Actor Ralph Waite, patriarch of 'The Waltons', dies at 85

Ralph Waite, the American actor most popularly known for his role as the patriarch on the 1970s US television drama The Waltons has passed away at age 85.

Ralph Waite, who played the good-hearted but soft-spoken patriarch on the 1970s US television drama The Waltons, died on Thursday in Southern California, the actor’s manager said. He was 85.