Richard Thomas ( Actor ) - wikipedia Richard Thomas ( Actor ) For other people with the same name, see Richard Thomas ( disambiguation ). This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. ( March 2013 ) Richard Thomas Thomas at the Peabody Awards, May 2015 Richard Earl Thomas ( 1951 - 06 - 13 ) June 13, 1951 ( age 67 ) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. Occupation Actor Years active 1958 -- present Spouse ( s ) Alma Gonzales ( m. 1975 ; div. 1993 ) Georgiana Bischoff ( m. 1994 ) Children 5 Parent ( s ) Richard S. Thomas 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 The Waltons, for which he won one Emmy Award and received nominations for another Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. He also played Special Agent Frank Gaad on FX 's crime drama series The Americans ( 2013 -- 2016 ), appeared in Stephen King 's mini series IT ( 1990 ), and had a supporting role in the comedy - drama film Wonder Boys ( 2000 ). Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Later career 3 Personal life 4 Filmography 4.1 Film 4.2 Television films 4.3 Television series 4.4 Producer 4.5 Director 5 Awards and nominations 6 References 7 External links Early life Thomas was born in Manhattan, the son of Barbara ( née Fallis ) and Richard S. Thomas, in 1951. His parents were dancers with the New York City Ballet and owned the New York School of Ballet. He attended The Allen Stevenson School and the McBurney School in Manhattan. Thomas was seven when he made his Broadway debut in Sunrise at Campobello ( 1958 ) playing John Roosevelt, son of future U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Career Thomas soon began his television career. In 1959, he appeared in the Hallmark Hall of Fame NBC TV presentation of Ibsen 's A Doll 's House with Julie Harris, Christopher Plummer and Hume Cronyn. 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. Thomas received his first major film roles, appearing in Winning ( 1969 ) with Paul Newman, about auto racing, and Last Summer ( also 1969 ) with Bruce Davison and Barbara Hershey, a summer coming - of - age movie. He starred in the Universal Pictures / Hal Wallis Production Red Sky at Morning ( 1971 ), which was a financial failure. Thomas on the set of The Waltons, 1973. He became internationally recognized for his portrayal of John `` John - Boy '' Walton, Jr., in the 1970s TV series The Waltons, which was based on the real life story of writer Earl Hamner, Jr. He appeared in the CBS television film The Homecoming : A Christmas Story ( 1971 ), which inspired the commissioning of the largely recast series, and then played the role continuously in 122 episodes until March 17, 1977. Thomas left the series and his role was taken over by Robert Wightman, but Thomas returned to the role in three Waltons TV movies, 1993 -- 97. ( The first was A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion in 1993. ) Thomas won an Emmy for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series in 1973. He enrolled in Columbia College of Columbia University as a member of the class of 1973 but left after his junior year. In 1972, he played against type as murderer and rapist Kenneth Kinsolving in You 'll Like My Mother opposite Patty Duke. He played the lead roles of Private Henry Fleming in the 1974 NBC TV movie The Red Badge of Courage, and Paul Baumer in the 1979 Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie on CBS All Quiet on the Western Front. In other TV movies, he played Col. Warner 's younger son Jim in Roots : The Next Generations ( 1979 ) ( the sequel to the Emmy - winning Roots ) ; the title role in the biopic Living Proof : The Hank Williams, Jr., Story ( 1983 ) ; Will Mossup in the Hobson 's Choice ( CBS, 1983 ) ; Henry Durrie in The Master of Ballantrae ( 1984 ) for Hallmark Hall of Fame ; Martin Campbell in Final Jeopardy ( 1985 ) ; and the adult Bill Denbrough in Stephen King 's It ( 1990 ). Later career 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. In 1980, 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. In 1987, he appeared on stage in Philadelphia and Washington DC in the one - man tour - de-force Citizen Tom Paine. In 1993, he played the title role in a Shakespeare Theater ( Washington, DC ) stage production of Richard II. Thomas starred with Maureen O'Hara and Annette O'Toole in the Hallmark Channel movie The Christmas Box in 1995. O'Toole and Thomas had starred in It together five years earlier. Thomas appeared in a quartet of performances at the Hartford Stage in Connecticut : Hamlet ( 1987 ), Peer Gynt ( 1989 ), Richard III ( 1994 ), and Tiny Alice ( 1996 ). In 1997 and 1998, he appeared on Touched by an Angel. In 2001, he appeared in London 's West End in a theater production of Yasmina Reza 's Art with Judd Hirsch ; on the New York stage in The Public Theater 's production in Central Park of As You Like It ( 2005 ) ; Michael Frayn 's Democracy on Broadway ( 2004 ) and the Primary Stages ' Off - Broadway production of Terrence McNally 's The Stendhal Syndrome ( 2004 ). He has served as national chairman of the Better Hearing Institute, having suffered a hearing loss in his early 30s. He hosted the PAX TV series It 's a Miracle. 