Richard Thomas: Why Did He Leave The Waltons If It Was His Biggest Paycheck?
For fans of The Waltons, Richard Thomas will always be John-Boy — the earnest, bookish oldest son of a Depression-era Virginia family.
But by the end of Season 5, Thomas quietly walked away from the series, even though it was one of the most popular shows on television and his highest-paying role.
So why leave?
According to Thomas, it was never meant to be a lifelong gig. In a resurfaced interview with The Montreal Star, he explained that his exit was planned from the start.
"When I signed my contract I decided then that I would remain with the series no longer than five years," he said. "That's long enough to be tied up with one project and I want to go on to other things."
The Waltons premiered in 1972 and quickly became a staple of 1970s American television. The show ran for nine seasons, and Thomas played John-Boy through the first five, earning an Emmy Award and becoming one of the most recognizable young actors of the era. When he left in 1977, the role was recast with Robert Wightman, but many fans never warmed to the change.
Despite the financial security the show offered, Thomas wasn't interested in getting too comfortable.
"Although working in television gave me the opportunity to be in front of the camera every day practicing my craft," he said, "it was my theatre experience that really taught me the importance of preparation and dedication to one's profession."
In other words: money's great, but growth matters more.
After The Waltons, Thomas didn't disappear. He went on to a steady career in TV, film, and especially stage work, with major roles in productions from Broadway to regional theater. He also returned to the world of The Waltons in multiple reunion specials — but never as a permanent fixture.
And even decades later, Thomas still speaks highly of the show itself, praising its quiet realism in an industry obsessed with spectacle.
"They're not supercops or superstars," he said of the Walton family. "And I think the success of the series proves that the public can identify with them just as easily as they can fantasize with the larger-than-life heroes in most shows."
So while The Waltons was his biggest paycheck, it wasn't his long-term plan. Thomas stuck to his own creative timeline — and never looked back.