“The Waltons” star Richard Thomas is moving on up to Billionaires’ Row.
The actor and director has purchased a $1.85 million pied-a-terre in Manhattan that was going for as much as $2.995 million in 2017. The co-op is in a landmark building, Alwyn Court, at 180 West 58th St., the New York Post reports.
Thomas grew up in New York City. And while he now lives in Santa Fe, he is apparently contemplating a return to his old hometown.
Actor’s New Home Is Pretty Historic
The pied-a-terre is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom prewar home. It has an entrance gallery that leads to an open living and dining room, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and custom bookcases.
The space boasts a windowed chef’s kitchen. And the master bedroom includes a sitting area. Meanwhile, features throughout the home range from hardwood floors to moldings and high ceilings.
Thomas’s new building harks back to 1909 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s also got a French Renaissance style, terra cotta façade.
‘The Waltons’ Cast Was More Surprised than Anyone by the Show’s Success
“The Waltons” has gone down in television history and remains a classic. But at the time it launched, it very quickly became the most popular show of the day.
Thomas, who won a Primetime Emmy Award for his portrayal of John Boy on “The Waltons,” said none of the cast expected it to become a runaway hit. In a 2016 interview with the Television Academy Foundation, Thomas described their surprising ascent as a grassroots phenomenon that stemmed from the ordinariness and relatability of the show’s characters.
“You know, we never expected it,” Thomas said of the show’s sudden popularity. “The show was – as I said, it ran counter to everything that was on television at that time. We were opposite ‘Flip Wilson’ and ‘The Mod Squad.’ You could not have been in more different company than we were. And at first, it was soft. I think we began the first season in like 32nd place, or something like that. And ended the first season in first place.”
“It was a grassroots thing, and it took a season,” he explained. “And by the time it was over, we realized, ‘Holy sh–, this is a hit.’ We always believed in it. We always thought it was great. But I don’t think anyone made the assumption, anyone ever made the assumption that we would have a second season.”
Watch Thomas hold forth on the show’s popularity here:
