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Richard Earl Thomas 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 starred in Stephen King's miniseries It and played Special Agent Frank Gaad on FX's spy thriller series The Americans.
Birth Name
Richard Earl Thomas
Born
Wednesday, 13 June 1951
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| A Waltons Thanksgiving | Self - Narrator | 2022 |
| The Waltons: Homecoming | Himself - Narrator / Self - Narrator | 2021 |
| The Unforgivable | Michael Malcolm | 2021 |
| Christmas vs. The Walters | Roger | 2021 |
| Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age | Self | 2021 |
| Tell Me Your Secrets | Bodie Lord | 2021 |
| The Comey Rule | Chuck Rosenberg | 2020 |
| Christmas Day in the Morning | Self | 2020 |
| The Price for Silence | Richard Davenport | 2019 |
| Every Act of Life | Himself / Self | 2018 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| A Waltons Thanksgiving | Self - Narrator | 2022 |
| The Waltons: Homecoming | Himself - Narrator / Self - Narrator | 2021 |
| The Unforgivable | Michael Malcolm | 2021 |
| Christmas vs. The Walters | Roger | 2021 |
| Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age | Self | 2021 |
| Tell Me Your Secrets | Bodie Lord | 2021 |
| The Comey Rule | Chuck Rosenberg | 2020 |
| Christmas Day in the Morning | Self | 2020 |
| The Price for Silence | Richard Davenport | 2019 |
| Every Act of Life | Himself / Self | 2018 |
| Pennywise: The Story of It | Himself / Self | 2018 |
| Ozark | Nathan Davis | 2017 |
| The 71st Annual Tony Awards | Self - Nominee | 2017 |
| Conviction | Earl Slavitt | 2016 |
| Incident at Vichy | Von Berg | 2016 |
| Anesthesia | Mr. Werth | 2016 |
| Billions | Sanford Bensinger | 2016 |
| Broadway.com #LiveatFive | Self | 2015 |
| Earl Hamner Storyteller | Self | 2015 |
| NCIS: New Orleans | NCIS Deputy Director Van Cleef | 2014 |
| Chicago P.D. | Adam Ames | 2014 |
| The Blacklist | David Foy | 2013 |
| The Americans | Frank Gaad | 2013 |
| Pershing's Last Patriot | Introduction | 2013 |
| Home & Family | Self | 2012 |
| Elementary | Mitch Barrett | 2012 |
| The Music Teacher | Ray | 2012 |
| Time after Time | Dick Woodstein | 2011 |
| Blue Bloods | Richard Walters | 2010 |
| Rizzoli & Isles | Professor Dwayne Cravitz | 2010 |
| White Collar | William Wolcott | 2009 |
| The Good Wife | Ed Pratt | 2009 |
| Taking Woodstock | Reverend Don / Don | 2009 |
| Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King | Howard Cottrell | 2006 |
| Wild Hearts | Bob / Bob Hart | 2006 |
| The 60th Annual Tony Awards | Self - Presenter | 2006 |
| Sacred Stage: The Mariinsky Theater | Narrator | 2005 |
| Annie's Point | Richard Eason | 2005 |
| The Tony Danza Show | Self - Guest | 2004 |
| TV Land Moguls | Self | 2004 |
| Century City | Dr. Brezak | 2004 |
| Anna's Dream | Rod Morgan | 2002 |
| Beyond the Prairie, Part 2: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder | Charles Ingalls | 2002 |
| A Cook's Tour | Himself | 2002 |
| Just Cause | Hamilton Whitney III | 2001 |
| The Miracle of the Cards | Dr. Neal Kassell | 2001 |
| Attention Scum | 2001 | |
| The Christmas Secret | Jerry McNeil | 2000 |
| Wonder Boys | Walter Gaskell | 2000 |
| The Million Dollar Kid | Ted Hunter | 2000 |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Daniel Varney / Nat Randolph | 1999 |
| After They Were Famous | Himself | 1999 |
| Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder | Charles Ingalls | 1999 |
| BloodHounds, Inc | Robert Hunter | 1999 |
| Big and Hairy | Victor Dewlap | 1998 |
| The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson | David Robinson | 1998 |
| It's a Miracle | Self - Host | 1998 |
| A Thousand Men and a Baby | Dr. Hugh Bud Keenan / Dr. Hugh 'Bud' Keenan | 1997 |
| Flood: A River's Rampage | Herb Dellenbach | 1997 |
| A Walton Easter | John-Boy Walton | 1997 |
| The Practice | Walter 'The Hummer' Arens | 1997 |
| Riding the Rails | Narrator | 1997 |
| Timepiece | Richard Evans | 1996 |
| What Love Sees | Gordon Holly | 1996 |
| Promised Land | Joe Greene | 1996 |
| The Rosie O'Donnell Show | Self - Guest | 1996 |
| The Christmas Box | Richard Evans | 1995 |
| The Invaders | Jerry Thayer | 1995 |
| The Outer Limits | Dr. Stephen Ledbetter | 1995 |
| A Walton Wedding | John-Boy | 1995 |
| Death in Small Doses | Richard Lyon | 1995 |
