Richard Thomas was stunned by his first wife’s demands to break their union, but a few months later, he married a woman who had been through two divorces and had children. Children from his family were present to support them. Meet the family that blends flawlessly.
After a long absence, Richard Thomas—best known for playing the maturing “John Boy” in the CBS program “The Waltons” from the 1970s—appeared as a narrator in “The Waltons: Homecoming.”
The actor highlighted how subjects like faith and prejudices represented in the drama were based on society while talking about his experience on the TV series. He continued by saying that such problems are still an issue, thus validating the drama.
Fans of the actor who starred in “The Waltons” would concur that his real-life morals aren’t all that dissimilar from those we portrayed in the drama. Thomas is a devoted family man who, after one unsuccessful marriage, discovered love again and wed again.
At Fez, a Middle Eastern nightclub that specialized in folk dance, the actor met his first wife, Alma Gonzales, a natural dancer and English teacher. Her dance had him spellbound. He said this:
She was without a doubt the finest dancer there, and we kept bumping into each other.
Despite being three years younger than the dancer, they soon became friends and then lovers. They later got married.
At the church where he was baptized, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, they exchanged their marriage vows. Despite coming from different backgrounds, the couple chose dance as the wedding’s overarching theme.
After the wedding, they moved into the actor’s Spanish Tudor Hollywood estate and announced their intention to have two to three children.
Gonzales fortunately had no problems getting pregnant. The couple had a son at first, then learned they were having twins a few years later. But three weeks before the dancer’s due date, she went into labor, and the medics found a third pulse.
The couple welcomed three healthy daughters in December 1980. Gwyneth Gonzales came in second at four pounds, followed by Pilar Alma at five pounds, with Barbara Ayala coming in first at six pounds.
Fans, friends, and family from all around the world were interested in their birth, and many seasoned parents offered the new parents advice.
Taking care of the babies was not simple, but the couple managed it with cooperation, help from family, and an employee.
Gonzales recovered completely, and her husband had time to balance work and fatherhood as long as his family could travel with him.
The new parents were the center of attention because of how well they handled their obligations. Celebrities were astounded at how they managed to care for the triplets while juggling multiple tasks.
After almost two decades, what appeared to be a flawless partnership that was impervious to divorce, broke up. Although the pair got off to a good start, helping each other out as partners, parents, and in their efforts, Gonzales eventually felt it was time to part ways.
In 1993, the four-child mother and housewife filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences and asking for shared custody of their kids.
Many people were astonished by this, but the couple chose not to discuss their reasons in public and declined to make any additional comments.
Thomas was surprised to learn that his wife had told him earlier that she wanted to end their marriage. He had told a friend and a coworker. Gonzales added that her ex-partner had not anticipated the breakup. Her words are:
“I think I startled him. However, if you are truly in touch with your partner, you can tell that something is wrong. I wasn’t particularly content with the marriage. Why one person’s wants are met while another person’s are not cannot be attributed to a single factor.”
Thomas admitted that the divorce traumatized him and that he sought counselling, but the divorce was amicable. They co-parented harmoniously, putting their children first.
The actor always felt bad for his ex-wife and tried to return as soon as possible to relieve her of the burden of raising four children whenever he had to be away from the kids for an extended period of time owing to work.
The “The Waltons” star met Santa Fe-based art dealer Georgiana Bischoff less than a year after being divorced.
Initially, neither believed they would return to the altar because they had already been through a disastrous marriage. But later, when Thomas was performing in Scottsdale, they met and swapped phone numbers.
They soon felt at ease discussing their romantic experiences. Quickly, the passion began to flow. They ultimately chose to get married before deciding to live their lives together forever.
The pair got married in the San Gabriel Mountains in 1994 in front of family and friends. The bride was wearing a velvet dress and was followed down the aisle by her brother Anselm, one of eight siblings.
The triplets served as bridesmaids while Thomas’s oldest son served as the best man. Bischoff’s children from two prior marriages, Brooke and Kendra, joined the girls.
Despite the absence of the “The Waltons” actors, 50 people attended Thomas’ party, including his and Bischoff’s cherished relatives.
The new bride saw her husband make his commitment to another lady on television after settling into married life. Because of John Boy’s wedding on “The Waltons,” the couple had to postpone their nuptials, but they still had a special honeymoon.
Thomas remained a sweet spouse who was concerned about his wife’s advancement despite his earlier anguish following the divorce. He frequently chased his wife affectionately to the gym.
Bischoff knew how to respond to her husband’s affection, which has kept them together for a long time. The art dealer said that her husband’s honesty had aided their marriage when questioned about the key to their relationship. She uttered:
“You always know where you stand since I’m married to the most honest, straightforward guy,” she said.
Thomas had a child almost immediately after getting married. Despite being a first-time parent, he and Gonzales welcomed Richard Francisco, and he was capable of handling the duties.
When Francisco was five, their triplets were born. However, prior to their arrival, the child refused to produce a second child because he believed it may usurp his authority. He increased his role as a big brother, nevertheless, after the triplets were born.
Thomas is a proud father who values privacy in family affairs. The actor makes the most endearing words about his kids when discussing them.
The four children’s father has a tight contact with them and is aware of their preferences. Thomas talked about his son and said, “Francisco doesn’t like acting.”
Even though the girls boasted about wanting to be physicians, horsewomen, and actors, he was sure they shared a passion for theater.
While Thomas extols the virtues of parenting, he also admitted that it is not always simple, particularly when a family is blended. A family of this size is “like postgraduate work for those who failed the course,” he said of the process of blending.
The “The Waltons” star has succeeded in parenting and marriage despite the hazards, and he owes it all to his colleagues, including his wife and their children, who made it all possible.
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