Cast & creator
Ralph Waite
Best known for Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Ralph Waite (June 22, 1928 – February 13, 2014) was an American actor. His most famous role may be John Walton Sr. on the 1970s CBS TV series The Waltons, which he occasionally directed. He is also well known for his portrayal of the slave ship first mate Slater in the mini-series Roots. Later in his career, he appeared as Reverend Norman Balthus for 16 out of 24 episodes over the two seasons of the HBO series Carnivàle (2003–2005). He portrayed the recurring roles of Father Matt on the daytime serial Days of our Lives, of Jethro Gibbs's (Mark Harmon) father, Jackson Gibbs, on NCIS and of Seeley Booth's (David Boreanaz) grandfather, Hank Booth on Bones.
60
film credits
23
television credits
78
1959–2012 · acting roles
6.5
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (83)
Showing 83 of 83 credits
Grey's Anatomy
Irving Waller
2005
NCIS
Jackson Gibbs
2003
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Sheriff Montgomery
2000
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Bones
Hank Booth
2005
Bonanza
Hoby Miles
1959
The Practice
Walter Josephson
1997
Murder, She Wrote
D.A. Paul Robbins
1984
The Waltons
John Walton Sr.
1972The Waltons
Director
1972
The Outer Limits
Gene Morton
1995
Dinah!
Self
1974
Reading Rainbow
Self - Narrator (voice)
1983
Carnivàle
Reverend Norman Balthus
2003
Roots
1977Roots
Slater
1977
The Bodyguard
Herb Farmer
1992
Cane
Father Mike
2007
Nichols
Sam Burton
1971
Cliffhanger
Frank
1993
Time Trax
Lamont Carson
1993
Cool Hand Luke
Alibi
1967
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
Shadow (voice)
1996
Shannon's Deal
Harry
1990
The West
Self (voice)
1996
The Mississippi
Ben Walker
1983
Five Easy Pieces
Carl Fidelio Dupea
1970
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
Jim Mackay
1972
Chato's Land
Elias Hooker
1972
The Third Twin
Senator Proust
1997
Ace Ventura Jr: Pet Detective
Grandpa Ventura
2009
Letters to God
Mr. Perryfield
2010
Lawman
Jack Dekker
1971
The Stone Killer
Mathews
1973
The President's Man
President Mathews
2000
Last Summer
Peter's father (uncredited)
1969
Crash and Burn
Lathan Hooks
1990
The Grissom Gang
Mace
1971
Gabe the Cupid Dog
R.L. Dutton
2012
Spirit
Jacob Hardesty
2001
A Lovely Way to Die
Sean Magruder
1968Snake Treaty
1989
A Day for Thanks on Waltons Mountain
John Walton
1982
The Pursuit of Happiness
Detective Cromie
1971
Sparks: The Price of Passion
Orville Lemon
1990
Silver City
Casey Lyle
2004
Trouble Man
Pete Cockrell
1972
A Season of Hope
Sam Hackett
1995
Generation Gap
Chick
2008
On the Nickel
C.G.
1980On the Nickel
Director
1980On the Nickel
Writer
1980On the Nickel
Producer
1980
A Wedding on Waltons Mountain
John Walton
1982
The Secret Life of John Chapman
John Chapman
1976
The Sporting Club
Olson
1971
Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain
John Walton
1982
The Gentleman Bandit
Father Bernard Pagano
1981
Angel City
Jared Teeter
1980
Sioux City
Drew McDermott
1994
Kid Blue
Drummer
1973
A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion
John Walton
1993
Murder 101: If Wishes Were Horses
Jacob Brawley
2007
Good Old Boy
Narrator (voice)
1988
The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons
1980
A Walton Easter
John Walton
1997
Sunshine State
Furman Temple
2002
Hot Summer Week
John
1972
A Natural Born World-Shaker: The Making of 'Cool Hand Luke'
Self
2008
Sin and Redemption
Cal Simms
1994
Crime of Innocence
Frank Hayward
1985
Red Alert
Henry Stone
1977
Wild by Law
Aldo Leopold (voice)
1991
Keys
Dr. C.J. Halligan
1994
The Desperate Hours
Lt. Fredericks
1967
The Borgia Stick
Man from Toledo
1967
A Walton Wedding
John Walton
1995
25 Hill
Ed
2011
Blessings
Sheriff
2003
OHMS
Floyd Wing
1980
Timequest
The Traveler
2000
A Good Sport
Tommy O'Bannon
1984A Good Sport
Executive Producer
1984