Ralph Waite
Biography
Ralph Waite was an American actor whose first professional stage part came in a 1960 New York production of The Balcony, and he made his Broadway debut in Marathon '33 in 1963. He also acted in Blues for Mister Charlie and built a steady stage career on and off Broadway in that decade. His first screen role was in Cool Hand Luke (1967). Other film credits included Cliffhanger (1993), The Bodyguard (1992), The Grissom Gang (1971) and Five Easy Pieces (1970). He was best known for playing John Walton Sr. across nine seasons of The Waltons, a role that brought him an Emmy nomination and directing work on 16 episodes. In 1975 he started an experimental actors theater in Los Angeles. He appeared in Roots in 1977, created the part of Will Kidder in Horton Foote's Pulitzer Prize-winning The Young Man from Atlanta in 1995, and later had recurring roles on NCIS and Bones.
85years old at death
- Born White Plains
- Died Palm Desert
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Also credited as Ralph Harold Waite Jr., Ralph Waite Jr. and Ralph Harold Waite
Movie Career
- Films
- 19
- Career span
- 43 years1967 to 2010
First and latest
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Early training
Waite trained with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio and spent the 1963 season in the Peninsula Players summer theater program.
First role
In 1960, Waite took his first professional part in a New York staging of The Balcony, playing the chief of police.
First role
Waite's Broadway debut came in 1963, when he played the Minister in Marathon '33, a show written and directed by June Havoc.
Behind the camera
In 1975, Waite started the experimental Los Angeles Actor's theater. He also took on the role of artistic director for the group.
A first
In 1995, Waite was the first to play Will Kidder in Horton Foote's Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Young Man from Atlanta.
Ralph Waite movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Michael Winner directed three of these films, John Sayles two. Fifteen actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Charles Bronson's page
Bill Cobbs's page
James Gammon's page
Clifton James's page
Miguel Ferrer's page
Luke Askew's page
All films by Michael Winner
All films by John Sayles
Also two films together9 more actors
- Paul WinfieldCliffhanger (1993) and Trouble Man (1972)
- Charles TynerThe Stone Killer (1973) and Lawman (1971)
- Richard JordanChato's Land (1972) and Lawman (1971)
- Robert EmhardtThe Stone Killer (1973) and Lawman (1971)
- Conrad BainLast Summer (1969) and A Lovely Way to Die (1968)
- J.D. CannonLawman (1971) and Cool Hand Luke (1967)
- Cullen DouglasAce Ventura: Pet Detective Jr. (2009) and Sunshine State (2002)
- William WatsonChato's Land (1972) and Lawman (1971)
- Irene DaileyThe Grissom Gang (1971) and Five Easy Pieces (1970)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Ralph Waite's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$741 million
8 of the 19 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 19 films: 8 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 2 never in cinemas; 5 figure not found.
- 8Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 2Never in cinemas
- 5Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$411M55.5% of the total
- 2$255M34.4% of the total
- 3$33M4.4% of the total
- 4$18M2.4% of the total
- 5$16M2.2% of the total
- 6$3.4M0.5% of the total
- 7$3.0M0.4% of the total
- 8$1.4M0.2% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.