'The Waltons' Star Ralph Waite Was Paid $10,000 a Week for Playing John Walton on the Show (2024)

Ralph Waite came to acting late, but that didn’t stand in the way of his success. Before he rose to fame playing Walton family patriarch on The Waltons, he served in the Marines, enrolled in divinity school at Yale University, and was a social worker and minister. But in his early 30s, he decided to pursue acting. In addition to The Waltons, he gave an Emmy-nominated performance in Roots, and later appeared on Days of Our Lives, Carnivale, and NCIS.

Ralph Waite said his $10,000 per week salary for ‘The Waltons’ was ‘obscene’

'The Waltons' Star Ralph Waite Was Paid $10,000 a Week for Playing John Walton on the Show (1)

RELATED: ‘The Waltons’: Olivia and John’s Love Story Wasn’t Just On-Screen

After deciding to pursue acting, Waite landed roles in movies such as Cool Hand Luke and Five Easy Pieces. But it was playing the stern-but-loving father John Walton that made him instantly recognizable to millions of Americans.

The Waltons premiered in 1972 and ran for nine seasons. The show followed the adventures of a large family living in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II years. Michael Learned played John Walton’s wife Olivia, while Richard Thomas played their oldest son John-Boy Walton. Other cast members include Judy Norton Taylor, Mary Elizabeth McDonough, Ellen Corby, and Will Geer.

The Waltons quickly became one of the most popular shows of the decade, and Waite earned an impressive salary to match. By 1977, the actor was bringing in $10,000 per week, according to People — equivalent to about $44,000 today. Waite told the publication he thought the amount he earned was “obscene.” He explained that he’d put up $100,000 of his own money to open a theater in a run-down area of Los Angeles where people could come and see performances for free.

Ralph Waite’s net worth was $2 million

'The Waltons' Star Ralph Waite Was Paid $10,000 a Week for Playing John Walton on the Show (2)

The Waltons was canceled in 1981, though Waite returned to play John Walton in six reunion movies between 1982 and 1987. He also continued to act in many other films and TV shows, including Bones, Murder, She Wrote, Cold Case, The Bodyguard, and Sunshine State. Plus, he embarked on a career in politics, running for Congress twice, though he did not win a seat.

Waite died in February 2014 at age 85. His net worth at the time of his death was an estimated $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Ralph Waite always felt connected to ‘The Waltons’ family

'The Waltons' Star Ralph Waite Was Paid $10,000 a Week for Playing John Walton on the Show (3)

Even decades after The Waltons went off the air, Waite and the rest of the case shared a special connection and continued to keep in touch and occasionally meet up with each other.

Kami Cotler, who played Elizabeth Walton, told Fox News in 2019 that her on-screen father recognized “that the bonds we created in this fictional family were family-like connections. And that we were basically part of each other’s lives whether we wanted it or not. And I think just acknowledging how unique our experience was and how enduring it was for each other.”

'The Waltons' Star Ralph Waite Was Paid $10,000 a Week for Playing John Walton on the Show (2024)

FAQs

How much money did John-Boy make on The Waltons? ›

'The Waltons' Star Ralph Waite Was Paid $10,000 a Week for Playing John Walton on the Show.

How much did the Walton kids make? ›

Walton's three surviving children, Alice, Jim and Rob, daughter-in-law Christy and Christy's son, Lukas, own just under half the retailer, giving them a combined net worth of about $212 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Did Grandma Walton died on the show? ›

Who has passed away from The Waltons show? ›

Ellen Corby (Grandma) 1999 age 87 natural causes in Woodland Hills, CA. Dorothy Stickney (Miss Emily) 1998 age 101 at her home in NYC. Cleavon Little (Hawthorne Dooley) 1992 age 53 of colon cancer in Sherman Oaks, CA. Woodrow Parfrey (Ike Godsey) 1984 at age 61 of a heart attack in LA.

Do The Waltons still run Walmart? ›

The Walton family is still the major shareholder of Walmart Inc. The children of Walmart founder Sam Walton own about half of all Walmart shares, according to official company documents.

Why did Ralph Waite leave The Waltons in Season 9? ›

Ralph Waite was fired from his role due to budgetary issues. The show had become more expensive as Waite aged, and at the same time the ratings started to decline.

