Richard Earl Thomas (born June 13, 1951) is an American actor, best known as budding author "John-Boy" in the CBS Television Series The Waltons

Thomas was born Richard Earl Thomas in New York City, the son of Richard Thomas (born circa 1925) and the former Barbara Fallis. His parents were each dancers with the New York City Ballet and owned the New York School of Ballet. He attended 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.