awards show and I just walked right up to her. Enjoy! Ralph, who had a reputation as a serious stage actor with no great love for children when the series debuted, probably experienced the biggest life change after falling in love with the rest of. Ralph Waite made his movie debut in Cool Hand Luke (1967). | Photo: Getty Images. I made a lot of Christmas movies. And it was easy for me to let him be my dad for all those years. Market data provided by Factset. Before becoming a big celebrity, Waite graduated with a BA degree from Bucknell University. He worked at the Los Angeles Actors Theatre when he wasn't acting. He ran twice in 1998 for Palm Springs-based 44th and 39th districts. Those included Roots (1977), for which he received an Emmy nomination, the title role in The Secret Life of John Chapman (1976), OHMS (1980), Angel City (1980) and The Gentleman Bandit (1981). He passed away at midday on Thursday at his home in South Palm Desert, Steve. In 1965, he earned excellent reviews for his role in "Hogan's Goat," which led him to move West. And so as long as this creative process is growing and people are excited by that, as we are at the moment, well be doing it.. Fox News: Looking back, how did he feel about "The Waltons" after it came to an end?Cotler: He said something really interesting about it. It made him a household name. Waite was survived by his wife, Linda East; a daughter, Kathleen; a stepson, Liam; and three grandchildren. Its a time to be together and it's really just all about love for us, as it is for everyone. His Broadway appearance came when he starred in "Blues for Mister Charlie." He also had a recurring role on the offbeat HBO series Carnivle (2003) and in 2009 began putting time in on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives (1965) as Father Matt. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), What Happened to Chase on 'Fixer to Fabulous'? Cotler spoke to Fox News about her relationship with Waite, how she feels about The Waltons today and why shes passionate about her current role. And I think offering this concert in a fully live form is going to give people a lot of comfort and make them just feel like they're in the room with lots of people, which is what we all need. He would tell each one of us, "How are you? On February 13, 2014, Waite sadly passed away at age 85 from natural causes in Palm Desert, California. Fox News: Does your family have any holiday traditions?Thomas: We just like to be together with whichever of our young people, our kids can be with us. He is survived by his third wife, Linda East, whom he married in 1982 and two daughters from his first marriage. The crisis led Ralph Waite to start drinking heavily. He graduated from Bucknell, after which he met and married Beverly Hall, the daughter of religious writer Clarence Hall. The star had also earned his degree and became a minister in the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church. Once, we were interviewed as a cast and asked how our favorite character was on the show, Norton said. He was the eldest of five children. In 1972, Waite landed the most significant role in his life, which opened Hollywood for him "The Waltons.". Our producers had a unique opportunity to sit down with Ralph Waite during the shooting of Old Henry, an INSP original Short-Form series, to answer some of the questions that you recently submitted through the INSP Facebook page. The interview took place in 2015. Theyre all phenomenally talented and managed to establish something that made it easy for all these children acting along with them to do a good job and to make it real. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He completed his graduation in 1952 from the Bucknell University, Pennsylvania. Educated at Bucknell University where he graduated with a BA degree, Waite existed rather aimlessly as a young adult while trying to find his way in the world. Ralph Waite's first major role was on "The Waltons". [2] He graduated from White Plains Senior High School in 1946. Richard Thomas, Nortons co-star who played John-Boy for eight seasons on The Waltons, also recalled his time with Waite. An Exclusive Interview with Ralph Waite Pt. Besides her marriages, Learned also had a close relationship with her "The Waltons" co-star Ralph Waite. And that we were basically part of each others lives whether we wanted it or not. The running joke was that Lorimar was so cheap that their idea of a party was one can of beer and 13 straws! Michael tells Closer with a laugh. And thats the normal part of being an actor. 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