Richard Thomas (actor)
Richard Earl Thomas (born June 13, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for his leading role as budding author John-Boy Walton in the CBS drama series The Waltons for which he won an Emmy Award.[1] He also received another Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe Award nominations, for that role.[2]
Richard Thomas | |
|---|---|
Thomas at the Peabody Awards in May 2015 | |
| Born | Richard Earl Thomas June 13, 1951 Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Education | Columbia University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1958–present |
| Spouse(s) | Alma Gonzales (m. 1975; div. 1993)Georgiana Bischoff (m. 1994) |
| Children | 5 |
| Parents |
|
Thomas later starred in the 1990 television mini-series adaptation of Stephen King's epic horror novel It, and played Special Agent Frank Gaad on FX's spy thriller series The Americans. More recently, he appeared in Netflix's Ozark and is touring with To Kill a Mockingbird as Atticus Finch.
Early life and education
Thomas was born on June 13, 1951 in Manhattan, New York, the son of Barbara Fallis and Richard S. Thomas. His parents were dancers with the New York City Ballet and owned the New York School of Ballet.[3]
Thomas has a nevus on his left cheek. He has stated that this led to his being turned down for a role in a television commercial in his youth.[4]
He was a student at Columbia College, the undergraduate college of Columbia University, where he majored in Chinese before switching to the English department.[5] After he landed the role in The Waltons, he left Columbia during his junior year because he had to commit to the role full-time in Los Angeles.[6][7]
Acting career
In 1958, at age seven, Thomas made his Broadway debut in Sunrise at Campobello.[3] In 1959, he appeared in the Hallmark Hall of Fame NBC television presentation of Ibsen's A Doll's House with Julie Harris, Christopher Plummer and Hume Cronyn.[8] He then began acting in daytime TV, appearing in soap operas such as The Edge of Night (as Ben Schultz, 1961), A Flame in the Wind and As the World Turns (as Tom Hughes, 1966–67) which were broadcast from his native Manhattan. In 1970, he guest starred in NBC's Bonanza (episode "The Weary Willies").
Thomas' first major film roles were in Winning (1969) with Paul Newman (about auto racing)[9] and Last Summer (also 1969) with Bruce Davison and Barbara Hershey (a summer coming-of-age movie.)[10]
In 1971, he starred in Red Sky at Morning,[11] and played the lead in Cactus in the Snow (an independent production, considered lost and difficult to acquire through VHS, DVD or any other format).[citation needed]
The Waltons
Beginning in 1972, Thomas became recognized worldwide for his portrayal of John-Boy Walton in the TV series The Waltons, based on the life story of writer Earl Hamner, Jr. He appeared in the original CBS television film The Homecoming: A Christmas Story in 1971,[12] which inspired the commissioning of the otherwise largely recast series) and then played the role continuously in 122 episodes. In March of 1977, Thomas left the series and his role was taken over by Robert Wightman. However, Thomas returned to the role in three Waltons TV movies in the 1990s, including A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion in 1993.[13] Thomas won an Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series in 1973.[14]
Thomas played against type as murderer and rapist Kenneth Kinsolving in You'll Like My Mother in 1972 with Patty Duke.[15] He played the lead roles of Private Henry Fleming in the NBC TV movie The Red Badge of Courage in 1974[16] and Paul Bäumer in the 1979 CBS TV movie on All Quiet on the Western Front.[17]
In other TV films, he played Col. Warner's younger son Jim in Roots: The Next Generations (the 1979 sequel to 1977's Roots),[18] the title role in the biopic Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story in 1983,[19] Will Mossup in CBS' Hobson's Choice in 1983,[20] Henry Durie in The Master of Ballantrae for Hallmark Hall of Fame,[21] Martin Campbell in Final Jeopardy[22] and the adult Bill Denbrough in the 1990 television mini-series adaptation of Stephen King's epic horror novel It.[23]
In 1980, Thomas made his first Broadway appearance in more than 12 years when he was a replacement in Lanford Wilson's Fifth of July.[24] In the same year, he appeared as Shad (the young farmer entrusted to employ mercenaries to save his planet from Sador and his invading forces) in Battle Beyond the Stars.[25]
In 1987, he appeared on stage in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. in the one-man tour-de-force Citizen Tom Paine (playing Paine "like a star-spangled tiger, ferocious about freedom and ready to savage anyone who stands in his way," in a staging of Howard Fast's play set in the bicentennial year of the United States Constitution.)[26] In 1990, he joined with Nathan Lane at the Mark Taper Forum[27] in Los Angeles for Terrence McNally's The Lisbon Traviata in the role of Stephan. In 1993, he played the title role in a Shakespeare Theater stage production of Richard II in Washington, DC.[28]
Thomas starred with Maureen O'Hara and his It co-star Annette O'Toole in the Hallmark Channel movie The Christmas Box in 1995.[29]
Thomas appeared in a quartet of performances at the Hartford Stage in Connecticut including Hamlet (1987),[30] Peer Gynt (1989), Richard III (1994) and Tiny Alice (1996). In 1997 and 1998, he played degenerate Joe Greene in two episodes of Touched by an Angel.
