Lewis Michael Arquette ( ; December 14, 1935 â February 10, 2001) was an American actor who worked in film and television. He played J.D. Pickett on the television series, The Waltons from 1978 to 1981, and appeared in several supporting roles throughout his career.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Arquette was the only son of Mildred Nesbitt Le May and actor Cliff Arquette. He stated that he was named after explorer Meriwether Lewis, and claimed familial descent.
Arquette graduated from Hollywood High School and went on to study at New York's Lee Strasberg Actor's Studio. From there, he moved to Chicago in the 1970s.
While living in Chicago, Arquette worked in theater management, serving as manager of The Second City theater for several years. There, he was involved in administration of the improvisational comedy company.
In film and television, Arquette worked as a character actor who appeared in supporting roles across several decades. In addition to his recurring role as J. D. Pickett on The Waltons, he made guest appearances on television programs and appeared in feature films as authority figures, working-class characters, or other supporting roles.
In addition to acting, Arquette performed as a musician and a puppeteer.
In 1970, the family moved to a Subud commune (described by Patricia as a "hippie commune") in Front Royal, Virginia. His wife, Brenda Olivia "Mardi" (née Nowak), died in 1997 from breast cancer. She was Jewish and the daughter of a Holocaust refugee from Poland, while Lewis Arquette, raised a Catholic, was a convert to Islam.
His children are actors Patricia, Alexis, Rosanna, David, and Richmond Arquette. He is the former father-in-law of actress Courteney Cox, film composer James Newton Howard, and actors Thomas Jane and Nicolas Cage.
While Arquette struggled with substance abuse throughout his life, he died in Los Angeles, California on February 10, 2001, at the age of 65, due to congestive heart failure.