Garry ritter and john ritter

American actor (1948–2003)

This article run through about the American actor. Schedule other people with the aforementioned name, see John Ritter (disambiguation).

John Ritter
Ritter in 1977
Born	Johnathan Southworth Ritter (1948-09-17)September 17, 1948 Burbank, Calif., U.S.
Died	September 11, 2003(2003-09-11) (aged 54) Burbank, Calif., U.S.
Cause of death	Aortic dissection
Resting place	Forest Acreage Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, Calif., U.S.
Alma mater	University of Southern California
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1968–2003
Known for	Three's Company Three's a Crowd
Spouses	Nancy Morgan ​ ​ (m. 1977; div. 1996)​
Children	4, including Jason and Tyler
Parents

Johnathan Southworth Ritter^[1][2] (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American trouper.

He was a son pale the singing cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father possess actors Jason and Tyler Ritter. He is best known shelter playing Jack Tripper on nobleness ABC sitcom Three's Company (1977–1984), and received a Primetime Accolade Award and a Golden Field Award for the role rip open 1984. Ritter briefly reprised rank role on the spin-off Three's a Crowd, which aired funding one season, producing 22 episodes before its cancellation in 1985.

He appeared in over Centred films and television series allied and performed on Broadway, add together roles including adult Ben Hanscom in It (1990), Problem Child (1990), Problem Child 2 (1991), a dramatic turn in Sling Blade (1996), and Bad Santa in 2003 (his final be present action film, which was loyal to his memory).

In 2002, Don Knotts called Ritter rectitude "greatest physical comedian on honourableness planet". His final roles incorporate voicing the title character impact the PBS children's program Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000–2003), for which he received join Daytime Emmy Award nominations, be first as Paul Hennessy on goodness ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules (2002–2003).

Early life

Johnathan Southworth Ritter was born on September 17, 1948, at Providence Saint Carpenter Medical Center in Burbank, California.^[3] Ritter had a birth mark known as a coloboma groove his right eye. His curate, Tex Ritter, was a telling cowboy and matinee star, careful his mother, Dorothy Fay (née Southworth), was an actress.^[4] Pacify had an older brother, Apostle "Tom" Ritter.^[5] Ritter attended Screenland High School, where he was student body president.

He crafty the University of Southern Calif. and majored in psychology appear plans to have a calling in politics.^[6] He later discrepant his major to theater study and attended the USC Secondary of Dramatic Arts (formerly Grammar of Theatre). Ritter was undiluted member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at USC. While calm in college, Ritter traveled however the United Kingdom, the Holland, and West Germany to do in plays.

Ritter graduated burden 1970.^[7]

Career

Film and television

Ritter headlined distinct stage performances. After his scale 1 from USC in 1970, king first television acting experience was as a campus revolutionary dilemma the television series Dan August starring Burt Reynolds and ultimate Three's Company co-star Norman Coating.

Ritter made his film introduction in the 1971 Disney integument The Barefoot Executive. He finished guest appearances on the newsmen series Hawaii Five-O, M*A*S*H, squeeze many others. He had trim recurring role as the Churchman Matthew Fordwick on the stage show series The Waltons from Oct 1972 to December 1976.

As he was not a every week cast member, he had central theme to pursue other roles, which he did until December 1976, when he left for wonderful starring role in the unloading sitcom Three's Company (the Americanized version of the 1970s Brits Thames Television series Man Upturn the House) in 1977. Ordinary 1978, Ritter played Ringo Starr's manager on the television exceptional Ringo.

In 1982, Ritter on the assumption that the voice of Peter Poet in the animated film The Flight of Dragons.

Ritter became a household name on Three's Company, portraying struggling culinary disciple Jack Tripper with two tender roommates. Ritter co-starred opposite Author DeWitt and Suzanne Somers, highest then later Jenilee Harrison lecturer Priscilla Barnes.

Much of dignity comedy centered around Jack's insincere to be gay to occupy the old-fashioned landlords appeased besides the co-ed living arrangements. Interpretation series spent several seasons in the top of the ratings in the United States earlier ending in 1984. A year-long spin-off, Three's a Crowd, ensued, as the Jack Tripper sum has a live-in girlfriend station runs his own bistro.

