Joe Conley obit

Joe Conley: Actor best known as Ike Godsey in 'The Waltons'

He was not on the list.

The role of the kindly village store owner Ike Godsey in The Waltons, familiar in his braces, bow tie and full-length grocer's apron, brought worldwide fame to Joe Conley after he had spent years subsidizing the precarious business of acting by running his own real-estate agency.

In fact, acting had almost come to a halt in 1972 when Conley received the call from his former agent informing him about the new television drama featuring a family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia during the Depression and Second World War.

The actor owned three thriving real-estate offices in the San Fernando Valley and had appeared only twice on screen in the previous two years – credited simply as "delivery man" and "salesman". Now, he was being asked to take over the part played by Woodrow Parfrey in the 1971 pilot based on Earl Hamner Jr's book Spencer's Mountain, inspired by the author's own childhood.

Hamner, who was also a producer, was in the process of turning his book into the long-running series The Waltons (1972-81), and Conley found himself as the character running Godsey's General Mercantile Store, at the center of the community in a wholesome, heart-warming series that became a children's favorite.

In 1975, Ike married Olivia Walton's pretentious cousin Corabeth (Ronnie Claire Edwards) and the couple later adopted a girl, Aimee. For a decade, Ike Godsey was the best-known American general-store owner in the world. "To millions of people, I am Godsey," Conley once said. "People walk up and just call me Ike and carry on a conversation like we're old friends. I have to remember that for 10 years I did visit their home every week. To them, I am an old friend or a member of the family."

Halfway through The Waltons run, Conley moved into a Spanish ranch-style house with a swimming pool and tennis court. This might have seemed unlikely for a supporting actor on TV, but he continued to make a fortune by running his real-estate business, which he had established in 1961.

Conley was born in Buffalo, New York, and performed on radio as a child. The smell of the greasepaint was in his blood – his maternal grandfather was a performer known as Snake Oil Johnny MacMahon and Conley's mother sang and played the piano in his show before developing her own vaudeville act. At Loyola University Conley continued to act and later, while at Arizona State University, he was cast as an extra in the film noir The Sound of Fury (1950). In 1975, Ike married Olivia Walton's pretentious cousin Corabeth (Ronnie Claire Edwards) and the couple later adopted a girl, Aimee. For a decade, Ike Godsey was the best-known American general-store owner in the world. "To millions of people, I am Godsey," Conley once said. "People walk up and just call me Ike and carry on a conversation like we're old friends. I have to remember that for 10 years I did visit their home every week. To them, I am an old friend or a member of the family."

Halfway through The Waltons run, Conley moved into a Spanish ranch-style house with a swimming pool and tennis court. This might have seemed unlikely for a supporting actor on TV, but he continued to make a fortune by running his real-estate business, which he had established in 1961.

Conley was born in Buffalo, New York, and performed on radio as a child. The smell of the greasepaint was in his blood – his maternal grandfather was a performer known as Snake Oil Johnny MacMahon and Conley's mother sang and played the piano in his show before developing her own vaudeville act. At Loyola University Conley continued to act and later, while at Arizona State University, he was cast as an extra in the film noir The Sound of Fury (1950).

During US Army service as a second lieutenant in the Korean War he was wounded and received both a Silver Star and Purple Heart. On being discharged, he turned professional as an actor and singer, appearing in revues and stage plays.

Conley broke into television with bit parts in series such as Big Town (1955), Casey Jones (1957) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1958). He was soon a prolific character actor on screen but never found fame until being cast in The Waltons. After appearing in 172 of the 212 episodes, he reprised the role of Ike in all six Waltons television film reunions (1982-1997). His few other screen-acting performances included a small part in the film Cast Away (2000), alongside Tom Hanks.

Filmography

Filmography Year       Title     Role     Notes

1950    The Sound of Fury      Man in Crowd             Uncredited

1955    Big Town        Albert Hayes   Episode: "Honest Cop"

The People's Choice   Ernie   Episode: "Socks new Secretary"

1956    The Scarlet Hour         Car Salesman Uncredited

The Adventures of Jim Bowie            Raino Tante    Episode: "The Ghost of Jean Battoo"

1957    Crime of Passion         Deliveryman  

Lassie Episode: "Lassie's Day"

The Silent Service      Baker   Episode: "The Seahorse Story"

House of Numbers      Convict           Uncredited

Casey Jones    Conductor Addrel       Episode: "The Old Timer"

The Danny Thomas Show,

also known as Make Room For Daddy          Earl the Elevator Operator      Episode: "Honesty is the Best Policy"

1957-1959       Dragnet                       2 episodes

1958    Alfred Hitchcock Presents      Insurance Agent          Episode: "Disappearing Trick"

1958    Juvenile Jungle           Duke  

Boots and Saddles       Private Spanner           Episode: "The Superstition"

A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed Benjy   Uncredited

When Hell Broke Loose         Rookie             Uncredited

1959    The D.A.'s Man           Smiley             Episode: "The Pushter's"

Wanted: Dead or Alive           Henry Jackson            Episode: "The Hostage"

M Squad          Jack Moreno   Episode: "Mama's Boy"

Flight   Sgt. Pachek     Episode: "Chopper Four"

Richard Diamond, Private Detective Joe / Bartender            3 episodes

1960    Stagecoach West         Henry Episode: "The Saga of Jeremy Boone"

The Best of the Post    Elevator boy    Episode: "The Little Terror"

Death Valley Days      Alf       Episode: Devil's Bar

1960-1962       Dennis the Menace     Nelson / Open House Looker 2 episodes

1961    Blueprint for Robbery             Jock Mcgee    

All Hands on Deck     Sailor   Uncredited

1962    Patty    Johnny            

The Dick Powell Theater        Tom     Episode: "Special Assignment"

1963-1965       Mister Ed        TV Man / Sam Easterbrook / Joe / Frank / Photographer / Charley Grant    6 episodes

1964    Kraft Suspense Theater           Dom    Episode: "Charlie, he couldn't kill a fly"

Gunsmoke       Carl     Episode: "Help me Kitty"

1966    Green Acres    Heston Haney Episode: "The Deputy"

1967    The Beverly Hillbillies           Sergeant          Episode: "The Army Game"

Felony Squad Cabbie             Episode: "Time of Trial"

1969    80 Steps to Jonah        Jenkins           

1969-1970       Bracken's World         Alvin Sloane / Art Director    2 episodes

1970    The Brady Bunch        Delivery man Episode: "The Hero"

1972-1981       The Waltons    Ike Godsey      172 episodes

1972    The Longest Night      Salesman         TV movie

1982    A Day for Thanks on Walton's Mountain      Ike Godsey

Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain

A Wedding on Walton's Mountain

1983    Knight Rider   Manager          Episode: "Short Notice"

1986    Impure Thoughts        Father Minnelli          

1993    A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion       Ike Godsey      TV movie

1995    A Walton Wedding

1996    Night Stand with Dick Dietrick          Claude             Episode: "Dick Goes Home"

1999    Whatever it Takes       Frank  

2000    Cast Away      Joe Wally       

2001    Blind Obsession                      (final film role)