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.

Filmography

• 2012Gabe the Cupid Dog — R.L. Dutton
• 201125 Hill — Ed
• 2010Letters to God — Mr. Perryfield
• 2009Ace Ventura Jr: Pet Detective — Grandpa Ventura
• 2008Generation Gap — Chick
• Cane — Father Mike
• 2007Murder 101: If Wishes Were Horses — Jacob Brawley
• Bones — Hank Booth
• Grey's Anatomy — Irving Waller
• 2004Silver City — Casey Lyle
• 2003Blessings — Sheriff
• Carnivàle — Reverend Norman Balthus
• NCIS — Jackson Gibbs
• 2002Sunshine State — Furman Temple
• 2001Spirit — Jacob Hardesty
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Sheriff Montgomery
• 2000The President's Man — President Mathews
• 2000Timequest — The Traveler
• 1997A Walton Easter — John Walton
• The Practice — Walter Josephson
• The Third Twin — Senator Proust
• 1996Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco — Shadow (voice)
• 1995A Season of Hope — Sam Hackett
• 1995A Walton Wedding — John Walton
• The Outer Limits — Gene Morton
• 1994Keys — Dr. C.J. Halligan
• 1994Sin and Redemption — Cal Simms
• 1994Sioux City — Drew McDermott
• 1993A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion — John Walton
• 1993Cliffhanger — Frank
• Time Trax — Lamont Carson
• 1992The Bodyguard — Herb Farmer
• 1991Wild by Law — Aldo Leopold (voice)
• 1990Crash and Burn — Lathan Hooks
• Shannon's Deal — Harry
• 1990Sparks: The Price of Passion — Orville Lemon
• 1989Snake Treaty
• 1988Good Old Boy — Narrator (voice)
• 1985Crime of Innocence — Frank Hayward
• 1984A Good Sport — Tommy O'Bannon, Executive Producer
• Murder, She Wrote — D.A. Paul Robbins
• The Mississippi — Ben Walker
• 1982A Day for Thanks on Waltons Mountain — John Walton
• 1982A Wedding on Waltons Mountain — John Walton
• 1982Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain — John Walton
• 1981The Gentleman Bandit — Father Bernard Pagano
• 1980Angel City — Jared Teeter
• 1980OHMS — Floyd Wing
• 1980On the Nickel — C.G., Director, Writer, Producer
• 1980The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons
• 1977Red Alert — Henry Stone
• Roots — Slater
• 1976The Secret Life of John Chapman — John Chapman
• 1973Kid Blue — Drummer
• 1973The Stone Killer — Mathews
• 1972Chato's Land — Elias Hooker
• 1972Hot Summer Week — John
• 1972The Magnificent Seven Ride! — Jim Mackay
• The Waltons — John Walton Sr., Director
• 1972Trouble Man — Pete Cockrell
• 1971Lawman — Jack Dekker
• Nichols — Sam Burton
• 1971The Grissom Gang — Mace
• 1971The Pursuit of Happiness — Detective Cromie
• 1971The Sporting Club — Olson
• 1970Five Easy Pieces — Carl Fidelio Dupea
• 1969Last Summer — Peter's father (uncredited)
• 1968A Lovely Way to Die — Sean Magruder
• 1967Cool Hand Luke — Alibi
• 1967The Borgia Stick — Man from Toledo
• 1967The Desperate Hours — Lt. Fredericks
• Bonanza — Hoby Miles

Appearances as themselves (5)

• 2008A Natural Born World-Shaker: The Making of 'Cool Hand Luke' — Self
• The West — Self (voice)
• Reading Rainbow — Self - Narrator (voice)
• Dinah! — Self
• The Mike Douglas Show — Self