John Ritter | |
|---|---|
 Ritter in 1977 | |
| Born | Johnathan Southworth Ritter (1948-09-17)September 17, 1948 Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Died | September 11, 2003(2003-09-11) (aged 54) Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Aortic dissection |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park,Hollywood Hills, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1968–2003 |
| Known for | Three's Company Three's a Crowd |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 4, includingJason andTyler |
| Parents |
|
Johnathan Southworth Ritter[1][2] (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American actor. He was a son of thesinging cowboy starTex Ritter and the father of actorsJason andTyler Ritter. He playedJack Tripper on the popularABC sitcomThree's Company (1977–1984), and received aPrimetime Emmy Award and aGolden Globe Award for the role in 1984. Ritter briefly reprised the role on the spin-offThree's a Crowd, which aired for one season, producing 22 episodes before its cancellation in 1985.
He appeared in over 100 films and television series combined and performed onBroadway, with roles including adultBen Hanscom inIt (1990),Problem Child (1990),Problem Child 2 (1991), a dramatic turn inSling Blade (1996), andBad Santa in 2003 (his final live action film, which was dedicated to his memory). In 2002,Don Knotts called Ritter the "greatest physical comedian on the planet". His final roles includevoicing thetitle character on thePBS children's programClifford the Big Red Dog (2000–2003), for which he received fourDaytime Emmy Award nominations, and as Paul Hennessy on the ABC sitcom8 Simple Rules (2002–2003). His style of comedy is based on musical and character comedy.
Johnathan Southworth Ritter was born on September 17, 1948, atProvidence Saint Joseph Medical Center inBurbank, California.[3] His father,Tex Ritter (1905–1974), was asinging cowboy and film star, and his mother,Dorothy Fay (née Southworth; 1915–2003), was an actress.[4] He had an older brother, Thomas "Tom" Ritter.[5] Ritter attendedHollywood High School, where he was student body president. While a teenager, Ritter's right eye was permanently injured by a projectile flying into the car in which he was riding. This resulted in his right pupil having a strange appearance and only havingperipheral vision in that eye for the rest of his life.Ritter attended theUniversity of Southern California and majored in psychology with plans to have a career in politics. He later changed his major to theater arts and attended theUSC School of Dramatic Arts (formerly School of Theatre). Ritter was a member ofPhi Gamma Delta fraternity at USC. While still in college, Ritter traveled to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and West Germany to perform in plays. Ritter graduated in 1970.[6]
Ritter headlined several stage performances. After his graduation from USC in 1970, his first television acting experience was as a campus revolutionary in the television seriesDan August starringBurt Reynolds and futureThree's Company co-starNorman Fell. Ritter made his film debut in the 1971 Disney filmThe Barefoot Executive. He made guest appearances on the television seriesHawaii Five-O,M*A*S*H, and many others. He had a recurring role as the Reverend Matthew Fordwick on the drama seriesThe Waltons from October 1972 to December 1976. Because he was not a weekly cast member, he had time to pursue other roles, which he did until December 1976, when he left for a starring role in the hit sitcomThree's Company (the Americanized version of the 1970s BritishThames Television seriesMan About the House) in 1977. In 1978, Ritter playedRingo Starr's manager on the television specialRingo. In 1982, Ritter provided the voice ofPeter Dickinson in the animated filmThe Flight of Dragons.
Ritter became a household name onThree's Company, portraying struggling culinary studentJack Tripper with two female roommates. Ritter co-starred oppositeJoyce DeWitt andSuzanne Somers, and then laterJenilee Harrison andPriscilla Barnes. Much of the comedy centered around Jack's pretending to be gay to keep the old-fashioned landlords appeased over the co-ed living arrangements. The series spent several seasons near the top of the ratings in the United States before ending in 1984. A year-long spin-off,Three's a Crowd, ensued, as the Jack Tripper character has a live-in girlfriend and runs his own bistro. The original series has been seen continuously in reruns and is available on DVD. During the run ofThree's Company, Ritter appeared in the filmsHero at Large,Americathon, andThey All Laughed. In 1986, he played the role of Dad in the music video forGraham Nash's song "Innocent Eyes" from thealbum of the same name.
