Ralph Waite

Ralph Waite, an American actor whose career spanned several decades, is best remembered for his role as John Walton Sr. in the long-running CBS series The Waltons, a role he occasionally directed. He also left an indelible mark as the slave ship first mate Slater in the groundbreaking mini-series Roots. Later in his career, Waite joined the cast of HBO’s Carnivàle as Reverend Norman Balthus, appearing in sixteen episodes across two seasons. His later work included recurring roles on popular daytime drama Days of our Lives, the hit procedural NCIS, and the forensic mystery series Bones.