Wightman often works in the theater, notably in the West Coast Premier of the
Tennessee Williams' play
Vieux Carré, produced with Williams' blessing by
Karen Kondazian and starring
Ray Stricklyn. Critic
Robert Osborne said both Stricklyn and Wightman gave "touching and heartbreaking performances". Wightman has appeared in two other works of Williams produced by Kondazian,
Sweet Bird of Youth with
Ed Harris, and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award-winning production of
The Rose Tattoo, which was praised by Williams himself who said he had never seen the play better directed than by Clyde Ventura. Sylvie Drake in the
Los Angeles Times singled-out "the excellent Robert Wightman" as Edgar in LATC's
King Lear, and
Hoyt Hilsman writing for
Backstage praised his "lovely and mysterious" portrayal as Budge in the dark comedy
The Day Room by
Don DeLillo. Wightman replaced
Richard Thomas in the role of John-Boy Walton in the TV series
The Waltons. He played the role beginning with the show's eighth season in 1979 until the end of the series in 1981. He also appeared in the role in the TV movie ''A Day of Thanks on Walton's Mountain
in 1982. His movie credits include American Gigolo and the starring role in Stepfather III'', taking over the role originally played by
Terry O'Quinn. ==Selected filmography==