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| Ralph Waite |
Ralph Waite was a man's man,” says Mark Harmon about the incredible man who played his “NCIS” dad Jackson Gibbs. Ralph Waite touched the hearts of many as John Walton, Sr., on the 1972–1981 CBS TV series “The Waltons." Ralph Waites Death on Feb. 13, 2014, was unexpected to those who saw the American actor perform as a strong man on “NCIS.” On Feb. 13, when he arrived at the 85-year-old actor’s Palm Desert home around 11 a.m., he was met by ambulances and Waite’s wife Linda.
Preece said his friend died of a “tired heart.”
Mark Harmon plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Jackson Gibb’s (Ralph Waite’s) son on “NCIS.” Like Waite’s friend Preece, Harmon also saw the signs of age in the 85-year-old man. Like Preece, Harmon found out about Waite’s death from a family member. For Harmon, loss has become a part of his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs. As for Waite, there will be no replacement for dad. In the “NCIS” finale, Gibbs is “dealing with the realities people deal with when they lose a loved one,” says Glasberg.
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| Ralph Waite |
Waite’s final “NCIS” episode with the cast members was “Better Angels,” which was broadcast in November. In the episode, the older Gibbs finally tells his son Leroy Jethro Gibbs his World War II story. Ralph Waite was an American actor best known for playing John Walton Sr. on the 1970s television series The Waltons.
Born on June 22, 1928, in White Plains, New York, Ralph Waite earned degrees from Bucknell University and Yale Divinity School before beginning an acting career. Best known for playing the role of John Walton Sr. on The Waltons (1971-1981), when the series ended, Waite continued to work in television and film. The eldest of five children, Ralph Waite was born in White Plains, New York, on June 22, 1928, to Esther Mitchell and Ralph H. Waite. In 1951, Ralph Waite met and married Beverly Hall, who inspired him to go into social work in New York's Westchester County. Waite eventually found a position as a religious editor for book publisher Harper & Row. By 1965, Waite was starring opposite Faye Dunaway in the play Hogan's Goat—a role that brought him both critical acclaim and self-confidence.
Waite met with tragedy in 1964 when his 9-year-old daughter, Suzanne, died of leukemia.
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| Ralph Waite |
After Waite's marriage to Hall ended in 1969, he traveled to Hollywood, California, where he found small bit parts in films such as Cool Hand Luke (1967). Ralph Waite caught a big break in 1970, landing the part of Carl Dupea, Rpbert Dupea's (Jack Nicholson) brother in Five Easy Pieces. After The Waltons ended that same year, the actor continued to work in film, theater and TV, including a number of Waltons TV movies.
In 1982, Waite married his third wife, Linda East, who would remain with the actor until his death in 2014.
In 1990, Waite acted upon long-held political ambitions and ran for a seat in U.S. Congress as a Democrat in Riverside County, California's 37th District. Before deciding to run, Waite had signed on to play Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman in New Jersey. In 2010, Waite returned to his religious roots and joined the Desert Presbyterian Fellowship in Palm Desert. Ralph Waite died on February 13, 2014, at the age of 85, at his home in Palm Desert, California. The acclaimed actor left behind an indelible legacy.
