who is ralph waite
Ralph Waite. Ralph Waite (June 22, 1928 â February 13, 2014) was an American actor and political activist, best known for his role as John Walton, Sr. on The Waltons (1972-1981), which he occasionally directed. He also had a recurring role in NCIS as Jackson Gibbs, the father of Leroy Jethro Gibbs.