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 George Wendt at the Shubert Theater in New Haven, Connecticut, playing the pivotal role of Juror Eight opposite Wendt 's Juror One. Thomas has provided voiceovers in Mercedes - Benz, BB&T and Aleve commercials. In the summer of 2008, Thomas made commercials for the Zaxby 's restaurant chain. In 2009 -- 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. In February and March 2011, he starred at the Off - Broadway New York Public Theater in Timon of Athens. Thomas had a supporting role in the FX Network Cold War drama The Americans, which debuted in January 2013. He played Frank Gaad, an FBI counterintelligence supervisor helping to investigate KGB sleeper agents in early 1980s America. 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. His book of poetry, Glass ( 1981 ), was published in a letterpress limited edition by Kenward Elmslie 's Z Press. Personal life Thomas married Alma Gonzales on February 14, 1975. They had one son born in 1976 and triplet daughters born in 1981. The couple divorced in 1993. Thomas married Georgiana Bischoff on November 20, 1994, and they had one son born in 1996. Bischoff has two daughters from previous marriages. Filmography Film Sources : TCM ; AllMovie Year = 1979 Title = `` all quiet on the western front '' Role = `` paul '' Notes 1969 Winning Charley 1969 Last Summer Peter 1971 Red Sky at Morning Joshua Arnold 1971 The Todd Killings Billy Roy 1971 Cactus in the Snow Harley MacIntosh aka You Ca n't Have Everything 1972 You 'll Like My Mother Kenny 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 2000 Wonder Boys Walter Gaskell 2000 Bloodhounds Inc. Robert Hunter Video 2009 Taking Woodstock Reverend Don Darren Pettie 2015 Anesthesia Mr. Werth Television films Sources : TCM ; AllMovie ; TV Guide Year Title Role Notes 1959 A Doll 's House Ivor 1971 The Homecoming : A Christmas Story John - Boy Walton 1973 The Thanksgiving Story N / A The Red Badge of Courage Pvt. Henry Fleming The Silence Cadet James Pelosi 1978 Getting Married Michael Carboni 1979 No Other Love Andrew Madison 1979 All Quiet on the Western Front Paul Baumer 1980 To Find My Son David Benjamin 1981 Berlin Tunnel 21 Lieutenant Sandy Mueller 1981 Barefoot in the Park Paul Bratter 1982 Pavarotti & Friends Himself 1982 Johnny Belinda William Richmond 1982 Fifth of July Kenneth Talley Jr. 1982 Christmas at Kennedy Center with Leontyne Price Himself 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 Go Toward the Light Greg Madison 1989 Glory ! Glory ! Rev. Bobby Joe 1990 Andre 's Mother Cal Porter - Andre 's Lover 1990 Common Ground Colin Diver 1991 Mission of the Shark Lieutenant Steven Scott 1991 Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus James O'Hanlan 1992 Crash Landing : The Rescue of Flight 232 Gary Brown aka A Thousand Heroes 1992 Lincoln John Hay Voice role 1993 I Can Make You Love Me Richard Farley aka Stalking Laura 1993 Precious Victims Don Weber 1993 Linda Paul Cowley 1993 A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion John - Boy Walton To Save the Children David Young 1995 Death in Small Doses Richard Lyon 1995 A Walton Wedding John - Boy Walton 1995 Down, Out & Dangerous Tim Willows 1995 The Christmas Box Richard Evans West Virginia : A Film History Narrator Voice role What Love Sees Gordon Holly Timepiece Richard Evans 1997 A Walton Easter John - Boy Walton 1997 A Thousand Men and a Baby Dr. Hugh ' Bud ' Keenan aka Narrow Escape 1997 Flood : A River 's Rampage Herb Dellenbach 1998 Big and Hairy Victor Dewlap 2000 In the Name of the People Jack Murphy 2000 The Christmas Secret Jerry McNeil 2001 The Miracle of the Cards Dr. Neal Kassell 2002 Beyond the Prairie, Part 2 Charles Ingalls 2002 Anna 's Dream Rod Morgan 2005 Annie 's Point Richard Eason 2006 Wild Hearts Bob 2011 Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Dick Television series Year Title Role Notes 1961 Way Out Jeremy Keeler Episode : `` The Croaker '' 1961 Great Ghost Tales