In 2001, he appeared in London's West End in a theatre production of Yasmina Reza's Art with Judd Hirsch.[31] He also appeared on the New York stage in The Public Theater's production in Central Park of As You Like It in 2005,[32] Michael Frayn's Democracy on Broadway in 2004[33] and the Primary Stages' off-Broadway production of Terrence McNally's The Stendhal Syndrome in the same year.[34]
He hosted the PAX TV series It's a Miracle.[35] He starred in the series Just Cause in 2003 for the PAX TV network.
In 2006, Thomas began an American theater tour of Reginald Rose's play Twelve Angry Men along with Cheers star George Wendt at the Shubert Theater in New Haven, Connecticut, playing the pivotal role of Juror Eight opposite Wendt's Juror One.[36]
In 2009 and 2010, Thomas was featured on Broadway in Race, a play by David Mamet. The production was directed by Mamet and included James Spader, David Alan Grier and Kerry Washington.[37] In February and March 2011, he starred at the Off-Broadway New York Public Theater in Timon of Athens.[38]
Thomas played Frank Gaad[3] in the FX Network period spy drama television series The Americans which debuted in January 2013.[39]
Thomas appeared in the 2017 Broadway revival of The Little Foxes and was nominated for a 2017 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.[40]
In December 2018, Thomas portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge in Pittsburgh CLO's production of A Musical Christmas Carol.[41]
In February 2021, Thomas portrayed Bodie Lord in the Amazon thriller drama television series Tell Me Your Secrets, appearing in episode 5.
In January 2022, Thomas portrayed Wendy Byrde's estranged father, Nathan Davis, in three episodes of season 4 of the Netflix series Ozark.
Starting in April 2022, Thomas starred as Atticus Finch in a National Broadway tour of a stage production of Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
Personal life
Thomas married Alma Gonzales in 1975.[42] In 1976, they had a son, Richard Francisco. Triplet daughters (Pilar, Barbara, and Gwyneth) were born in 1981.[43] Thomas and Gonzales divorced in 1993.[44]
Thomas married Santa Fe art dealer Georgiana Bischoff on November 20, 1994[43][45] and their son, Montana, was born in 1996. Bischoff has two daughters, Brooke and Kendra, from previous marriages.[43] Thomas and Georgiana currently reside in Manhattan, New York. Two of their children (Montana and Kendra) also reside in New York City.[46]
Filmography
Film
Sources: TCM;[47] AllMovie[48]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Winning | Charley | |
| Last Summer | Peter | ||
| 1971 | Red Sky at Morning | Joshua Arnold | |
| The Todd Killings | Billy Roy | ||
| Cactus in the Snow | Harley MacIntosh | Lost film; aka You Can't Have Everything or Soldier Story | |
| 1972 | You'll Like My Mother | Kenny | |
| 1974 | Sisters of the Space Age | Narrator | Short film |
| 1977 | September 30, 1955 | Jimmy J. | |
| 1980 | Battle Beyond the Stars | Shad | |
| 1989 | Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder | Charles Ingalls | Video |
| 2000 | The Million Dollar Kid | Ted Hunter | |
| Wonder Boys | Walter Gaskell | ||
| Bloodhounds Inc. | Robert Hunter | Video | |
| 2009 | Taking Woodstock | Reverend Don Darren Pettie | |
| 2015 | Anesthesia | Mr. Werth | |
| 2021 | Christmas vs. the Walters | Roger | |
| The Unforgivable | Michael Malcolm |
Television films
Sources: TCM;[47] AllMovie;[48] TV Guide[49]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | A Doll's House | Ivor | |
| 1971 | The Homecoming: A Christmas Story | John-Boy Walton | |
