Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Ralph Waite(1928-2014)

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Ralph Waite in The Mississippi (1982)
Trailer for Gabe the Cupid Dog
Play trailer2:38
Gabe the Cupid Dog (2012)
15 Videos
96 Photos
Ralph Waite was born in White Plains, New York on June 22, 1928. 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. 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. At age 30, however, he began to study acting and found his true life's passion.

Waite made his professional NY debut in a 1960 production of "The Balcony" at the Circle in the Square and was seen on Broadway in "Blues for Mister Charlie" before earning fine reviews in 1965 alongside Faye Dunaway in "Hogan's Goat". This was enough to encourage him to move West where he began collecting bit parts in prestigious movies, including Cool Hand Luke (1967) and Five Easy Pieces (1970). One of those films, the coming-of-age Last Summer (1969) starred an up-and-coming talent named Richard Thomas, who, of course, would figure prominently in Waite's success story in years to come. Waite continued to thrive as well on the stage appearing in both contemporary plays ("The Trial of Lee Harvey Osward") as well as Shakespearean classics (Claudius in "Hamlet" and Orsino in "Twelfth Night").

Stardom came for him in the form of the gentle, homespun Depression-era series The Waltons (1972). In the TV-movie pilot, the roles of John and Olivia Walton were played by Andrew Duggan and Patricia Neal. The Earl Hamner Jr. series, however, would welcome Waite along with Michael Learned, and make both, as well as Richard Thomas playing their son John-Boy, household names. Waite also directed several episodes of the series during the nine seasons. Throughout the seventies, he strove to expand outside his Walton patriarchal casting with other TV mini-movie endeavors. 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 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. Notable was his role as Pozzo in Waiting for Godot (1977), which was televised by PBS, and a return to Broadway with "The Father" in 1981. Waite also founded the Los Angeles Actors Theatre in 1975 and served as its artistic director.

The Waltons (1972), which earned him an Emmy nomination, ended in 1981 and Waite ventured on to other TV character roles during the 80s and 90s but less visibly. 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. It lasted only a year. There have been other more recent theater excursions including "Death of a Salesman" (1998), "The Gin Game" (1999), "Ancestral Voices (2000) and "This Thing of Darkness" (2002). He also had a recurring role on the offbeat HBO series Carnivàle (2003) and in 2009 began putting time in on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives (1965) as Father Matt. Waite was able to carry with him a certain grizzled, rumpled, craggy-faced, settled-in benevolence, although he was quite capable of villainy. He always seemed more comfortable in front of the camera wearing a dusty pair of work clothes than a suit. He continued to act well into his 80s, most notably playing the father of Mark Harmon on NCIS (2003).

For many years, Waite had held passionate political ambitions. He twice ran unsuccessfully for a Congressional seat -- in 1990 and 1998. A Palm Desert resident during his second attempt, the 70-year-old Californian was a Democratic hopeful for a seat left vacant by the late Sonny Bono after his fatal skiing accident in 1998. He was ultimately defeated by Bono's widow, Mary Bono.

Waite died in Palm Desert, California on February 13, 2014, at age 85. He is survived by his third wife, Linda East, whom he married in 1982 and two daughters from his first marriage.
BornJune 22, 1928
DiedFebruary 13, 2014(85)
BornJune 22, 1928
DiedFebruary 13, 2014(85)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
    • 1 win & 3 nominations total

Photos96

Robert Hooks and Ralph Waite in Trouble Man (1972)
Ralph Waite in Trouble Man (1972)
Jack Nicholson, Lois Smith, and Ralph Waite in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Susan Anspach, Lois Smith, and Ralph Waite in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
George Kennedy, Harry Dean Stanton, Marc Cavell, Robert Drivas, Buck Kartalian, Wayne Rogers, and Ralph Waite in Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Lou Antonio, Robert Drivas, Clifton James, and Ralph Waite in Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Paul Newman, Dennis Hopper, Joe Don Baker, George Kennedy, Harry Dean Stanton, Richard Davalos, Robert Drivas, Warren Finnerty, Clifton James, and Ralph Waite in Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Paul Newman, Dennis Hopper, Harry Dean Stanton, Lou Antonio, Richard Davalos, Robert Drivas, Warren Finnerty, Chuck Hicks, Buck Kartalian, Wayne Rogers, and Ralph Waite in Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Paul Newman, Harry Dean Stanton, Luke Askew, Warren Finnerty, and Ralph Waite in Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Michael Learned and Ralph Waite in The Waltons (1972)
Will Geer, Judy Norton, Ellen Corby, John Crawford, Michael Learned, Mary Beth McDonough, Eric Scott, and Ralph Waite in The Waltons (1972)
Richard Thomas, Will Geer, Judy Norton, Ellen Corby, Kami Cotler, David W. Harper, Michael Learned, Mary Beth McDonough, Eric Scott, Ralph Waite, and Jon Walmsley in The Waltons (1972)