| Million Dollar Babies | Oliva-Edouard Dionne | 1994 |
| Touched by an Angel | Joe Greene | 1994 |
| To Save the Children | David Young | 1994 |
| A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion | John-Boy Walton | 1993 |
| Linda | Paul Cowley / Paul / Linda's husband | 1993 |
| Precious Victims | Don Weber | 1993 |
| Dave's World | Richard Thomas | 1993 |
| Great Books | Self | 1993 |
| The Wild West | (voice) | 1993 |
| Stalking Laura | Richard Farley | 1993 |
| Lincoln | John Hay (voice) / John Hay | 1992 |
| Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232 | Gary Brown | 1992 |
| Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus | James O'Hanlan | 1991 |
| Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis | Lieutenant Steven Scott | 1991 |
| It | Bill Denbrough | 1990 |
| Law & Order | Roger Jenkins | 1990 |
| Tales from the Crypt | Dr. Trask | 1989 |
| The 43rd Annual Tony Awards | Self - Presenter | 1989 |
| The Easter Story | Mark | 1989 |
| Glory! Glory! | Rev. Bobby Joe | 1989 |
| Go Toward the Light | Greg Madison | 1988 |
| American Experience | Self - Narrator | 1988 |
| Andy Colby's Incredible Adventure | Shad | 1988 |
| Final Jeopardy | Marty Campbell | 1985 |
| The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible | Mark | 1985 |
| Night of 100 Stars II | Self | 1985 |
| The Master of Ballantrae | Henry Durie | 1984 |
| Living Proof: The Hank Williams, Jr. Story | Hank Williams, Jr. | 1983 |
| Johnny Belinda | William Richmond | 1982 |
| Nature | Self - Narrator | 1982 |
| Tom Cottle: Up Close | Self | 1982 |
| Barefoot in the Park | Paul Bratter | 1982 |
| American Playhouse | Cal Porter - Andre's Lover / Kenneth Talley Jr. | 1982 |
| The 35th Annual Tony Awards | Self - Performer | 1981 |
| Berlin Tunnel 21 | Sandy Mueller / Lieutenant Sandy Mueller | 1981 |
| Battle Beyond the Stars | Shad | 1980 |
| All Quiet on the Western Front | Paul Baumer / Paul Bäumer | 1979 |
| No Other Love | Andrew Madison | 1979 |
| Roots: The Next Generations | Jim Warner | 1979 |
| CBS: On the Air | Self - Co-Host | 1978 |
| September 30, 1955 | Jimmy J. | 1977 |
| The Sonny and Cher Show | Self / Various | 1976 |
| Great Performances: Dance in America | Self - Host | 1976 |
| The Red Badge of Courage | Pvt. Henry Fleming | 1974 |
| Dinah! | Self - Guest | 1974 |
| Bicentennial Minutes | Self - Narrator | 1974 |
| The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People | Self - Host | 1973 |
| Match Game | Himself - Panelist | 1973 |
| You'll Like My Mother | Kenny | 1972 |
| The Waltons | John Walton Jr. / John-Boy Walton / John Walton JR | 1972 |
| The Homecoming: A Christmas Story | John-Boy Walton | 1971 |
| The Todd Killings | Billy Roy | 1971 |
| Red Sky at Morning | Joshua Arnold | 1971 |
| Cactus in the Snow | Harley MacIntosh | 1971 |
| Night Gallery | Ian Evans (segment "The Sins of the Fathers") | 1969 |
| Bracken's World | Alan | 1969 |
| Last Summer | Peter | 1969 |
| Winning | Charley | 1969 |
| Medical Center | Toby Tavormina | 1969 |
| Marcus Welby, M.D. | Dennis Alan Graham | 1969 |
| The F.B.I. | John 'Chill' Chilton | 1965 |
| Seaway | Martin Anderson | 1965 |
| A Flame in the Wind | Chris Austen (1964-1965) / Chris Austen / Chris Austin | 1964 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self - Guest / Himself - Guest | 1962 |
| The Merv Griffin Show | Himself - Guest | 1962 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Himself - Co-Host / Himself - Guest / Himself - Actor / Self - Co-Host | 1961 |
| The Defenders | Johnny Remington | 1961 |
| Great Ghost Tales | Conradin | 1961 |
| 'Way Out | Jeremy Keeler | 1961 |
| A Doll's House | Ivor | 1959 |
| Bonanza | Billy | 1959 |
| The DuPont Show of the Month | Oliver Twist | 1957 |
Director Filmography
| Title | Year |
|---|
| The Waltons | 1972 |
Producer Filmography
| Title | Year |
|---|
| For All Time | 2000 |
| What Love Sees | 1996 |
| Summer of Fear | 1996 |
| Living Proof: The Hank Williams, Jr. Story | 1983 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 1975 | Golden Globe | Best TV Actor - Drama | Nominated |
| 1974 | Golden Globe | Best TV Actor - Drama | Nominated |
| 1974 | Emmy | Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated |
| 1973 | Emmy | Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Drama Series - Continuing) | Won |
