{"id":18,"date":"2026-05-31T20:06:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T13:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/?p=18"},"modified":"2026-05-31T20:06:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T13:06:18","slug":"why-the-waltons-alum-richard-thomas-never-tires-of-hearing-good-night-john-boy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/2026\/05\/31\/why-the-waltons-alum-richard-thomas-never-tires-of-hearing-good-night-john-boy\/","title":{"rendered":"Why &#8216;The Waltons&#8217; Alum Richard Thomas Never Tires of Hearing \u2018Good Night, John-Boy\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"figure-article_1-0\">Richard Thomas as John-Boy in &#8216;The Waltons&#8217; (left); Richard Thomas at opening night of &#8216;The Balusters&#8217; in April 2026 (right).\u00a0Credit :CBS via Getty; Joy Malone\/WireImage<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-content_1-0\">\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-page_1-0\" data-sc-sticky-offset=\"90\" data-sc-ad-label-height=\"24\" data-sc-ad-track-spacing=\"100\" data-sc-min-track-height=\"250\" data-sc-max-track-height=\"600\" data-sc-breakpoint=\"50em\" data-sc-load-immediate=\"4\" data-sc-content-positions=\"[1, 1250, 1550, 1950, 2350, 2750, 3150, 3550, 3950]\" data-bind-scroll-on-start=\"true\">\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_1-0\" data-tracking-id=\"mntl-sc-block-callout\" data-tracking-container=\"true\">\n<h3>NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>Richard Thomas is opening up to PEOPLE about his career, which includes his time as a child star on\u00a0<em>The Waltons<\/em>\u00a0and his 2026 Tony Award-nominated turn in Broadway&#8217;s\u00a0<em>The Balusters<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Thomas explains why he&#8217;ll never get tired of hearing fans tell him, &#8216;Good night, John Boy&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>The actor also reflects on how &#8216;lucky&#8217; he&#8217;s been to have a career after over six decades<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/tv\/richard-thomas-on-bringing-back-the-waltons-50-years-later\/\" rel=\"null\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">Richard Thomas<\/a>\u00a0will always be grateful for his time on\u00a0<em>The Waltons<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_4-0\">Speaking to PEOPLE about the secret to his long career \u2014 which includes\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/tony-award-nominations-2026-11966706\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-type=\"\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">his 2026 Tony Award nomination<\/a>\u00a0for his featured performance in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibdb.com\/broadway-cast-staff\/david-lindsay-abaire-389683\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"null noopener\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\">David Lindsay-Abaire<\/a>&#8216;s scathing comedy\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.manhattantheatreclub.com\/shows\/2025-26-season\/the-balusters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"3\"><em>The Balusters<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\u2014 the 74-year-old actor admits, \u201cThere&#8217;s no secrets. I&#8217;ve just been lucky. I just kept getting hired. I&#8217;ve been an actor for hire my whole life, and it&#8217;s worked out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_6-0\">Thomas made his Broadway debut at just seven years old, appearing in\u00a0<em>Sunrise at Campobello<\/em>. He then transitioned to TV and film roles, including 1969&#8217;s\u00a0<em>Winning<\/em>\u00a0with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/tag\/paul-newman\/\" rel=\"null\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">Paul Newman<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_8-0\">Then, in 1972, he was cast on\u00a0<em>The Waltons<\/em>\u00a0as John-Boy Walton, the family&#8217;s eldest son. He starred on the series for the first five seasons, made guest appearances in the sixth and seventh seasons and later returned for three TV movies in the 1990s. He won an Emmy for\u00a0<em>The Waltons<\/em>\u00a0in 1973.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_10-0\"><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_1-0\">Richard Thomas in &#8216;The Waltons&#8217;.CBS Photo Archive\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_11-0\">Every episode of the show featured the cast wishing each other goodnight, which accidentally created the show&#8217;s most iconic catchphrase in \u201cGood night, John-Boy\u201d \u2014 a simple sign-off that has endured far beyond\u00a0<em>The Waltons<\/em>, becoming one of television&#8217;s most recognizable expressions of warmth, comfort and family connection.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_13-0\">Does Thomas ever get tired of hearing fans say the line?<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_15-0\">\u201cOh God, no,\u201d he says. \u201cOh no, no. I love it.\u201d He shares that sometimes when he does shows, during the curtain call, \u201cI get lots of &#8216;Good night, John-Boys.&#8217; It&#8217;s very sweet. It makes me very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_17-0\"><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_2-0\">Richard Thomas on &#8216;The Waltons&#8217; in 1974.CBS via Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_18-0\">More than five decades after\u00a0<em>The Waltons<\/em>\u00a0premiered, Thomas still sounds genuinely moved by the affection audiences have for the series \u2014 even as his own career has stretched far beyond the wholesome mountain drama that made him famous.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_20-0\">Having grown up in the industry himself alongside other young performers, he&#8217;s also deeply aware of the pressures that can come with early fame.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_22-0\">\u201cIt looks easy and fun and fabulous, but it&#8217;s very challenging,\u201d he says, noting how much he feels for young actors navigating the social media world today, where fame comes with constant scrutiny and far less privacy than he experienced as a child star in the 1970s. \u201cWe still had some privacy in our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_26-0\">Without the pressures of today&#8217;s always-online culture, Thomas says the young cast of\u00a0<em>The Waltons<\/em>\u00a0was able to form genuine lifelong bonds. The actor shares that his former costars \u2014 including Michael Learned, Jon Walmsley, Judy Norton, Mary Elizabeth McDonough, Eric Scott, David W. Harper and Kami Cotler \u2014 are \u201cstill like a big family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_28-0\">\u201cWe&#8217;re very close, stay in touch all the time,\u201d he shares. \u201cNothing better could have ever happened to any other actor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_30-0\">That sense of connection and ensemble is something Thomas says he&#8217;s been lucky enough to find again in\u00a0<em>The Balusters<\/em>, where he&#8217;s earning some of the strongest reviews of his Broadway career.