RIP Ralph Waite

Agreed. RIP.

 

One more role of note: Kevin Costner's dad in "The Bodyguard."

 

This might be a slight thread-jack but I urge anyone who was remotely a fan of the Waltons as a kid (or an adult) to get Earl Hamner's novel that started the franchise, "Spencer's Mountain." Obviously changed the name (why do they do that, especially when author is involved in the TV show?). The book is a masterpiece and will move you to tears several times. The father in the book isn't quite the perfect dad. He takes a drink or three, blew some money and got the new preacher drunk. The movie with the same title is awful and could be Henry Fonda's worst flick. They set the movie in Utah or Wyoming (again, why ... since Hamner was invovled). Anyway, good novel.

 

RIP to one of the better actors in Hollywood. Like John Boy would say, Good night.

 

My parents took me to see "Spencer's Mountain" when it came out (I was 5).

What with the tree crushing Grandpa to ground meat and Mama Maureen O'Hara screeching about a neck-broke baby, there wasn't much for me to like.

Decades later when I saw reruns, I could appreciate the crazy-horny Mimsy Farmer busting out of her dresses spending most of the movie rubbing up against Clayboy (James MacArthur).

And Henry Fonda wobbling around drunk for half the movie sure didn't establish any hallowed precedents Ralph Waite would have to follow.