Who is the richest Walmart heir? ›

In September 2016, she owned over US$11 billion in Walmart shares. As of October 2022, Walton has a net worth of $59 billion, making her the 19th-richest person, and the second richest woman in the world according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Newport, Arkansas, U.S.

How much does Walmart family make an hour? ›

A new Walmart worker makes $11 an hour. The Walton family, who owns Walmart, makes $4,000,000 an hour. Please do not tell me they cannot afford to pay their workers a living wage of AT LEAST $15 an hour. Kevin Rea and 13,001 others like this.

Is there a real Walton's Mountain in Virginia? ›

The series was based upon the book "Spencer's Mountain" by Earl Hamner Jr., who also narrated each show. While the television series took place on a fictional "Walton's Mountain," in Virginia, and the book on "Spencer's Mountain" in Wyoming, both are actually based on Hamner's hometown of Schuyler, VA.

Did any of The Waltons date each other? ›

The love stories carried over behind the scenes. Ma and Pa Walton — Ralph Waite and Michael Learned — quietly fell on love on set. And remember Jason and Toni, who we just mentioned in the prior paragraph? Well, actors Jon Walmsley and Lisa Harrison tied the knot in real life in 1979!

Is Waltons Based on a true story? ›

All of the Waltons were based on real people — Hamner's family, his grandfather and grandmother, his father and mother, and his brothers and sisters, of whom there were seven in the show but eight in real life.

Did the grandma on The Waltons have a stroke in real life? ›

Ellen Corby died in 1999, but she is remembered as Grandma Walton on the hit television show, The Waltons. Her work on the show earned her three Emmy awards. Yet her career almost ended in 1976 after a stroke that left her with aphasia.

Is Daddy Walton still alive? ›

Ralph Waite (June 22, 1928 – February 13, 2014) was an American actor, best known for his lead role as John Walton Sr. on The Waltons (1972–1981), which he occasionally directed.
...
Ralph Waite
DiedFebruary 13, 2014 (aged 85) Palm Desert, California, U.S.
Resting placeWhite Plains Rural Cemetery
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Is The Waltons house still standing? ›

The show aired from 1971-1981 and won an Emmy in 1974. The original house that served as the backdrop to Hamner's childhood was built in the early 20th century in the village of Schuyler in Nelson County, where it still stands today.

Are any of the real Walton family still alive? ›

The three most prominent living members (Jim, Rob, and Alice Walton) have consistently been in the top twenty of the Forbes 400 list since 2001, as were John ( d. 2005) and Helen (d. 2007) prior to their deaths. Christy Walton took her husband John's place in the ranking after his death.

How old was Sam Walton when he died? ›

Does Rob Walton own Walmart? ›

He and other heirs of Sam Walton collectively own about half of Walmart's stock. In June 2022, a group led by Walton agreed to buy the NFL's Denver Broncos for $4.7 billion--a record for a sports franchise.

Where is the house that the Waltons was filmed in located? ›

The location of the Walton's house, barn and mill was filmed on the backlot at The Burbank studios. Visible from certain angles Walton's Mountain could be see through the trees. Drucilla's pond was part of the Jungle set.

Why did The Waltons get Cancelled? ›

The announcement shocked fans, but the network's decision came after The Waltons had spent years on a gradual descent from the top of the TV ratings. The show had dipped from No. 2 in its second season, down to the nation's No. 42 show by its ninth.

Why did Olivia go away on The Waltons? ›

Her character's abrupt disappearance was explained by Olivia developing tuberculosis and entering a sanatorium in Arizona. She made occasional guest appearances until the show's cancelation and later appeared in four of the six Waltons reunion movies made during the 1980s and 1990s.

Why couldnt Olivia walk on The Waltons? ›

When Olivia is stricken with polio, John-Boy refuses to accept the doctor's prognosis that she may never walk again.

Who is richer than the Waltons? ›

The Walton family with $224.5 billion. The Mars family with $160 billion. The Koch family with $128.8 billion. The Al Saud family with $105 billion.

How much does the Walmart family make per day? ›

They're just like any other working Americans running a family business, except for the part where they earn US$100 million every single day. Sam Walton founded Walmart, a multinational retail corporation, in 1962 and his heirs have since helped transform it into a multi-billion revenue-churning machine.

