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Richard Thomas is a highly respected actor who inspires audiences with his versatility. Heading into a fifth season as host of PAX TV's It's A Miracle, he brings tremendous compassion and joy to chronicling true-life accounts of miraculous coincidences and interventions.

From the innocent idealism of John-Boy Walton to Shakespeare's evil monarch, Richard III, there isn't a character Thomas can't portray brilliantly. A child actor, Thomas' parents were both dancers with the prestigious New York City Ballet and owners of the New York School of Ballet. Surrounded by world-class talent, Thomas was no stranger to the rigorous practice that mastery of the arts demands. Thomas' stage career began with a Broadway debut in Sunrise at Campobello. Thomas made his feature film debut at 16 in Winning. However, it was Thomas' role as television's sensitive John-Boy Walton that stole America's heart and won him a Best Actor Emmy at the age of 20. Since his five years on The Waltons, Thomas has effortlessly segued between television and theater. He is one of the country's premier classical stage actors having performed in productions of Richard II, Richard III and Peer Gynt. He has since gone on to star in Square One, The Seagull, The 5th of July and Art, as well as the critically acclaimed Tiny Alice off Broadway.

While consistently aligning himself with quality projects, Thomas has explored a variety of television/on-screen roles. He was nominated for a Cable Ace Award for the USA cable network film Linda. He also starred in and co-produced the CBS movie What Love Sees, and for the big screen he recently starred in the Paramount Pictures film, Wonder Boys. Appearing in over 40 acclaimed television movies, his most recent endeavors include the original PAX telefilm, The Miracle of the Cards, I Can Make You Love Me, Living Proof: The Hank Williams Story, "Beyond The Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls, In The Name of the People, Down and Out and Dangerous, A Thousand Men and a Baby, A River's Rampage and three Walton reunions (A Walton Thanksgiving, A Walton Wedding and A Walton Easter). Earlier TV work includes productions of The Red Badge of Courage, All Quiet on the Western Front, Berlin Tunnel 21, Johnny Belinda, Go Toward The Light, Alex Haley's Roots: The Next Generation and HBO's Glory! Glory! Recent guest star roles include Law & Order: SVU, The Practice, Touched By An Angel and Promised Land. Thomas has also starred in the series The Adventures of the Swiss Family Robinson."

Thomas made his television directorial debut helming several episodes of The Waltons and his stage directorial debut at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with The Red Badge of Courage. He has published two volumes of his poetry with Avon Books and a third with Kenward Elmslie's Z Press. This fall, Bantam Books will publish It's A Miracle based on Thomas' successful PAX series and highlighting real-life inspirational stories selected by Thomas.

The actor lectures at universities on behalf of the Kennedy Center's Educational Program. Honored with a Doctor of Fine Arts from the University of South Carolina, he was further honored by serving as the host of the University's Ecumenical Service of the Family and introducing His Holiness Pope John Paul II.