Conradin Episode : `` Srendhi Vashtar '' 1961 The Defenders Johnny Remington Episode : `` The Boy Between '' 1961 -- 62 1, 2, 3 Go ! Himself 5 episodes 1961 From These Roots Richard Unknown episodes 1961 The Edge of Night Ben Schultz, Jr. Unknown episodes 1964 A Flame in the Wind Chris Austin Episode : `` # 1.1 '' 1965 Seaway Martin Anderson Episode : `` Last Voyage '' 1966 -- 67 As the World Turns Thomas Christopher Hughes # 4 Unknown episodes 1969 -- 70 Marcus Welby, M.D. Dennis Alan Graham 2 episodes 1970 Medical Center Toby Tavormina Episode : `` Runaway '' 1970 Bracken 's World Alan Episode : `` Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon '' 1970 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 -- 77 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 `` The Easter Story '' 1990 Tales from the Crypt Dr. Trask Episode : `` Mute Witness to Murder '' 1990 It Bill Denbrough 2 episodes 1995 The Outer Limits Dr. Stephen Ledbetter Episode : `` The New Breed '' 1995 The Invaders Jerry Thayer 2 episodes Dave 's World Himself Episode : `` L.A. Times '' 1997 -- 98 Promised Land Joe Greene 4 episodes 1997 -- 98 Touched by an Angel Joe Greene 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 '' 2001 Law & Order : Special Victims Unit Daniel Varney Episode : `` Scourge '' 2002 -- 03 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 -- 16 The Americans Frank Gaad 41 episodes 2013 Law & Order : Special Victims Unit Nat Randolph Episode : `` Brief Interlude '' 2013 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 '' 2016 Elementary Mitch Barrett Episode : `` Henny Penny the Sky is Falling '' 2016 Conviction Earl Slavitt Episode : `` A Different Kind of Death '' 2017 Billions Sanford Bensinger Episode : `` The Oath '' 2017 Blue Bloods Congressman Richard Walters Episode : `` Ghosts of the Past '' 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 Nominated work Result 1973 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series The Waltons Won Golden Globe Awards Best Actor -- Television Series Drama Nominated Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Nominated Golden Globe Awards Best Actor -- Television Series Drama Nominated 1990 CableACE Awards Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries Glory ! Glory ! Nominated 1995 CableACE Awards Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries Linda Nominated 2016 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Incident at Vichy Nominated 2017 Tony Awards Best Featured Actor in a Play The Little Foxes Nominated References Jump up ^ `` Richard Thomas Biography ( 1951 - ) ''. www.filmreference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2017. Jump up ^ `` ' A Doll 's House ' 1959 '' tcm.com, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Winning Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Canby, Vincent. `` Screen : ' Last Summer ' : Cinema I Film Brings Trio of Newcomers '' The New York Times, June 11, 1969 Jump up ^ Richard Thomas at the American Film Institute Catalog Jump up ^ The Homecoming Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion tcm.com, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ You 'll Like My Mother Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ The Red Badge of Courage Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ All Quiet on the Western Front Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Roots : The Next Generations Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Living Proof : The Hank Williams, Jr., Story Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Hobson 's Choice tcm.com, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ The Master of Ballantrae Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Final Jeopardy Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Stephen King 's It Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Fifth of July Playbill, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Battle Beyond the Stars Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 25, 2017 Jump up ^ Brantley, Ben. `` Review / Theater : Richard II ; Richard Thomas Puts His Stamp On Giving Up a Throne Vigorously '' The New York Times, September 22, 1993 Jump up ^ McCarthy, John P. `` Cbs Sunday Movie ' the Christmas Box ' '' Variety, December 13, 1995 Jump up ^ Winer, Laurie. `` Theater ; An Actor 's Long Road from Sitcoms to Elsinore '' The New York Times, September 27, 1987 Jump up ^ Paddock, Terri. `` Hirsch, Thomas and Morton Return for 19th UK ' Art ' Cast, July 31 '' Playbill, July 18, 2001 Jump up ^ Simonson, Robert. `` Lynn Collins and