Who owns the largest share of Walmart? ›

9 10 This relatively small share, however, can be explained by the fact that the Walton family, in some way or another, holds the majority of the company's total shares outstanding, at about 50.1%.

How much does Walmart Greeters get paid? ›

The estimated total pay for a Greeter at Walmart is $18 per hour. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated base pay is $14 per hour.

What is the lowest paying job at Walmart? ›

The lowest-paid workers at Walmart make less than $19,000 a year, while the highest-paid workers earn over $50,000. At Walmart, employees working in engineering jobs and healthcare jobs tend to earn the highest salaries.

What is the highest paying job at Walmart? ›

The highest-paid job at Walmart is a software engineer.

These professionals earn an average salary of $123,821, which works out to about $ 59.53 per hour. The top 10 highest-paid jobs at Walmart are: Software Engineer – $123,821.

Who owns Waltons Mountain now? ›

The new owners, Carole Johnson of Ukiah, California, Ray Castro of New Jersey, and Kirstin DeMaio of Michigan, plan to open it up for tours. The Waltons Hamner House opens Friday and tickets will be available at the Walton Mountain Museum across the street.

How many bedrooms did The Waltons House have? ›

The inn features five bedrooms and five bathrooms. There is the grandparents' room, the parents' room, the writer's room (meaning John Boy's), the boys' room and the girls' room.

What town is Walton's Mountain in? ›

Walton's Mountain Country Store is located in the town of Schuyler, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, and originally was known as Walker's Store.

Did John-Boy Walton ever get married? ›

He then finds a career in television where he serves as a news anchor. He meets Janet Gilchrist who is an editor for Harper's magazine. The two are married on Walton's Mountain.

Did Elizabeth and drew ever get married on The Waltons? ›

Although Becker appeared in eight episodes of The Waltons and came back for the reunion movies, Drew and Elizabeth never tied the knot on the series.

Did Mary Ellen get divorced on The Waltons? ›

Then Curt was killed at Pearl Harbor in the 1978 season, and Mary Ellen found new love with Arlington Wescott "Jonesy" Jones (Richard Gililand) while taking premed courses. The romance was threatened when Curt was discovered not to have died after all, but the two decided their marriage had ended and divorced.

Did The Waltons have a bathroom? ›

“We've also had to make some modern conveniences — the Waltons only had one bathroom,” Johnson said, noting each room in the bed-and-breakfast will have a bathroom. In the Depression-era, wood was the exterior of the Hamner house and the home depicted on “The Waltons.”

Did any of The Waltons go to war? ›

During the series' last few years, Mary Ellen and Ben start their own families; Erin, Jason and John-Boy are married in later television movie sequels. Younger children Jim-Bob and Elizabeth struggle to find and cement true love. World War II deeply affects the family. All four Walton boys enlist in the military.

Is there really a Boatwright University? ›

Earl Hamner Jr., creator of the hit CBS-TV series The Waltons, attended Richmond College during Boatwright's tenure, and named the fictional Boatwright University where the character of John-Boy Walton attended college after him.

How did Elizabeth get paralyzed on The Waltons? ›

Elizabeth breaks both legs in a fall from a log pile. When she comes home from the hospital, the family must adjust to her injuries and devise ways to help her walk again, something the Doctors aren't sure she'll be able to do.

Did Olivia have a miscarriage on The Waltons? ›

Later while the family relaxes in the living room Olivia senses that something is wrong. She loses the baby and John explains to the children that maybe that is nature's way of saying that maybe the conditions weren't right for a healthy baby and that the birth wasn't meant to be.

Did The Waltons have slaves? ›

Walton's management of the family finances, including running Stawberry Hill, after her husband's death around 1855. There are, however, few items relating directly to plantation management or to the more than 100 slaves the Walton's owned.

Did Ralph Waite and Michael Learned get along? ›

In 2019, it was reported that Learned and Waite "were in love" off-screen. However, the pair did not pursue a romance. "I loved him very much," she explained. "And we loved each other as much as anybody could love anybody.

How did The Waltons show end? ›

The final episode, titled “The Revel,” aired on June 4, 1981. In the episode, John-Boy goes to New York to pursue his writing career but arrives to find that his manuscript has been rejected. His publisher's secretary gives him enough money to return home and advises him to start a new book. He returned home dejected.

