Summary

• The Waltons was a beloved '70s drama that earned multiple awards and ran for 9 seasons, with the cast returning for made-for-TV movies.
• Richard Thomas played John-Boy until season 8, then Robert Wightman took over, leading to Emmy wins and Golden Globe nominations.
• Many actors from The Waltons, like Ralph Waite and Michael Learned, went on to have successful TV careers post-series.

The Waltons was a long-running drama series from the '70s with an ensemble that is now much older in the 21st century, and though there have been some deaths in the cast, many actors are still alive and active in the industry. The 1970s were filled with some influential and some forgettable series, and The Waltons falls firmly in the middle of the pack. That is by no means an indictment and the story of the rural Virginian family during the Great Depression and WWII era is a charming and warm tale, even if it's been slightly lost to time.

The Waltons lasted for nine seasons on CBS after premiering in 1972, and after it was canceled, three made-for-TV movies aired on NBC in 1982, with another three coming in 1990. The majority of the cast returned for these made-for-TV movies, but interestingly, a few members of the main cast were changed between the pilot and the rest of the series. The Waltons earned 37 Emmy nominations during its long run, winning 13 times, and was nominated for 15 Golden Globes, winning twice. A number of those winners were the actors, and the cast includes prolific TV and movie stars.

Richard Thomas (John "John-Boy" Walton Jr.)

Richard Thomas Played John-Boy Until Season 8, When Robert Wightman Took Over

Richard Thomas plays John-Boy Walton on The Waltons. John-Boy is the eldest of the seven Walton children and the main character of the series. He's a passionate writer and an avid reader, and his future self narrates the beginning and end of each episode. While Thomas plays John-Boy in seasons 1-5 and the 1990 movies, he was replaced by Robert Wightman for seasons 8 and 9 and the 1982 movies. Thomas won 1 Emmy out of two nominations for his performance and was nominated twice for Golden Globes.

He's best known for his prolific television career, playing Frank Gaad in the main cast of The Americans, Nathan Davis in Ozark, and Sanford Bensinger in Billions. Thomas' film roles include Walter Gaskell in Wonder Boys and Reverend Don Darren Pettie in Taking Woodstock. Robert Wightman had a smaller career than his co-character actor but has memorable performances in American Gigolo as Floyd Wicker and Opposing Force as Botts.

Ralph Waite (John Walton Sr.)

Ralph Waite Played John Sr. And Passed In 2014

Ralph Waite plays John Walton Sr. the patriarch of the Walton clan, affectionately called "Daddy" by all. Fiercely loyal and loving of his family, John's workaholism sometimes makes him a stern figure in the Walton household. Waite sadly passed away in 2014 at the age of 85 and left behind an impressive legacy. His most notable television roles include Ben Walker on The Mississippi, Father Matt on Days of Our Lives, and Hank Booth in a memorable three-episode arc on Bones.

Michael Learned (Olivia Daly Walton)

Michael Learned Played Olivia Daly Walton

Michael Learned plays Olivia Daly Walton on The Waltons, John Sr.'s patient and loving wife, and the confidant of many of the younger characters in the series. Learned's turn as Olivia was widely celebrated, and she was nominated for six Emmys, winning three times, as well as being nominated for four Golden Globe Awards. The accolades did not stop with The Waltons and Learned went on to earn two more Emmy nominations with one win for her starring performance on Nurse as Nurse Mary Benjamin.

Her TV career also includes roles in Scrubs as Mrs. Wilk, The Young and the Restless as Katherine Chancellor, General Hospital as Shirley Smith, and Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story as Catherine Dahmer, among many other roles. Learned's film career is not quite as extensive but she does play Vivian Emery in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and Sheridan Bellamy in Loggerheads.

Jon Walmsley (Jason Walton)

Jon Walmsley Played Jason

Jason, played by Jon Walmsley, is the second child of "Daddy" and Olivia. He is one of the quieter Walton children and a talented musician. Despite their different personalities, Jason and John-Boy are best of friends. Walmsley, like his character, is a talented musician as well as an actor, and he's composed music for notable TV shows, including 7th Heaven and Secret Life of the American Teenager.

His acting credits are primarily The Waltons series and movies, but he famously voiced Christopher Robin in Disney's animated Winnie the Pooh cartoons. Walmsley also has an uncredited appearance as a guitar player in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 2, episode 10, "Dennis and Dee Get a New Dad".

Judy Norton (Mary Ellen Walton-Willard-Jones)

Judy Taylor Played Mary Ellen

Judy Norton appears in The Waltons as Mary Ellen Walton-Willard-Jones. The rebellious third child and oldest daughter of the Waltons is spirited, stubborn, and as tough as anyone in the series. Taylor did not find the same success in her acting career after her time on The Waltons, but she has smaller appearances in shows like The Love Boat as Lydia Foster and Stargate SG-1 as Talia.