Brian Bedford Offer the Bard 's ' As You Like It ' in Central Park, June 25 '' Playbill, June 25, 2005 Jump up ^ Simonson, Robert. `` Broadway 's ' Democracy ' to Close on April 17 '' Playbill, April 1, 2005 Jump up ^ Hernandez, Ernio. `` Rossellini and Thomas Fall Under McNally 's ' Stendhal Syndrome ', Opens Feb. 16 '' Playbill, February 16, 2004 Jump up ^ `` Actor Richard Thomas : John Boy Lives With Hearing Loss '' healthyhearing.com, June 23, 2008 Jump up ^ `` ' It 's a Miracle ' Cast '' TV.com, retrieved October 26, 2017 Jump up ^ `` ' It 's a Miracle ' Cast '' TV Guide, retrieved October 26, 2017 Jump up ^ `` ' Just Cause ' Cast '' TV.com, October 26, 2017 Jump up ^ Higgins, Beau. `` Richard Thomas - George Wendt in ' Twelve Angry Men ' '' broadwayworld.com, May 5, 2007 Jump up ^ Brantley, Ben. `` In Mametland, a Skirmish in Black and White '' The New York Times, December 6, 2009 Jump up ^ Soloski, Alexis. `` ' Timon of Athens ' Kicks Off Public Lab Shakespeare '' The Village Voice, March 2, 2011 Jump up ^ Tucker, Ken ( January 30, 2013 ). `` he Americans premier review : Are you rooting for these Russians ? ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 31, 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Tony Awards 2017 : Complete Winners List '' Variety, June 11, 2017 ^ Jump up to : `` Mountains of Love '' People, December 5, 1994 ^ Jump up to : `` Richard Thomas films '' Turner Classic Movies, retrieved October 26, 2017 ^ Jump up to : `` Richard Thomas films '' allmovie.com, retrieved October 26, 2017 Jump up ^ `` Richard Thomas TV '' TV Guide, retrieved October 26, 2017 ^ Jump up to : `` Richard Thomas Golden Globes '' goldenglobes.com, retrieved October 26, 2017 Jump up ^ Cox, Gordon. `` Drama Desk Nominations : ' She Loves Me, ' ' American Psycho ' Earn Most Nods ( FULL LIST ) '' Variety, April 28, 2016 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Richard Thomas ( actor ). Richard Thomas on 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 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Robert Young ( 1956 ) Robert Young ( 1957 ) Raymond Burr ( 1959 ) Robert Stack ( 1960 ) Raymond Burr ( 1961 ) E.G. Marshall ( 1962 ) E.G. Marshall ( 1963 ) Bill Cosby ( 1966 ) Bill Cosby ( 1967 ) Bill Cosby ( 1968 ) Carl Betz ( 1969 ) Robert Young ( 1970 ) Hal Holbrook ( 1971 ) Peter Falk ( 1972 ) Richard Thomas ( 1973 ) Telly Savalas ( 1974 ) Robert Blake ( 1975 ) Peter Falk ( 1976 ) James Garner ( 1977 ) Ed Asner ( 1978 ) Ron Leibman ( 1979 ) Ed Asner ( 1980 ) Daniel J. Travanti ( 1981 ) Daniel J. Travanti ( 1982 ) Ed Flanders ( 1983 ) Tom Selleck ( 1984 ) William Daniels ( 1985 ) William Daniels ( 1986 ) Bruce Willis ( 1987 ) Richard Kiley ( 1988 ) Carroll O'Connor ( 1989 ) Peter Falk ( 1990 ) James Earl Jones ( 1991 ) Christopher Lloyd ( 1992 ) Tom Skerritt ( 1993 ) Dennis Franz ( 1994 ) Mandy Patinkin ( 1995 ) Dennis Franz ( 1996 ) Dennis Franz ( 1997 ) Andre Braugher ( 1998 ) Dennis Franz ( 1999 ) James Gandolfini ( 2000 ) James Gandolfini ( 2001 ) Michael Chiklis ( 2002 ) James Gandolfini ( 2003 ) James Spader ( 2004 ) James Spader ( 2005 ) Kiefer Sutherland ( 2006 ) James Spader ( 2007 ) Bryan Cranston ( 2008 ) Bryan Cranston ( 2009 ) Bryan Cranston ( 2010 ) Kyle Chandler ( 2011 ) Damian Lewis ( 2012 ) Jeff Daniels ( 2013 ) Bryan Cranston ( 2014 ) Jon Hamm ( 2015 ) Rami Malek ( 2016 ) Sterling K. Brown ( 2017 ) BNE : XX1538484 BNF : cb13986991v ( data ) GND : 137444184 ISNI : 0000 0001 1585 3960 LCCN : n81128454 SUDOC : 154942685 VIAF : 1341752 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Thomas_(actor)&oldid=854555329 '' Categories : 1951 births American male child actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Columbia University alumni Living people Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Male actors from New York City 20th - century American male actors 21st - century American male actors McBurney School alumni Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from April 2013 BLP articles lacking sources from March 2013 All BLP articles lacking sources Articles with hCards Articles with IBDb links Articles using Template : The Interviews name Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu تۆرکجه Deutsch Español فارسی Français 한국어 Italiano עברית Nederlands 日本 語 Plattdüütsch Polski Português Русский Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Türkçe 中文 11 more Edit links This page was last edited on 12 August 2018, at 05 : 53 ( UTC ). 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Question: who played john boy walton on the waltons
Answer: Richard Earl Thomas