Can you go visit the Waltons house? ›

The Waltons Hamner House is open seven days a week and guided tours begin every half hour from 10am until 4pm.

Where do the Waltons keep their money? ›

Most of the money for Walton's museum — more than $1 billion, including endowments — came from the Walton Family Foundation, the family's main charitable arm. The foundation, in turn, is funded mostly by a series of 21 trusts. Sam Walton's widow, Helen, set up four of the trusts in 2003.

Where is Ike Godsey store? ›

Ike Godsey's General Store - 6597 Rockfish River Rd - Schuyler, VA - GasBuddy.com.

Is Waltons Mountain a real place? ›

While the television series took place on a fictional "Walton's Mountain," in Virginia, and the book on "Spencer's Mountain" in Wyoming, both are actually based on Hamner's hometown of Schuyler, VA. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that the Walton's Mountain Museum is located right here in Schuyler, VA.

Where are The Waltons cars now? ›

The original truck is housed in the Walmart Heritage Museum in Bentonville. The museum's director, Alan Dranow, called Walton's truck a “symbol of humility” and frugality. “It's not just a pickup. It's not just a truck.

How much money does John-Boy and Billy make? ›

The hosts make at least $500,000 annually -- and that's before T-shirts, endorsem*nts, advertising work and album sales.

Who is the richest Walton? ›

The company's founder, Sam Walton, was well-known for having built their massive fortune – but he's not the only member of the clan worth knowing about. Chicago-based billionaire Lukas Walton, 36, is one of Sam's grandchildren – and one of the richest millennials in the world.

How did The Waltons get rich? ›

2020 America's Richest Families Net Worth

The Waltons are the richest family in America thanks to their stake in Walmart, the world's largest retailer by sales. About half of Walmart's stock is held by seven heirs of founders Sam Walton (d. 1992) and his brother James "Bud" (d. 1995).

How wealthy is the Walton family? ›

Which 10 Families Are the Wealthiest? The top 10 richest families in 2022 by estimated wealth are: The Walton family with $224.5 billion.

What is Billy's net worth? ›

Billy Perry, popularly known as Billy VSCO, is a 49-year-old, American TikTok star and a multitalented personality who has won the Guinness world record twice.
...
Billy Vsco Net Worth.
Real NameBilly Perry
DOB (Age)June 21, 1937 (49 years)
Net WorthAround $500K
Instagram Followers493K Followers
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Did any of the actors on The Waltons date each other? ›

The love stories carried over behind the scenes. Ma and Pa Walton — Ralph Waite and Michael Learned — quietly fell on love on set. And remember Jason and Toni, who we just mentioned in the prior paragraph? Well, actors Jon Walmsley and Lisa Harrison tied the knot in real life in 1979!

How old is John Boy on the John Boy and Billy show? ›

Also known as: “The Big Show.” Co-hosts: John “John Boy” Isley, 61, and Billy James, 58.

Was The Waltons filmed in a real house? ›

The Walton's made use of many period appropriate buildings, sets and locations. Being a domestic, family based drama much of the action was staged in and around the Walton family home. While the interiors were filmed on Stage 26 of the former Burbank studios, the house exterior was filmed on the jungle set.

Where do The Waltons keep their money? ›

Most of the money for Walton's museum — more than $1 billion, including endowments — came from the Walton Family Foundation, the family's main charitable arm. The foundation, in turn, is funded mostly by a series of 21 trusts. Sam Walton's widow, Helen, set up four of the trusts in 2003.

How many bedrooms did The Waltons house have? ›

The inn features five bedrooms and five bathrooms. There is the grandparents' room, the parents' room, the writer's room (meaning John Boy's), the boys' room and the girls' room.

Who are the 5 wealthiest families in the world? ›

  • ↓ Name Walton. Company Walmart. Wealth $224.5bn. ...
  • ↑ Name Mars. Company Mars. Wealth $160bn. ...
  • ↑ Name Koch. Company Koch Industries. Wealth $128.8bn. ...
  • ↑ Name Al Saud. Company N/A. ...
  • ↓ Name Hermes. Company Hermes. ...
  • ↓ Name Ambani. Company Reliance Industries. ...
  • ↑ Name Wertheimer. Company Chanel. ...
  • ↑ Name Cargill, MacMillan. Company Cargill.
28 Oct 2022

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