Hooperman was Ritter's first regular television role afterThree's Company. Detective Harry Hooperman inherits a run-down apartment building and hires Susan Smith (Debrah Farentino) to run it. A relationship follows, and Hooperman must juggle work, love, and the antics of Bijoux the dog. In 1988, John was nominated for both anEmmy Award[7] and aGolden Globe Award for his work onHooperman. Ritter won aPeople's Choice Award for this role. From 1992 to 1995, Ritter returned to television for three seasons as John Hartman, aide to a U.S. Senator, inHearts Afire. This series starredMarkie Post as Georgie Anne Lahti andBilly Bob Thornton as Billy Bob Davis. He also played Garry Lejeune / Roger Tramplemain in the productionNoises Off in 1992.
After his time on television, he appeared in a number of films, most notablyProblem Child and itsfirst sequel. He co-starred withJim Belushi in 1987'sReal Men and played the lead role inBlake Edwards' 1989 filmSkin Deep. He appeared in the film version ofNoises Off, rejoined Billy Bob Thornton in theOscar-winningSling Blade (playing a kindhearted, gay, discount-store manager), and co-starred withOlivier Gruner in the 1996 action filmMercenary.
Ritter starred in many television films, includingGramps (1995), co-starring withAndy Griffith, Rob Hedden'sThe Colony (1995) withHal Linden,Stephen King'sIt,Danielle Steel's Heartbeat withPolly Draper, andIt Came from the Sky in 1999 withYasmine Bleeth. Ritter also made guest appearances on television shows, such asFelicity,Ally McBeal,Scrubs,Buffy the Vampire Slayer, andLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit. He also provided the voice of thetitle character in the animated children's showClifford the Big Red Dog and its animated film adaptationClifford's Really Big Movie (2004), a role for which he received fourEmmy nominations. His final film wasStanley's Dinosaur Round-Up (2006), an animated direct-to-DVD film based on thetelevision series, which was dedicated to his memory. At the time of his death, he was starring in8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter.[8][9]
In 2000, Ritter co-starred withHenry Winkler inNeil Simon'sThe Dinner Party at theMusic Box Theatre onBroadway, portraying Claude Pichon.[10] It ran for 364 performances. Ritter won theTheatre World Award in 2001 for his performance in that work.[11]
He starred in "J For J" at LA's Court Theatre from March 14 – April 21, 2002, alongside Jeff Kober and Jenny Sullivan. It was directed by Joseph Fuqua and written by Jenny Sullivan.[12] In 2003, Ritter made his final stage appearance inAll About Eve at theAhmanson Theatre.
On October 16, 1977, Ritter married actressNancy Morgan, with whom he had three children. They divorced on September 1, 1996.[13] He married actressAmy Yasbeck on September 18, 1999, at theMurphy Theatre in Wilmington, Ohio.[14] They had a child born five years to the day before Ritter's death.[15] Yasbeck played his love interest in the first twoProblem Child films, though as two different characters. Yasbeck also played Ritter's wife in two sitcom appearances. In 1991, both were guest stars onThe Cosby Show, in which Yasbeck played the in-labor wife of Ritter's basketball coach character. In 1996, Ritter guest-starred on Yasbeck's sitcom,Wings, as the estranged husband of Yasbeck's character, Casey.