Known for

The Waltons (1972)
The Waltons
7.6
TV Series
  • John Walton, Sr.
  • John Walton
Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard (1992)
The Bodyguard
6.3
  • Herb Farmer
  • 1992
On the Nickel (1980)
On the Nickel
7.9
  • C.G.
  • 1980
Cliffhanger (1993)
Cliffhanger
6.5
  • Frank
  • 1993

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Days of Our Lives (1965)
    Days of Our Lives
    • Father Matt
    • TV Series
    • 2009–2014
  • Mark Harmon, Maria Bello, Wilmer Valderrama, Rocky Carroll, David McCallum, Sean Murray, Brian Dietzen, Emily Wickersham, and Diona Reasonover in NCIS (2003)
    NCIS
    • Jackson Gibbs
    • TV Series
    • 2008–2013
  • David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel in Bones (2005)
    Bones
    • Hank Booth
    • TV Series
    • 2009–2013
  • Old Henry (2013)
    Old Henry
    • Henry
    • TV Movie
    • 2013
  • Gabe the Cupid Dog (2012)
    Gabe the Cupid Dog
    • R.L. Dutton
    • 2012
  • Corbin Bernsen, Maureen Flannigan, and Nathan Gamble in 25 Hill (2011)
    25 Hill
    • Ed
    • 2011
  • Martin Henderson in Off the Map (2011)
    Off the Map
    • Abuelito
    • TV Series
    • 2011
  • Letters to God (2010)
    Letters to God
    • Cornelius Perryfield
    • 2010
  • James Pickens Jr., Ellen Pompeo, and Chandra Wilson in Grey's Anatomy (2005)
    Grey's Anatomy
    • Irving Waller
    • TV Series
    • 2009
  • Josh Flitter in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr. (2009)
    Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr.
    • Grandpa Ventura
    • TV Movie
    • 2009
  • Elisabeth Shue, Ted Danson, and George Eads in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)
    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
    • Sheriff Montgomery
    • TV Series
    • 2008
  • Edward Asner, Rue McClanahan, and Alex Black in Generation Gap (2008)
    Generation Gap
    • Chick
    • TV Movie
    • 2008
  • Benjamin Bratt in The Cleaner (2008)
    The Cleaner
    • Jonus Mullins
    • TV Series
    • 2008
  • Cane (2007)
    Cane
    • Father Mike
    • TV Series
    • 2007
  • Cold Case (2003)
    Cold Case
    • Felton Metz '07
    • TV Series
    • 2007

Director

  • The Mississippi (1982)
    The Mississippi
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 1983
  • On the Nickel (1980)
    On the Nickel
    • Director
    • 1980
  • The Waltons (1972)
    The Waltons
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 1973–1980

Producer

  • A Good Sport (1984)
    A Good Sport
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 1984
  • The Mississippi (1982)
    The Mississippi
    • supervising producer
    • TV Series
    • 1983
  • On the Nickel (1980)
    On the Nickel
    • producer
    • 1980

Videos15

Letters To God
Clip 1:55
Letters To God
Letters To God
Clip 2:04
Letters To God
Letters To God
Clip 1:21
Letters To God
Letters To God
Clip 0:39
Letters To God
Letters To God
Clip 0:56
Letters To God
Letters To God
Clip 1:07
Letters To God
Letters To God
Clip 0:58
Letters To God
Letters To God
Clip 1:04
Letters To God
Letters To God
Clip 3:46
Letters To God
Trailer
Trailer 0:55
Trailer
Letters to God
Trailer 2:08
Letters to God
Gabe the Cupid Dog
Trailer 2:38
Gabe the Cupid Dog

Personal details

Edit
  • Height
    • 6′ (1.83 m)
  • Born
    • June 22, 1928
    • White Plains, New York, USA
  • Died
    • February 13, 2014
    • Palm Desert, California, USA(natural causes)
  • Spouses
      Linda EastDecember 4, 1982 - February 13, 2014 (his death)
  • Other works
    Plays Frank/Donald in "This Thing of Darkness" play by Craig Lucas and David Schulner (Atlantic Theater Company, New York City, New York, USA).
  • Publicity listings
    • 3 Articles
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Served in the United States Marine Corps.
  • Quotes
    Just as theater has to be where people live, actors have to go out in the marketplace - not be cut off by a lens. Either an artist grows or he stagnates.
  • Trademarks
      Playing fathers of families/children, and fathers of the church,

Related news

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Production art
Photos
IMDb's Top Picks for May
See the list
Production art
Photos
The Best Pics of the Week
See the gallery

Add demo reel with IMDbPro

Demo reel thumbnail
Make your IMDb page stand out by adding a demo reel
Upload your demo reel

Add demo reel with IMDbPro

Make your IMDb page stand out by adding a demo reel
Upload your demo reel
Demo reel thumbnail

How much have you seen?

Keep track of how much of Ralph Waite’s work you have seen. Go to your list.
Production art
Photos
IMDb's 2023 Summer Movie Guide
See the list

Recently viewed

Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
Get the IMDb App
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
  • Get the IMDb App
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • IMDb Developer
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.