Ralph Waite

Biography

Ralph Waite (June 22, 1928 – February 13, 2014) was an American actor. His most famous role may be John Walton Sr. on the 1970s CBS TV series The Waltons, which he occasionally directed. He is also well known for his portrayal of the slave ship first mate Slater in the mini-series Roots. Later in his career, he appeared as Reverend Norman Balthus for 16 out of 24 episodes over the two seasons of the HBO series Carnivàle (2003–2005). He portrayed the recurring roles of Father Matt on the daytime serial Days of our Lives, of Jethro Gibbs's (Mark Harmon) father, Jackson Gibbs, on NCIS and of Seeley Booth's (David Boreanaz) grandfather, Hank Booth on Bones.

Known For

Grey's Anatomy

as Irving Waller

Bones

as Hank Booth

The Bodyguard

as Herb Farmer

Cliffhanger

as Frank

NCIS

as Jackson Gibbs

Cool Hand Luke

as Alibi

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

as Sheriff Montgomery

Five Easy Pieces

as Carl Fidelio Dupea

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

as Shadow (voice)

Bonanza

as Hoby Miles