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From John-Boy to Atticus Finch, Richard Thomas takes star role in Aaron Sorkin’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

Left to right, Arianna Gayle Stucki (“Mayella Ewell”), Richard Thomas (“Atticus Finch”), Stephen Elrod (“Bailiff”), Richard Poe (“Judge Taylor”), Greg Wood (“Mr. Roscoe”) and Joey Collins (“Bob Ewell”) listen in a courtroom scene of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The Aaron Sorkin play adaptation of the classic runs Tuesday through Sunday, Dec. 10, at the First Interstate Center for the Performing Arts in Spokane. (Courtesy of Julieta Cervantes)
Left to right, Arianna Gayle Stucki (“Mayella Ewell”), Richard Thomas (“Atticus Finch”), Stephen Elrod (“Bailiff”), Richard Poe (“Judge Taylor”), Greg Wood (“Mr. Roscoe”) and Joey Collins (“Bob Ewell”) listen in a courtroom scene of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The Aaron Sorkin play adaptation of the classic runs Tuesday through Sunday, Dec. 10, at the First Interstate Center for the Performing Arts in Spokane. (Courtesy of Julieta Cervantes)
By Ed Condran edc@spokesman.com(509) 459-5440

Richard Thomas is well aware of the common denominator between the beloved television series “The Waltons,” which launched the veteran actor’s career, and the treasured novel, film and play “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

“The connection is that both are from the same time period, the ‘30s in the American South,” Thomas said. “And it’s evident that people love ‘The Waltons’ and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ ”

Thomas, 72, stars as Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which is slated to run Tuesday through Dec. 10, at the First Interstate Center for the Performing Arts.

“I play a character that most people know, but what’s great about ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is that there are so many iterations of the book,” Thomas said while calling from Toronto, Canada. “You may have read the novel and seen the movie, but this play is different.”

Aaron Sorkin, who created the critically acclaimed television series “West Wing” and crafted the script for the film “A Few Good Men,” updates “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

“There is no doubt that Aaron has taken the material and run in his own direction,” Thomas said. “Aaron reflects on the way we think about social justice issues. It’s a great time to do a play like this, due to the contemporary social justice movement.

“Aaron takes Atticus off a pedestal, and he’s given him a lot to learn. In the book and the movie, Atticus lives in a bubble. Aaron gives him a crisis about community, and Aaron gives him a sense of humor. Atticus has that wonderful wry Southern humor. I love the Southern cadence and the Southern feel Sorkin gives Atticus, who is not a Chicago lawyer. Aaron gives us the South.”

Thomas grew up in New York City, the son of Manhattan dancers. However, the versatile thespian spent every summer of his childhood with his cousins in Kentucky.

“I ran around barefoot, rode horses and fed the hogs out in the country, and it was the greatest,” Thomas said while chuckling. “It was a wonderful experience for a New York showbiz kid. I developed such an appreciation for the South. There really is no place quite like it.”

After enjoying success as a child actor in Manhattan, Thomas moved to Los Angeles to star as John-Boy in “The Waltons” in 1972.

“ ‘The Waltons’ benefitted from great writing,” Thomas said. “Earl Hamner (Jr.) was such a great writer. The material Earl wrote still stands up today. The scenes were driven by language. That makes it very different from much of what is on television and film today, which are scenes that are visually driven.”

The television miniseries “It,” which starred Richard Thomas in 1990, is propelled by words, while the recent “It” films are imagery-driven.

“I haven’t seen the ‘It’ films, but I’m sure they are more terrifying than the miniseries, since I bet the special effects are amazing,” Thomas said. “But what works well when you look back at the ‘It’ I was a part of was that it was about relationships. The book Stephen King wrote is about those friendships.”

Thomas and “It” co-star John Ritter were close pals who initially acted together during “The Waltons.”

“If ‘The Waltons’ were school, John and I would have been separated since we were both cut-ups,” Thomas recalled. “We were always joking around, but it helped when we did ‘It.’ I had wonderful relationships with everyone on the ‘It’ set.

“I was in films with Annette O’Toole and Dennis Christopher. That was a fun job. But I’ve become friends with many people that I’ve acted with.”

That remains so for the Waltons cast. Thomas was emailing his old “Walton” friends during Thanksgiving.

“They don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in Toronto, but they celebrate Black Friday,” Thomas cracked. “After our cast had our own Thanksgiving brunch here, I was sending some messages to (actress) Michael (Learned) and some of the rest of my friends from ‘The Waltons.’ I keep up with my pals while I’m out on the road.”

Thomas, who is on a two-year North American run with “To Kill a Mockingbird,” has been to most U.S. cities. “But I’ve never been to Spokane,” Thomas said.

“I’ve done a lot of TV work in Vancouver and I’ve been to Seattle, but I’m finally going to make it to Spokane,” he said. “I’ve heard great things about the city, and it’s about time for me check out Spokane.”