Lewis Arquette

Lewis Michael Arquette (December 14, 1935 – February 10, 2001) was an American actor, musician, and puppeteer whose career spanned theater, film, and television. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he was the only son of actor Cliff Arquette and Mildred Nesbitt Le May. He has stated that he was named after the explorer Meriwether Lewis and claimed familial descent from him. Arquette completed his secondary education at Hollywood High School before training at Lee Strasberg's Actor's Studio in New York.

Arquette's Broadway career took place between 1970 and 1971, during which he appeared in two productions: Ovid's Metamorphoses and Paul Sills' Story Theatre. Both productions were associated with the improvisational and ensemble theater traditions that also shaped his work in Chicago. After returning to Chicago, Arquette served as manager of The Second City theater for several years, where he was involved in the administration of the improvisational comedy company.

On television, Arquette is perhaps best known for his recurring role as J.D. Pickett on the series The Waltons, a part he held from 1978 to 1981. Throughout his career he worked as a character actor, taking on supporting roles across multiple decades in both television guest appearances and feature films, frequently portraying authority figures and working-class characters. He also served as a writer and executive producer on the 1976 television series The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show.

In 1970, Arquette and his family relocated to a Subud commune in Front Royal, Virginia. His wife, Brenda Olivia "Mardi" Arquette, née Nowak, died in 1997 from breast cancer. His five children — Rosanna, Patricia, Alexis, David, and Richmond — all became actors. He was also the former father-in-law of actress Courteney Cox, film composer James Newton Howard, and actors Thomas Jane and Nicolas Cage.

Arquette died on February 10, 2001, in Los Angeles, California, from congestive heart failure at the age of 65.