Richard Thomas Best Actor

Richard Thomas is a highly respected actor who inspires audiences with his versatility. He has just completed his fifth season hosting the PAX television series, It’s A Miracle as well as starring in a critically acclaimed off-Broadway run of Edward Albee’s Tiny Alice.

Thomas became a professional actor at age seven, stepping onto the Broadway stage as a young Franklin D. Roosevelt in “Sunrise at Campobello.” His feature film debut came at 16 in Universal Studio’s Winning, starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

Cast as television’s sensitive John-boy, Richard completely stole America’s heart as the pivotal character on the The Waltons. This role won him a Best Actor Emmy and catapulted him into the spotlight at 20. Along with an Emmy, Richard Thomas also won a Motion Picture and TV/Radio Daily award as the most promising new star of the 1973 season.

While consistently aligning himself with quality projects, Thomas has explored a variety of roles. He was nominated for a Cable Ace Award for the USA Network film “Linda.” When he starred with the great Maureen O’Hara in “The Christmas Box,” the film became the highest rated television movie of 1995. With David Rosemont, he also co-produced the CBS movie “What Love Sees” and co-starred in the film with Annabeth Gish. And, for the big screen, Thomas recently was seen in the notable Paramount Pictures release, “Wonder Boys.”

For the telefilm “I Can Make You Love Me,” Thomas portrayed the obsessed, psychotic Richard Farley, based on a true-life stalking incident. He also co-produced and starred in “Living Proof: The Hank Williams Story.” Other early work includes the television productions of “The Red Badge of Courage,” “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Berlin Tunnel 21,” “Johnny Belinda,” “Go Toward The Light,” Alex Haley’s “Roots: The Next Generation” and HBO’s “Glory! Glory!” Appearing in over 40 acclaimed television movies, his most recent endeavors include “Beyond The Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls,” “In The Name of the People,” “Down and Out and Dangerous,” “A Thousand Men and a Baby,” “A River’s Rampage,” three Walton reunions (“A Walton Thanksgiving,” “A Walton Wedding” and “A Walton Easter”), “Andre’s Mother,” Stephen King’s “It,” “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus,” “Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232” and “Mission of the Shark: The U.S.S. Indianapolis.”