On September 11, 2003, Ritter was rehearsing for8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter on theWalt Disney Studios lot inBurbank, California, when he suddenly fell ill: sweating profusely, vomiting, and complaining of chest pain. He was taken across the street to theProvidence Saint Joseph Medical Center (the same hospital where he had been born)[3] at 6:00 pm. Ritter was initially treated by emergency room physicians for an assumed heart attack; however, his condition quickly worsened.[16] Ritter was then diagnosed withaortic dissection and taken into surgery, but was pronounced dead at 10:48 pm, at the age of 54.[3][17]
A private funeral for Ritter was held in Los Angeles on September 15, 2003, after which he was interred atForest Lawn Memorial Park inHollywood Hills.[18][19]
In 2008, Ritter's widow Amy Yasbeck, on behalf of herself and Ritter's children, filed lawsuits against doctors involved in Ritter's treatment and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. A number of those lawsuits weresettled out of court, for a total of $14 million, including a settlement for $9.4 million with Providence St. Joseph.[20] A$67 millionwrongful-death lawsuit against two of the physicians, radiologist Matthew Lotysch and cardiologist Joseph Lee, went to trial in 2008.[20] Yasbeck accused Lee, who treated Ritter on the day of his death, of misdiagnosing his condition as a heart attack and Lotysch, who had given him afull-body scan two years earlier, of failing at that time to detect an enlargement of Ritter's aorta.[21] In 2008, at theLos Angeles County Superior Court, the jury concluded that the doctors who treated Ritter the day he died were not negligent and thus were not responsible for his death.[22][23]
Many of Ritter's colleagues expressed sorrow following the news of his death.Zach Braff, who worked with Ritter onScrubs, called Ritter a "comic hero" of his and said he had approached series creatorBill Lawrence to get Ritter to play his characterJ.D.'s father[24] (which Ritter did for two episodes and was slated to return for a third the week following his death).Katey Sagal testified in the wrongful death lawsuit, calling Ritter a "funny man who was funny like nobody's business".[25] HisThree's Company co-starJoyce DeWitt remarked he was "Impossible to forget. Impossible not to love."[26]
8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter was later retitled8 Simple Rules following Ritter's death and continued for one and a half more seasons before its cancellation in 2005. Ritter's character, Paul Hennessy, was said to have died after collapsing in a grocery store while buying milk. ABC aired the first three episodes of the show's second season that had been taped before his death, each of which was introduced by Katey Sagal. The remainder of the show dealt with the family trying to grapple with Paul's death. New male characters, played byJames Garner andDavid Spade, were later added to the main cast as Ritter's replacements. Shortly before his death, Ritter had done a week-long taping withHollywood Squares, which was aired as a tribute to him, introduced byHenry Winkler, the executive producer of the show and a very close friend of Ritter's. Four days after Ritter's death,Nick at Nite ran an all-nightThree's Company marathon dedicated to his memory.[27]
In 2004, Ritter wasposthumously given an Emmy nomination for playing Paul Hennessy in8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter but lost toKelsey Grammer for his performances as thetitle character ofFrasier. Upon accepting his trophy, Grammer's remarks included comments made in tribute and remembrance of Ritter.[28] Ritter's final films,Bad Santa andClifford's Really Big Movie, along witha Season 4 episode ofScrubs (his character in this series died, as well), the Season 8King of the Hill episode "Stressed for Success" (in which he played music teacher Eugene Grandy) andStanley's Dinosaur Round-Up (in which he played Great Uncle Stew) were all dedicated to his memory.[29]
