Ralph Waite

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Ralph Waite

Waite at The Waltons 40th Anniversary in 2012
Born (1928-06-22) June 22, 1928
White Plains, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1965–present
Spouse(s) Beverly Waite (1951–1966)
Kerry Shear Waite (1977–1981)
Linda East (1982–present)
Children 3

Ralph Waite (born June 22, 1928) is an American actor. He is most notable role was playing John Walton, Sr., on the 1970s CBS TV series The Waltons, which he also occasionally directed. He is also known for his portrayal of the slave ship third mate Slater in the mini-series Roots. In addition, he has appeared in many guest roles on numerous television series portraying a large variety of roles.[1]

Personal life

Waite, the oldest of five children, was born in White Plains, New York, the son of Esther (née Mitchell) and Ralph H. Waite, a construction engineer.[2] Before becoming an actor, Waite, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1946 to 1948, graduated from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and briefly was a social worker. He earned a master's degree from Yale University Divinity School and was a Presbyterian minister and religious editor at Harper & Row in New York City before deciding on a career in acting.[3]

He is a former member of the Peninsula Players summer theater program during the 1963 season.[4]

Ralph Waite has married three times; two of his marriages ended in divorce. He had three daughters from his first marriage. One of his daughters died when she was nine years old from leukemia. His stepson, Liam Waite, is also an actor.

After fifty years being away from organized religion, Waite returned in 2010 and became an active member of Spirit of the Desert Presbyterian Fellowship in Palm Desert, California.[3]

Political involvement

Waite ran unsuccessfully for Congress in California as a Democrat three times: in 1990 he challenged veteran GOP incumbent Al McCandless in the Riverside County-based 37th district, losing by five percentage points. In 1998 he ran in the special election for the then-Palm Springs-based 44th district left vacant by the death of incumbent Sonny Bono.[5] He was defeated in that election by Mary Bono, Sonny's widow, and lost to her again that November.

On October 21, 1991, Waite introduced former California Governor Jerry Brown prior to the latter's speech announcing his candidacy for the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination.[6]

Electoral history

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 McCandless 73%		 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%

Filmography

Television

As director

As producer

As writer

References

  1. ↑ Haley, Alex. "Alex Haley.com". Roots. Alex Haley.com. Retrieved October 13, 2011. 
  2. ↑ "Ralph Waite Biograph y (1928?-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2010-08-12. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - News & Announcements - ‘The Waltons’ star Ralph Waite finds a home in church". Pcusa.org. 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2010-08-12. 
  4. ↑ Peninsula Players 65th Anniversary Program, 1999
  5. ↑ Lyman, Rick (February 13, 1998). "On Stage and Off". New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2012. 
  6. ↑ http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/BrownA

External links

Authority control
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