| 1974 | The Red Badge of Courage | Pvt. Henry Fleming | |
| 1975 | The Silence | Cadet James Pelosi | |
| 1978 | Getting Married | Michael Carboni | |
| 1979 | No Other Love | Andrew Madison | |
| All Quiet on the Western Front | Paul Baumer | ||
| 1980 | To Find My Son | David Benjamin | |
| 1981 | Berlin Tunnel 21 | Lieutenant Sandy Mueller | |
| Barefoot in the Park | Paul Bratter | ||
| 1982 | Pavarotti & Friends | Himself | |
| Johnny Belinda | William Richmond | ||
| Fifth of July | Kenneth Talley Jr. | ||
| Christmas at Kennedy Center with Leontyne Price | Himself | ||
| 1983 | Living Proof: The Hank Williams, Jr. Story | Hank Williams Jr. | |
| Hobson's Choice | Will Mossup | ||
| 1984 | The Master of Ballantrae | Henry Durie | |
| 1985 | Final Jeopardy | Marty Campbell | |
| 1988 | Go Toward the Light | Greg Madison | |
| 1989 | Glory! Glory! | Rev. Bobby Joe | |
| 1990 | Andre's Mother | Cal Porter – Andre's Lover | |
| Common Ground | Colin Diver | ||
| 1991 | Mission of the Shark | Lieutenant Steven Scott | |
| Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus | James O'Hanlan | ||
| 1992 | A Thousand Heroes | Gary Brown | aka Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232 |
| Lincoln | John Hay | Voice role | |
| 1993 | I Can Make You Love Me | Richard Farley | aka Stalking Laura |
| Precious Victims | Don Weber | ||
| Linda | Paul Cowley | ||
| A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion | John-Boy Walton | ||
| 1994 | To Save the Children | David Young | |
| 1995 | Death in Small Doses | Richard Lyon | |
| A Walton Wedding | John-Boy Walton | ||
| Down, Out & Dangerous | Tim Willows | ||
| The Christmas Box | Richard Evans | ||
| 1996 | West Virginia: A Film History | Narrator | Voice role |
| What Love Sees | Gordon Holly | ||
| Timepiece | Richard Evans | ||
| 1997 | A Walton Easter | John-Boy Walton | |
| A Thousand Men and a Baby | Dr. Hugh 'Bud' Keenan | aka Narrow Escape | |
| Flood: A River's Rampage | Herb Dellenbach | ||
| 1998 | Big and Hairy | Victor Dewlap | |
| 2000 | In the Name of the People | Jack Murphy | |
| The Christmas Secret | Jerry McNeil | ||
| 2001 | The Miracle of the Cards | Dr. Neal Kassell | |
| 2002 | Beyond the Prairie, Part 2 | Charles Ingalls | |
| Anna's Dream | Rod Morgan | ||
| 2005 | Annie's Point | Richard Eason | |
| 2006 | Wild Hearts | Bob | |
| 2011 | Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow | Dick | aka Time after Time |
| 2021 | The Waltons' Homecoming | John-Boy Walton (voice)/Host |
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Way Out | Jeremy Keeler | Episode: "The Croaker" |
| Great Ghost Tales | Conradin | Episode: "Srendhi Vashtar" | |
| The Defenders | Johnny Remington | Episode: "The Boy Between" | |
| From These Roots | Richard | Unknown episodes | |
| The Edge of Night | Ben Schultz, Jr. | ||
| 1961–1962 | 1, 2, 3 Go! | Himself | 5 episodes |
| 1964 | A Flame in the Wind | Chris Austin | Episode: "#1.1" |
| 1965 | Seaway | Martin Anderson | Episode: "Last Voyage" |
| 1966–1967 | As the World Turns | Thomas Christopher Hughes #4 | Unknown episodes |
| 1969–1970 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Dennis Alan Graham | 2 episodes |
| 1970 | Medical Center | Toby Tavormina | Episode: "Runaway" |
| Bracken's World | Alan | Episode: "Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon" | |
| Bonanza | Billy | Episode: "The Weary Willies" | |
| 1971 | The F.B.I. | John "Chill" Chilton | Episode: "The Game of Terror" |
| 1972 | Night Gallery | Ian Evans | Episode: "The Sins of the Fathers" |
| 1972–1977 | The Waltons | John-Boy Walton | 124 episodes |
