ACTOR

Ralph Waite

1928 - 2014

Photo of Ralph Waite

Icon of person Ralph Waite

Ralph Waite (June 22, 1928 – February 13, 2014) was an American actor, best known for his lead role as John Walton Sr. on The Waltons (1972–1981), which he occasionally directed. He later had recurring roles as two other heroic fathers; in NCIS as Jackson Gibbs, the father of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and in Bones, as Seeley Booth's grandfather. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Ralph Waite has received more than 3,739,628 page views. His biography is available in 42 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 41 in 2019). Ralph Waite is the 1,522nd most popular actor (down from 1,495th in 2019), the 2,558th most popular biography from United States (up from 2,573rd in 2019) and the 709th most popular American Actor.

Memorability Metrics

  • 3.7M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 56.10

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 42

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 2.68

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 4.98

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among ACTORS

Among actors, Ralph Waite ranks 1,522 out of 13,578. Before him are Alisa Freindlich, Robert Downey Sr., Donna Murphy, Joan Chen, François Berléand, and Sarah Wayne Callies. After him are Choi Eun-hee, Bruce Greenwood, Franco Citti, Rita Wilson, Tony Lip, and Peter Gallagher.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1928, Ralph Waite ranks 161. Before him are Enrique Bolaños, Ion Druță, Seki Matsunaga, Mihály Lantos, Donald Judd, and László Budai. After him are Jean Kennedy Smith, Prince Tomislav of Yugoslavia, Henri Debehogne, Borisav Jović, Kåre Willoch, and Fredrik Barth. Among people deceased in 2014, Ralph Waite ranks 117. Before him are Marina Ginestà, Alice Herz-Sommer, Alice Babs, Carlos Páez Vilaró, Igor Mitoraj, and Edward Herrmann. After him are Go Seigen, Viktor Tikhonov, Alicia Rhett, Tommy Ramone, Andrea de Cesaris, and Wolfhart Pannenberg.

Others Born in 1928

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Others Deceased in 2014

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Ralph Waite ranks 2,558 out of 20,380. Before him are James Remar (1953), Robert Downey Sr. (1936), John Sculley (1939), Archie Moore (1916), Donna Murphy (1959), and Sarah Wayne Callies (1977). After him are Barbara W. Tuchman (1912), Rita Wilson (1956), Dianne Feinstein (1933), Stephen Smale (1930), Bob Woodward (1943), and Walter Cunningham (1932).

Others born in United States

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Among ACTORS In United States

Among actors born in United States, Ralph Waite ranks 709. Before him are Gloria Grahame (1923), Edward Herrmann (1943), James Remar (1953), Robert Downey Sr. (1936), Donna Murphy (1959), and Sarah Wayne Callies (1977). After him are Rita Wilson (1956), Tony Lip (1930), Peter Gallagher (1955), Chris Noth (1954), Christina Applegate (1971), and Sal Mineo (1939).

American born Actors

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Television and Movie Roles

The Bodyguard
Herb Farmer
A former Secret Service agent grudgingly takes an assignment to protect a pop idol who's threatened by a crazed fan. At first, the safety-obsessed bodyguard and the self-indulgent diva totally clash. But before long, all that tension sparks fireworks of another sort, and the love-averse tough guy is torn between duty and romance.
Nov 25o 19926.692 / 10
Cliffhanger
Frank
A year after losing his friend in a tragic 4,000-foot fall, former ranger Gabe Walker and his partner, Hal, are called to return to the same peak to rescue a group of stranded climbers, only to learn the climbers are actually thieving hijackers who are looking for boxes full of money.
May 28o 19936.5 / 10
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
Shadow (voice)
When the pets accidentally get separated from their vacationing owners, Chance, Shadow, and Sassy navigate the mean streets of San Francisco, trying to find their home across the Golden Gate Bridge. But the road is blocked by a series of hazards, both man and beast.
Mar 8o 19966.6 / 10