On June 6, 2008, Hollywood High School dedicated a mural of Ritter painted by Eloy Torrez.[30] In March 2010, the Thoracic Aortic Disease (TAD) Coalition, in partnership with Yasbeck and the John Ritter Foundation (JRF), announced the creation of the "Ritter Rules" which are life-saving reminders to recognize, treat and prevent thoracic aortic dissection. The purpose of the JRF is to provide accurate information to the general public about the disease and its risk factors, provide support to individuals who have thoracic aortic disease or have lost a loved one to the disease, and improve the identification of individuals at risk for aortic dissections and the treatment of thoracic aortic disease through medical research. Yasbeck worked with theUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) to establish the John Ritter Research Program in Aortic and Vascular Diseases with the goal of preventing premature deaths due to aortic dissection by identifying genetic mutations that predispose individuals to thoracicaortic aneurysms and dissections.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Barefoot Executive | Roger | Film debut |
| Scandalous John | Wendell | ||
| 1972 | The Other | Rider | |
| 1973 | The Stone Killer | Hart | |
| 1975 | The Prisoner of Second Avenue | Elevator Passenger | Uncredited |
| 1976 | Nickelodeon | Franklin Frank | |
| 1977 | Breakfast in Bed | Paul | Short film |
| 1979 | Americathon | President Chet Roosevelt | |
| 1980 | Hero at Large | Steve Nichols | |
| Wholly Moses! | Satan (The Devil) | ||
| 1981 | They All Laughed | Charles Rutledge | |
| 1982 | The Flight of Dragons | Peter Dickinson | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 1987 | Real Men | Bob Wilson, Agent Pillbox, CIA | |
| 1989 | Skin Deep | Zachary "Zach" Hutton | |
| 1990 | Problem Child | Benjamin "Ben" Healy Jr. | |
| 1991 | Problem Child 2 | ||
| The Real Story of O Christmas Tree | Piney | Voice, direct-to-video[31] | |
| 1992 | Noises Off | Garry Lejeune, Roger Tramplemain | |
| Stay Tuned | Roy Knable | Voice[31] | |
| 1994 | North | Ward Nelson | |
| 1996 | Sling Blade | Vaughan Cunningham | |
| Mercenary | Jonas Ambler | Direct-to-video | |
| 1997 | Nowhere | Moses Helper | |
| A Gun, a Car, a Blonde | Duncan, The Bartender | ||
| Hacks | Hank | ||
| 1998 | Montana | Dr. Wexler | |
| The Truth About Lying | Simon Barker | ||
| Shadow of Doubt | Steven Mayer | ||
| I Woke Up Early the Day I Died | Robert Forrest | ||
| Bride of Chucky | Police Chief Warren Kincaid | ||
| 2000 | Panic | Dr. Josh Parks | |
| Tripfall | Tom Williams | ||
| Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel | Christian Therapist | ||
| Terror Tract | Bob Carter | ||
| Tadpole | Stanley Grubman | ||
| 2001 | Nuncrackers | Narrator | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Man of the Year | Bill | |
| 2003 | Manhood | Eli | |
| Bad Santa | Bob Chipeska | Posthumous release; final live-action film | |
| 2004 | Clifford's Really Big Movie | Clifford the Big Red Dog | Voice, posthumous release; dedicated in memory[31] |
| 2006 | Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up | Great Uncle Stew | Voice, posthumous release; final film role; dedicated in memory[31] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | The Dating Game | Contestant | Selected as the "Winning Bachelor" |
| 1968 | Crazy World, Crazy People | Various characters | TV special |
| 1970 | Dan August | Coley Smith | Episode: "Quadrangle for Death" |
| 1971 | Hawaii Five-O | Ryan Moore, Mike Welles | 2 episodes |
| 1972–1976 | The Waltons | Rev. Matthew Fordwick | Recurring role (18 episodes) |
| 1973 | Medical Center | Ronnie | Episode: "End of the Line" |
