For some actors, there's nothing more thrilling than playing a character in a hit television series. For one thing, the success propels you into a lifestyle of fame and fortune. But with these new and exciting advantages, there's also a guarantee of security that can feel comforting. Many actors are unsure of where their next role will come from. As an actor in a successful television series, you have the good fortune to know that you have a consistent job for as long as you'd like.

But where some find relief, others find claustrophobia. Although Ralph Waite found a winning role in John Walton, he was sure that it wasn't a role he'd be interested in playing for the rest of his career.

The Waltons actor was certainly passionate about his craft, even if he got a late start as an actor. 

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"I was thirty-two years old before I stepped on the stage," he said during an interview with the Gannett News Service. "But from the first moment I read a line, I was absolutely convinced I'd been an actor all my life."

It wasn't too long before Waite dipped his toes into television. But as popular as The Waltons became, Waite was realistic about the show's limitations. "A show doesn't go on forever, no matter how good it is," he said.

In fact, the actor believed that it would actually be better for his own personal growth if he didn't grow too complacent within a singular role. "It's dangerous to be in a role too long," he said. "The actor becomes ineffectual. Bad habits are formed, you become lazy, and there is no challenge. It's not good for the soul."