All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately, this includes our favorite television shows. Fans of The Waltons were lucky enough to watch John-Boy Walton grow into a mature young man. But once he was an adult, it was time for John-Boy to move on to bigger and better things.

At least, that's the story told by Richard Thomas, who played John-Boy for the majority of the series run. While Thomas was replaced by Robert Wightman in season eight until the series ended, many viewers felt that the series was never quite the same after Thomas' departure, and longed for him to return.

However, in an interview with The Montreal Star, Thomas revealed that his exit from the series had been planned since he originally signed onto the show. He stated, "When I signed my contract I decided then that I would remain with the series no longer than five years." He reasoned, "That's long enough to be tied up with one project and I want to go on to other things."

After Thomas left The Waltons, he enjoyed a fairly successful career, both on the screen and the stage. He said, "Although working in television gave me the opportunity to be in front of the camera every day practicing my craft, it was my theatre experience that really taught me the importance of preparation and dedication to one's profession."

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But while Thomas never regretted leaving The Waltons when he did, he still commended the series long after it had ended.

The actor said, "They're not supercops or superstars and I think the success of the series proves that the public can identify with them just as easily as they can fantasize with the larger-than-life heroes in most shows."

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