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_32-0\"><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_3-0\">From left: Ricardo Chavira, Anika Noni Rose, Kayli Carter, Carl Clemons Hopkins, Jeena Yi, Richard Thomas and Marylouise Burke in &#8216;The Balusters&#8217; on Broadway.Jeremy Daniel<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_33-0\"><strong>Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/people-news-daily-newsletter-sign-up-8692701\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-type=\"\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\"><strong>\u00a0PEOPLE&#8217;s free daily newsletter<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_35-0\">In the play, Thomas stars as Elliot Emerson, the tightly wound head of a suburban homeowners&#8217; association whose desperate need to preserve the status quo is challenged by a new neighbor, played by Tony winner\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/would-anika-noni-rose-star-in-broadway-princess-and-the-frog-exclusive-11971250\" rel=\"null\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">Anika Noni Rose<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_37-0\">Thomas has drawn acclaim for the performance, balancing bluster, comedy and heartbreak as Elliot. The role gives Thomas a chance to weaponize both his warmth and volatility, slowly unraveling over the course of the play.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_39-0\"><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_4-0\">Richard Thomas and Anika Noni Rose in &#8216;The Balusters&#8217; on Broadway.Jeremy Daniel<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_40-0\">By the final scene, he throws a full-scale tantrum and tears apart the set \u2014 delivering one of the production&#8217;s biggest crowd-pleasing moments.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_42-0\">Playing the breakdown scene is \u201cso much fun,\u201d he says, though it&#8217;s also \u201cemotionally very rich and taxing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_44-0\">\u201cNothing is better,\u201d he adds. \u201cI&#8217;ve never had this experience before of sitting in an easy chair for the preponderance of the show and then getting up and destroying the set at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_46-0\"><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_5-0\">Richard Thomas in &#8216;The Balusters&#8217; on Broadway.Jeremy Daniel<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_47-0\"><strong>Sign up for\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/from-the-editor-newsletter-sign-up-form-11953046\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-type=\"\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\"><strong>From the Editor<\/strong><\/a><strong>, our free weekly newsletter from PEOPLE&#8217;s Editor-in-Chief, Charlotte Triggs.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_49-0\">Thomas credits how fully fleshed out the show&#8217;s ensemble feels to Lindsay-Abaire. He praises the playwright for making each character feel \u201cso special.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_51-0\">\u201cEvery character is the star of the show,\u201d he says, praising Lindsay-Abaire&#8217;s ability to not \u201ccome down\u201d on any one side of the argument. \u201cHe&#8217;s just letting people be people. We have to make up our own minds.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_53-0\"><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_6-0\">Anika Noni Rose, Marylouise Burke and Richard Thomas in &#8216;The Balusters&#8217; on Broadway.Jeremy Daniel<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_54-0\">The actor also heaps praise on his castmates, including fellow 2026 Tony nominee Marylouise Burke, who stars as one of the board&#8217;s longtime members Penny Buell.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_56-0\">\u201cShe is our lucky star, and I get to sit there and watch her do that magnificent work every night, eight times a week,\u201d he says of the 85-year-old actress, calling her \u201cjust magic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_58-0\">He also praises the rest of the company, which includes\u00a0<em>Desperate Housewives\u00a0<\/em>alum<em>\u00a0<\/em>Ricardo Chavira, Kayli Carter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins,\u00a0<em>Gossip Girl<\/em>&#8216;s Margaret Colin, Michael Esper, Maria-Christina Oliveras and Jeena Yi.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_62-0\"><em>The Balusters<\/em>, directed by Kenny Leon and produced by Manhattan Theatre Club, is nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Play. The production recently extended its Broadway run at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre through June 21.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_64-0\">With his latest Tony nomination, Thomas is now the nominee with the longest Broadway career in this year&#8217;s Tony field \u2014 a journey that began when he made his debut at just 7 years old.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_66-0\">Now 68 years later, he&#8217;s still soaking it all in. And most importantly, he&#8217;s grateful to have his second nomination, after he received a nod in the same category for his role in 2017&#8217;s\u00a0<em>The Little Foxes<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_68-0\">\u201cIt makes me feel like the first one wasn&#8217;t a mistake,\u201d he jokes.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_70-0\">Tickets for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.telecharge.com\/The-Balusters-Tickets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-type=\"\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\"><em>The Balusters<\/em><\/a>\u00a0are on sale now.\u00a0The 2026 Tony Awards will take place at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7. The show will be broadcast live to both coasts on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. ET\/5 p.m. PT, and will stream on Paramount+.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Richard Thomas as John-Boy in &#8216;The Waltons&#8217; (left); Richard Thomas at opening night of &#8216;The Balusters&#8217; in April 2026 (right).\u00a0Credit :CBS via Getty; Joy Malone\/WireImage NEED TO KNOW Richard Thomas is opening up to PEOPLE about his career, which includes his time as a child star on\u00a0The Waltons\u00a0and his 2026 Tony Award-nominated turn in Broadway&#8217;s\u00a0The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chua-phan-loai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18\/revisions\/20"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogtamsu.com.vn\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}