| Bachelor-at-Law | Ben Sykes | Unsold pilot | |
| M*A*S*H | Pvt. Carter | Episode: "Deal Me Out" | |
| 1974 | Kojak | Kenny Soames | Episode: "Deliver Us Some Evil" |
| Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | Greg | Episode: "To Keep and Bear Arms" | |
| The Bob Newhart Show | Dave | Episode: "Sorry, Wrong Mother" | |
| 1975 | Movin' On | Casey | Episode: "Landslide" |
| Rhoda | Vince Mazuma | Episode: "Chest Pains" | |
| Mannix | Cliff Elgin | Episode: "Hardball" | |
| Great Performances | Richard | Episode: "Who's Happy Now?" | |
| The Bob Crane Show | Hornbeck | Episode: "Son of the Campus Capers" | |
| Petrocelli | John Oleson | Episode: "Chain of Command" | |
| Barnaby Jones | Joe Rockwell | Episode: "The Price of Terror" | |
| The Streets of San Francisco | John 'Johnny' Steiner | Episode: "Murder by Proxy" | |
| The Night That Panicked America | Walter Wingate | TV film | |
| The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Reverend Chatfield | Episode: "Ted's Wedding" | |
| The Rookies | Hap Dawson | Episode: "Reluctant Hero" | |
| 1976 | Starsky & Hutch | Tom Cole | Episode: "The Hostages" |
| Doc | Jeff, George | Episode: "A Little Bit of Soap" | |
| Rhoda | Jerry Blocker | Episode: "Attack on Mr. Right" | |
| Phyllis | Paul Jameson | Episode: "The New Job" | |
| 1977–1984 | Three's Company | Jack Tripper | Lead role (174 episodes) |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Dale Riley | Episode: "Oh, Dale" |
| Tattletales | Himself (panelist) | Syndication | |
| 1978 | Ringo | Marty Flesh | TV film |
| Leave Yesterday Behind | Paul Stallings | ||
| $25,000 Pyramid | Himself (panelist) | Syndication | |
| 1979 | The Ropers | Jack Tripper | Episode: "The Party" |
| 1980 | The Associates | Chick | Episode: "The Censors" |
| The Comeback Kid | Bubba Newman | TV film | |
| John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and Body | Himself, Various Characters | TV special | |
| 1981 | Insight | Frankie | Episode: "Little Miseries" |
| 1982 | Pray TV | Tom McPherson | TV film |
| In Love with an Older Woman | Robert Christenberry | ||
| The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show | Himself (guest star) | TV special | |
| 1983 | Sunset Limousine | Alan O'Black | TV film |
| The Love Boat | Ben Cummins | Episode: "The Emperor's Fortune" | |
| 1984 | Love Thy Neighbor | Danny Loeb | TV film |
| Pryor's Place | Himself (guest star) | Episode: "The Showoff" | |
| 1984–1985 | Three's a Crowd | Jack Tripper | Lead role (22 episodes) |
| 1985 | Letting Go | Alex Schuster | TV film |
| 1986 | Unnatural Causes | Frank Coleman | |
| A Smoky Mountain Christmas | Judge Harold Benton | ||
| Life with Lucy | Himself (guest star) | Episode: "Lucy Makes a Hit with John Ritter" | |
| 1987 | The Last Fling | Phillip Reed | TV film |
| Prison for Children | David Royce | ||
| 1987–1989 | Hooperman | Det. Harry Hooperman | Lead role (42 episodes) |
| 1988 | Mickey's 60th Birthday | Dudley Goode | TV special |
| Tricks of the Trade | Donald Todsen | TV film | |
| 1989 | Have Faith | Rick Shepherd | Episode: "The Window" |
| My Brother's Wife | Barney Rusher | TV film | |
| 1990 | It | Ben Hanscom | TV miniseries |
| The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story | L. Frank Baum | TV film | |
| 1991 | The Cosby Show | Ray Evans | Episode: "Total Control" |
| The Summer My Father Grew Up | Dr. Paul Saunders | TV film | |
| Anything but Love | Patrick Serreau | Recurring role (5 episodes) | |
| 1992 | Fish Police | Inspector Gill | Voice, 6 episodes |
| 1992–1995 | Hearts Afire | John Hartman | Lead role (54 episodes) |
| 1993 | Heartbeat | Bill Grant | Television film |
| The Only Way Out | Jeremy Carlisle[32] | ||
| The Larry Sanders Show | Himself (guest star) | Episode: "Off Camera" | |
| 1994 | Dave's World | John Hartman | Episode: "Please Won't You Be My Neighbor" |
