RIP Ralph Waite

[Hank_Scorpio]

In yet another sign that these happen in threes.


http://www.mydesert.com/article/20140213/NEWS01/302130019/The-Waltons-actor-Ralph-Waite-dies-85-Palm-Desert

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

He played a malicious slave trader in Roots. RIP.

 

[Football_Bat]

Another one who I thought had passed years ago.

Abe Vigoda just shakes his head.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Another one who I thought had passed years ago.

You must not watch NCIS or Bones. He's had recurring appearances in each of those shows the last few years.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

Good Night, John Boy.

RIP

 

[D-3 Fan]

"Good night, Pa."

:(

 

[Double J]

That sucks. A fantastic TV dad and great actor. :(

 

[Gold]

He also ran for Congress as a Democrat in the Palm Springs area (I think it was around 1990 or 1988), and lost a very close race.

 

[matt_garth]

Also part of the great supporting cast in "Cool Hand Luke."

 

[HanSenSE]

He also ran for Congress as a Democrat i the Palm Springs area (I think it was around 1990 or 1988), and lost a very close race.

Also lost a special election to fill Sonny Bonons term to Sonny's widow.

 

[Riptide]

Had that great role in "The Client," too.

 

[hondo]

Also part of the great supporting cast in "Cool Hand Luke."

Back-sassed the road boss. Spent a night in the box.

 

[Liut]

That sucks. A fantastic TV dad and great actor. :(

Agreed. RIP.

 

[mpcincal]

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

 

[hondo]

That sucks. A fantastic TV dad and great actor. :(

Agreed. RIP.

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.

 

[Drip]

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

 

[Starman]

That sucks. A fantastic TV dad and great actor. :(

Agreed. RIP.

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.

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.