| 1973 | Match Game 73 | Himself | 5 episodes |
| 1979 | Roots: The Next Generations | Jim Warner | 3 episodes |
| 1989 | The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible | Mark | Episode: "The Easter Story" |
| 1990 | Tales from the Crypt | Dr. Trask | Episode: "Mute Witness to Murder" |
| It | Bill Denbrough | 2 episodes | |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits | Dr. Stephen Ledbetter | Episode: "The New Breed" |
| The Invaders | Jerry Thayer | 2 episodes | |
| 1996 | Dave's World | Himself | Episode: "L.A. Times" |
| 1997–1998 | Promised Land | Joe Greene | 4 episodes |
| Touched by an Angel | 2 episodes | ||
| 1997 | Riding the Rails | Narrator | TV documentary |
| 1998 | The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson | David Robinson | 30 episodes |
| 1999 | The Practice | Walter Arens | Episode: "Committed" |
| 1999–2001 | It's a Miracle | Host | 24 episodes |
| 2001 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Daniel Varney | Episode: "Scourge" |
| 2002–2003 | Just Cause | Hamilton Whitney III | 22 episodes |
| 2006 | Nightmares & Dreamscapes | Howard Cottrell | Episode: "Autopsy Room Four" |
| 2009 | Law & Order | Roger Jenkins | Episode: "Dignity" |
| 2011 | Rizzoli & Isles | Professor Dwayne Cravitz | Episode: "Rebel Without a Pause" |
| 2013–2016 | The Americans | Frank Gaad | 41 episodes |
| 2013 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Nat Randolph | Episode: "Brief Interlude" |
| White Collar | William Wolcott | Episode: "Master Plan" | |
| 2014 | The Good Wife | Ed Pratt | Episode: "Dear God" |
| 2016 | Chicago P. D. | Adam Ames | Episode: "A Night Owl" |
| Elementary | Mitch Barrett | Episode: "Henny Penny the Sky is Falling" | |
| Conviction | Earl Slavitt | Episode: "A Different Kind of Death" | |
| 2017, 2019 | Billions | Sanford Bensinger | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Blue Bloods | Congressman Richard Walters | Episode: "Ghosts of the Past" |
| 2019 | The Blacklist | David Foy | Episode: "The Third Estate" |
| 2019–2020 | NCIS: New Orleans | Deputy Director Van Cleef | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | The Comey Rule | Chuck Rosenberg | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Tell Me Your Secrets | Bodie Lord | 5 episodes |
| 2022 | Ozark | Nathan Davis | 9 episodes |
Producer
- What Love Sees (1996) (co-producer)
- Summer of Fear (1996) (co-executive producer)
- For All Time (2000) (co-executive producer)
- Camping with Camus (2000) (producer)
Director
- The Waltons (5 episodes)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | The Waltons | Won |
| 1974 | Nominated | |||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor – Television Series Drama[50] | Nominated | ||
| 1975 | Nominated | |||
| 1990 | CableACE Awards | Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries | Glory! Glory! | Nominated |
| 1995 | Linda | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play[51] | Incident at Vichy | Nominated |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Featured Actor in a Play[40] | The Little Foxes | Nominated |
References
- ^ "Richard Thomas". Emmy Awards. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ "Richard Thomas". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Richard Thomas talks about his life as a 'theater brat,' from John-Boy to 'The Humans' in Dallas". Dallas News. May 4, 2018.
- ^ . Closer Weekly. 10 April 2014. Archived from the original on December 12, 2016.
- ^ "Exclusive! Richard Thomas Reveals Little-Known Facts about Himself". Retrieved 2020-05-24.
