Net Worth Ranker
What Is Richard Thomas’s Net Worth?
Richard Thomas, an American actor renowned for his portrayal of John-Boy Walton in “The Waltons,” has accumulated a considerable net worth over his career. As of 2025, Richard Thomas’s net worth is estimated to be $6 million. This sum reflects his earnings from various acting roles across television, film, and stage productions, as well as potential real estate investments.
Richard Thomas’s Early Career and “The Waltons” Impact
Richard Thomas was born on June 13, 1951, in New York City. His parents, Barbara Fallis and Richard Scott Thomas, were dancers and educators who founded the New York School of Ballet. While he briefly attended Columbia University, initially studying Chinese and later switching to English, he left after landing his role on “The Waltons.” Thomas began his television career as a child, appearing in the 1959 TV movie “A Doll’s House.” He secured roles in “Way Out,” “The Defenders,” “Great Ghost Tales,” and “1, 2, 3 Go!” throughout the 1960s, showcasing his early talent. Richard Thomas’s rise to fame was significantly propelled by his role as John-Boy Walton in “The Waltons” starting in 1972. For his performance on “The Waltons,” he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He starred alongside Ralph Waite, Michael Learned, Will Geer, Jon Walmsley, Judy Norton Taylor, and Eric Scott. Thomas remained in his role for the first five seasons of “The Waltons,” leaving in early 1977. Thomas later reprised his role in three “Waltons” television films in the 90s: “A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion,” “A Walton Wedding,” and “A Walton Easter.” Though specific contract details from “The Waltons” are not publicly available, it’s plausible that his salary during the show’s peak was substantial, contributing significantly to his accumulated wealth.
Television and Film Roles Contributing to Richard Thomas’s Net Worth
After leaving “The Waltons,” Richard Thomas continued to work steadily in television, appearing in numerous television films and miniseries. These include “The Red Badge of Courage,” “The Silence,” “Getting Married,” “All Quiet on the Western Front,” and “Roots: The Next Generations.” He was also in television films, with notable credits including “Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story,” “The Master of Ballantrae,” “Final Jeopardy,” and “Glory! Glory!” Throughout the 1990s, Richard Thomas starred in television films such as “Andre’s Mother,” a two-part miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s “It,” “A Thousand Heroes,” “I Can Make You Love Me,” “Linda,” “Death in Small Doses,” and “The Christmas Box.” Thomas appeared in episodes of the series “The Invaders,” “Promised Land,” and “Touched by an Angel.” He starred on “The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson” and began hosting “It’s a Miracle” in the late 1990s. In the early 2000s, Richard Thomas had starring roles in television films such as “In the Name of the People” and “The Christmas Secret.” He also played a leading role on the Canadian legal drama series “Just Cause” from 2002 to 2003. His few credits included episodes of “Nightmares & Dreamscapes,” “Law & Order,” and “Rizzoli & Isles.” Thomas returned in 2013 to join the cast of the period spy series “The Americans,” playing FBI special agent Frank Gaad. During his time on that show through 2016, Thomas made guest appearances in episodes of “White Collar,” “The Good Wife,” and “Elementary,” among other series. He was subsequently in three episodes of “Billions” and two episodes of “NCIS: New Orleans.” In 2021, Thomas had a recurring role on the thriller series “Tell Me Your Secrets.” He had another recurring role the next year, playing Nathan Davis in the fourth and final season of the crime drama series “Ozark.” While specific per-episode salaries for his roles in shows like “The Americans,” “Billions,” “Ozark,” and “NCIS: New Orleans” are not available publicly, it’s reasonable to assume that his work in these well-regarded series significantly contributed to his net worth. Thomas also appeared on the big screen in 1969, when he was in two films: the car racing drama “Winning” and the teen drama “Last Summer.” A couple years after that, he starred in “Red Sky at Morning” and “The Todd Killings.” Next came “You’ll Like My Mother,” in which Thomas played against type as a rapist and murderer. Later in the 70s, he starred in “September 30, 1955.” Thomas’s only theatrical film credit in the 80s was the space opera “Battle Beyond the Stars.” After not appearing on the big screen in the 90s, he returned in 2000 with a role in Curtis Hanson’s “Wonder Boys.” Thomas’s other film credits have included “Taking Woodstock,” “Anesthesia,” and “The Unforgivable.”
Stage Career and Awards
Richard Thomas’s stage career has been prolific, starting with his Broadway debut at the age of seven in “Sunrise at Campobello.” He returned to Broadway as an adult in 1980 in “Fifth of July.” He starred in the one-man show “Citizen Tom Paine” in Philadelphia and Washington, DC, in the 1980s. In the 1990s, Thomas starred in Terrence McNally’s “The Lisbon Traviata” in Los Angeles and Shakespeare’s “Richard II” in DC. Thomas appeared in the West End production of “Art” alongside Judd Hirsch in the early 2000s. He was in New York productions of “As You Like It,” “Democracy,” and “The Stendhal Syndrome.” In 2006, Thomas toured with the play “Twelve Angry Men.” He appeared in David Mamet’s Broadway play “Race.” Thomas’s other theatrical credits have included “Timon of Athens,” “The Little Foxes,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.” For his work in “The Little Foxes,” he earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2017. Income from stage productions, while variable depending on the role, run length, and theater size, has undoubtedly supplemented his net worth.
Real Estate Investments and Personal Life
In 1995, Richard Thomas and his then-wife Georgiana Bischoff purchased a home in Los Feliz, Los Angeles, for $600,000. They sold this property in June 2004 for $1.765 million, realizing a profit of $1.165 million. In July 2004, Richard and Georgina paid $1.55 million for a 1,600 square foot apartment in the Alwyn Court building in New York City, located at 180 West 58th Street. They listed this apartment for sale in September 2017 for $3 million. The apartment ultimately sold in October 2021 for $1.85 million. The profits from these real estate transactions have contributed positively to his overall wealth. Today, Richard Thomas primarily resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Information regarding any real estate holdings in Santa Fe is not publicly accessible. Thomas married his first wife, Alma Gonzales, in 1975, and they had a son named Richard and triplet daughters named Pilar, Barbara, and Gwyneth before divorcing in 1993. He then married Georgiana Bischoff in 1994, with whom he has a son named Montana, plus two daughters, Brooke and Kendra, from Bischoff’s prior marriages. Details of any settlements are not publicly available.