She also appeared in many reality TV shows, including Circus of the Stars, Password Plus and Super Password, and Battle of the Network Stars. Taylor's film career only includes roles in Off Season as Mrs. Murchison and Hotel as the unnamed daughter.

Eric Scott (Benjamin "Ben" Walton)

Eric Scott Played Ben

Eric Scott plays Ben on the Waltons, the fourth-born of the family and the third son. Ben is the hard worker of the Waltons and enjoys trying to open businesses, but often ends up the victim of his own get-rich-quick schemes which foil his attempts to be looked at as mature. Scott's career, like many in The Waltons, was mostly confined to the series. However, he did appear in the movie Never Again as Arthur. On TV, he had one-episode appearances in The Fall Guy as Sheldon Brown, Medical Center as Danny, and Bewitched as Herbie.

Mary Elizabeth McDonough (Erin Esther Walton Northridge)

Mary McDonough Played Erin

Erin Esther Walton Northridge is the second daughter and fifth child of the Walton family. Erin is played by Mary Elizabeth McDonough and the character is a classic little sister archetype, much more interested in boys than her older sister and a bit of a brat who enjoys tattling on her older siblings.

McDonough's most notable television role after The Waltons was as Mrs. Wilhoite, a recurring character on The New Adventures of Old Christine, but she also had plenty of smaller roles in shows like Boston Legal as Janice Warner, Walker, Texas Ranger as Jill Allen, and ER as Jean Twomey. Her film career was not quite as extensive, but she does appear in the sports drama Amateur as a math teacher and the Hallmark Christmas movie, Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane as Caroline Reynolds.

David W. Harper (James Robert "Jim-Bob" Walton)

David Harper Played Jim-Bob

Jim-Bob is the youngest son in the Walton family and sixth-born. Played by David Harper, Jim-Bob is a natural mechanic and initially wants to become a pilot before vision problems lead him to open up a general store where he fixes cars and other things. Harper had very few roles outside The Waltons but he did have a small role in Fletch as an unnamed teenager and in the Civil War-themed TV miniseries The Blue and Gray as James Hale.

Kami Cotler (Elizabeth Tyler Walton Cutler)

Kami Cotler Played Elizabeth

Elizabeth is the baby of the Walton family and the youngest child. Elizabeth is a mix of all her older siblings, sometimes outspoken and shy and other times rebellious and proud. She loves reading and has a knack for business. Kami Cotler plays the last Walton sibling and the actor has only one other significant credit in her career. Before her time on The Waltons, Cotler starred in the short-lived series Me and the Chimp as the youngest daughter of the Reynolds family, Kitty.

The Walton's Supporting Cast & Characters

Will Greer (Passed in 1978) as Zebulon Tyler Walton: Will Greer plays Zebulon Walton, the Walton family elder, and John Sr.'s father. Called "Zeb", "Old Man", "Pa", or "Grand Pa", Zebulon is a mischievous and wise character. Greer had a long career in TV and movies, appearing in small roles in such shows as Gunsmoke as Slocum, The Young Rebels as Mayor Larkin, and Starsky and Hutch as Commodore Atwater. Before he passed, Greer was also a staple of 60s and 70s movies, like Jeremiah Johnson as Bear Claw and In Cold Blood as the Prosecutor.

Ellen Corby (Passed in 1999) as Esther Walton: Ester Walton is Zeb's wife and John Sr.'s mother. Esther is as fiery and quick as Zeb is easygoing. Ellen Corby, who passed in 1999, was nominated six times at the Emmys for her role, winning three times. She also earned four Golden Globes nominations with one win for her performance. Corby won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actress category for her performance in I Remember Mama as Aunt Trina. She also played the manager at the McKittrick Hotel in Vertigo.

Joe Conley (Passed in 2013) as Ike Godsey: Joe Conley, who passed away in 2013, played Ike Godsey, an easy-going general store proprietor and friend of the Waltons who lets people buy things from his store on credit far too often. Conley is best known for his movie roles, including playing Joe Wally in Cast Away and Jenkins in 80 Steps to Jonah. On television, Conley plays Nelson in Dennis the Menace, Alvin Sloane in Bracken's World, and multiple characters on Mister Ed​​​​​.

Earl Hamner Jr. (Passed in 2016) as The Narrator: The Narrator, voiced by Earl Hamner Jr., the show's creator, appears in every episode of The Waltons to lead in and out of the episode. He is supposed to be the future version of John-Boy, recalling events of his past. The late Hamner Jr. was a novelist and a showrunner. He also created Falcon Crest.

Ronnie Claire Edwards (Passed in 2016) as Corabeth Walton Godsey: Ronnie Edwards played Corabeth Godsey in The Waltons. Edwards appeared in the films Perfect as Melody, Nobody's Fool as Bingo, and The Dead Pool as Molly Fisher. Her TV credits include Talur on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the main role of Helen Newcomb on Sara.

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