| 1995 | Gramps | Clarke MacGruder | TV film |
| The Colony | Rick Knowlton | ||
| NewsRadio | Dr. Frank Westford | Episode: "The Shrink" | |
| The Larry Sanders Show | Himself (guest star) | Episode: "The Fourteenth Floor" | |
| 1996 | Unforgivable | Paul Hegstrom | TV film |
| Wings | Stuart Davenport | Episode: "Love Overboard" | |
| For Hope | Date No. 5 | TV film (uncredited)[33] | |
| Touched by an Angel | Mike O'Connor, Tom McKinsley | 2 episodes | |
| 1997 | Loss of Faith | Bruce Simon Barker | TV film |
| A Child's Wish | Ed Chandler | ||
| Dead Man's Gun | Harry McDonacle | Segment: "The Great McDonacle" | |
| Over the Top | Justin Talbot | Episode: "The Nemesis" | |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Ted Buchanan | Episode: "Ted" | |
| 1997–2004 | King of the Hill | Eugene Grandy | Voice, 4 episodes |
| 1998 | Chance of a Lifetime | Tom Maguire | TV film |
| Ally McBeal | George Madison | 2 episodes | |
| Dead Husbands | Dr. Carter Elston | TV film | |
| 1999 | Veronica's Closet | Tim | Episode: "Veronica's Favorite Year" |
| Holy Joe | Rev. Joe Cass | TV film | |
| It Came from the Sky | Donald Bridges | ||
| Lethal Vows | Dr. David Farris | ||
| 2000–2003 | Clifford the Big Red Dog | Clifford | Voice, main role |
| 2000 | Chicago Hope | Joe Dysmerski | Episode: "Simon Sez" |
| Batman Beyond | Dr. David Wheeler | Voice, episode: "The Last Resort"[31] | |
| Family Law | Father Andrews | Episode: "Possession is Nine Tenths of the Law" | |
| 2000–2002 | Felicity | Mr. Andrew Covington | Recurring role (7 episodes) |
| 2001 | Tucker | Marty | Episode: "Homewrecker for the Holidays" |
| 2002 | The Ellen Show | Percy Moss | Episode: "Gathering Moss" |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dr. Richard Manning | Episode: "Monogamy" | |
| Breaking News | Lloyd Fuchs | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Scrubs | Sam Dorian | Special guest role (seasons 1-2); 2 episodes | |
| 2002–2003 | 8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter | Paul Hennessy | Lead role; 31 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Clifford the Big Red Dog: Learning Activities[34][31] | Clifford | |
| 2002 | Clifford the Big Red Dog: Musical Memory Games[35] | ||
| 2003 | Clifford the Big Red Dog: Phonics[36][31] | Posthumous release |
| Association | Year | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daytime Emmy Awards | 2001 | Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program | Clifford the Big Red Dog | Nominated |
| 2002 | ||||
| 2003 | ||||
| 2004 | ||||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 1978 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Three's Company | |
| 1981 | ||||
| 1984 | Won | |||
| 1988 | Hooperman | Nominated | ||
| 1999 | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Ally McBeal | ||
| 2004 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | 8 Simple Rules | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | 1979 | Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy | Three's Company | |
| 1980 | ||||
| 1984 | Won | |||
| 1987 | Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | Unnatural Causes | Nominated | |
| 1988 | Best TV Actor in a Musical/Comedy | Hooperman | ||
| People's Choice Awards | 1988 | Favorite Male Performer in a New TV Program[37] | Hooperman | Won |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | 1997 | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Sling Blade (shared w/co-stars) | Nominated |
'I'd like to take a minute to pay respect to John Ritter and his family,' Grammer said the actor who received a posthumous nomination in the category. 'He was a terrific guy and his death was a shock to all of us. He will be missed not only for his kindness but for his work.'
...Clifford (voiced, as on TV, by the late John Ritter, to whom the movie is fittingly dedicated)...
