<Tr> <Th> Children </Th> <Td> 5 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Parent (s) </Th> <Td> Richard S. Thomas </Td> </Tr> <P> Richard Earl Thomas (born June 13, 1951) is an American actor . He is best known for his leading role as budding author John - Boy Walton in the CBS drama The Waltons, for which he won one Emmy Award and received nominations for another Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards . He also played Special Agent Frank Gaad on FX's crime drama series The Americans (2013--2016), appeared in Stephen King's mini series IT (1990), and had a supporting role in the comedy - drama film Wonder Boys (2000). </P> <P> Thomas was born in Manhattan, the son of Barbara (née Fallis) and Richard S. Thomas, in 1951 . His parents were dancers with the New York City Ballet and owned the New York School of Ballet . He attended The Allen Stevenson School and the McBurney School in Manhattan . Thomas was seven when he made his Broadway debut in Sunrise at Campobello (1958) playing John Roosevelt, son of future U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt . </P>

Who played john boy walton on the waltons