- ^ Myers, Marc (2019-07-09). "Actor Richard Thomas Got an Early Start on Broadway". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
- ^ "Notes on People". The New York Times. 1975-02-14. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
- ^ " 'A Doll's House' 1959" tcm.com, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Winning Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Canby, Vincent. "Screen: 'Last Summer':Cinema I Film Brings Trio of Newcomers" The New York Times, June 11, 1969
- ^ Richard Thomas at the American Film Institute Catalog
- ^ The Homecoming Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion tcm.com, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". Television Academy.
- ^ You’ll Like My Mother Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ The Red Badge of Courage Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ All Quiet on the Western Front Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Roots: The Next Generations Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Living Proof: The Hank Williams, Jr., Story Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Hobson’s Choice tcm.com, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ The Master of Ballantrae Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Final Jeopardy Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Stephen King’s It Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Fifth of July Playbill, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Battle Beyond the Stars Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017
- ^ Louise Sweeney (1987). "On stage: reliving historic turning points. Howard Fast's 'Citizen Tom Paine'." The Christian Science Monitor. March 12, 1987)
- ^ "1988–1997".
- ^ Brantley, Ben. "Review/Theater: Richard II; Richard Thomas Puts His Stamp On Giving Up a Throne Vigorously" The New York Times, September 22, 1993
- ^ McCarthy, John P. "Cbs Sunday Movie 'the Christmas Box' " Variety, December 13, 1995
- ^ Winer, Laurie. "Theater; An Actor's Long Road from Sitcoms to Elsinore" The New York Times, September 27, 1987
- ^ Paddock, Terri. "Hirsch, Thomas and Morton Return for 19th UK 'Art' Cast, July 31" Playbill, July 18, 2001
- ^ Simonson, Robert. "Lynn Collins and Brian Bedford Offer the Bard's 'As You Like It' in Central Park, June 25" Playbill, June 25, 2005
- ^ Simonson, Robert. "Broadway's 'Democracy' to Close on April 17" Playbill, April 1, 2005
- ^ Hernandez, Ernio. "Rossellini and Thomas Fall Under McNally's 'Stendhal Syndrome', Opens Feb. 16" Playbill, February 16, 2004
- ^ " 'It’s a Miracle' Cast" TV Guide, retrieved October 26, 2017
- ^ Higgins, Beau. "Richard Thomas-George Wendt in 'Twelve Angry Men'" broadwayworld.com, May 5, 2007
- ^ Brantley, Ben. "In Mametland, a Skirmish in Black and White" The New York Times, December 6, 2009
- ^ Soloski, Alexis. " 'Timon of Athens' Kicks Off Public Lab Shakespeare" The Village Voice, March 2, 2011
- ^ Tucker, Ken (January 30, 2013). "he Americans premier review: Are you rooting for these Russians?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ^ a b "Tony Awards 2017: Complete Winners List" Variety, June 11, 2017
- ^ "A Musical Christmas Carol". Pittsburgh CLO. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
- ^ "The Waltons - Articles, People Weekly 1982". www.allaboutthewaltons.com. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
- ^ a b c "Mountains of Love" People, December 5, 1994
- ^ Pilato, Herbie J. (July 20, 2016). Dashing, Daring, and Debonair: TV's Top Male Icons from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781630760533 – via Google Books.
- ^ "John-Boy's Wedding Will Imitate Actor's Life | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
- ^ David, Mark (2017-09-15). "Richard Thomas Lists Co-op in Historic Alwyn Court in Midtown Manhattan". Variety. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
- ^ a b "Richard Thomas films" Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 26, 2017
- ^ a b "Richard Thomas films" allmovie.com, retrieved October 26, 2017
- ^ "Richard Thomas TV" TV Guide, retrieved October 26, 2017
- ^ "Richard Thomas Golden Globes" goldenglobes.com, retrieved October 26, 2017
- ^ Cox, Gordon. "Drama Desk Nominations: ‘She Loves Me,’ ‘American Psycho’ Earn Most Nods (FULL LIST)" Variety, April 28, 2016
External links
- Richard Thomas at IMDb
- Richard Thomas at the Internet Broadway Database
- Richard Thomas at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Richard Thomas at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television
- Image of Robert L. Jacks, Michael Learned, Richard Thomas and Lee Rich with their Emmys for "The Waltons," Los Angeles, California, 1973. Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.