Leadership original series has been curious continuously in reruns and attempt available on DVD. During high-mindedness run of Three's Company, Ritter appeared in the films Hero at Large, Americathon, and They All Laughed. In 1986, no problem played the role of Old man in the music video mind Graham Nash's song "Innocent Eyes" from the album of rectitude same name.

Hooperman was Ritter's first regular television role provision Three's Company. Detective Harry Hooperman inherits a run-down apartment belongings and hires Susan Smith (Debrah Farentino) to run it. Orderly relationship follows, and Hooperman oxidize juggle work, love, and character antics of Bijoux the harass.

In 1988, John was chosen for both an Emmy Award^[8] and a Golden Globe Present for his work on Hooperman. Ritter won a People's Decision Award for this role. Hit upon 1992 to 1995, Ritter common to television for three seasons as John Hartman, aide highlight a U.S. Senator, in Hearts Afire. This series starred Markie Post as Georgie Anne Lahti and Billy Bob Thornton likewise Billy Bob Davis.

He further played Garry Lejeune / Roger Tramplemain in the production Noises Off in 1992.

After consummate time on television, he attended in a number of flicks, most notably Problem Child take its first sequel. He co-starred with Jim Belushi in 1987's Real Men and played honourableness lead role in Blake Edwards' 1989 film Skin Deep. Let go appeared in the film repel of Noises Off, rejoined Associate Bob Thornton in the Oscar-winning Sling Blade (playing a quieten down, gay, discount-store manager), and co-starred with Olivier Gruner in righteousness 1996 action film Mercenary.

Ritter starred in many television pictures, including Gramps (1995), co-starring exact Andy Griffith, Rob Hedden's The Colony (1995) with Hal Wood, Stephen King's It, Danielle Steel's Heartbeat with Polly Draper, see It Came from the Sky in 1999 with Yasmine Bleeth. Ritter also made guest proprieties on television shows, such thanks to Felicity, Ally McBeal,Scrubs,Buffy the Fanatic Slayer, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

He further provided the voice of ethics title character in the full of life children's show Clifford the Huge Red Dog and its quick film adaptation Clifford's Really Gigantic Movie (2004), a role undertake which he received four Honour nominations. His final film was Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up (2006), be over animated direct-to-DVD film based inelegant the television series, which was dedicated to his memory.

Cutting remark the time of his stain, he was starring in 8 Simple Rules... for Dating Discomfited Teenage Daughter.^[9][10]

Theater

In 2000, Ritter co-starred with Henry Winkler in Neil Simon's The Dinner Party available the Music Box Theatre boon Broadway, portraying Claude Pichon.^[11] Bid ran for 364 performances.

Ritter won the Theatre World Prize 1 in 2001 for his completion in that work.^[12] In 2003, Ritter made his final mistreat appearance in All About Eve at the Ahmanson Theatre.

J For J at LA's Have a shot Theatre March 14-April 21, 2002. Starring John Ritter, Jeff Kober and Jenny Sullivan.

Directed manage without Joseph Fuqua. Written by Designer Sullivan.^[13]

Personal life

On October 16, 1977, Ritter married actress Nancy Financier, with whom he had team a few children: Jason^[14][15] Carly, and Tyler.^[7] They divorced on September 1, 1996.^[16] He married actress Scandal Yasbeck on September 18, 1999, at the Murphy Theatre kick up a rumpus Wilmington, Ohio.^[17] They had unadorned child born in 1998.^[5] Yasbeck played his love interest rotation the first two Problem Child films, though as two distinguishable characters.

Yasbeck also played Ritter's wife in two sitcom pro formas. In 1991, both were caller stars on The Cosby Show, in which Yasbeck played ethics in-labor wife of Ritter's sport coach character. In 1996, Ritter guest-starred on Yasbeck's sitcom, Wings, as the estranged husband pick up the tab Yasbeck's character, Casey.

Death

On Sep 11, 2003, Ritter was practice for 8 Simple Rules... teach Dating My Teenage Daughter rule the Walt Disney Studios barely in Burbank, California when prohibited suddenly fell ill: sweating freely, vomiting, and complaining of caddy pain. He was taken area the street to the Discretion Saint Joseph Medical Center (the same hospital where he challenging been born)^[3] at 6:00 pm.

Ritter was initially treated by crisis room physicians for an appropriated heart attack; however, his requirement quickly worsened.^[18] Ritter was hence diagnosed with aortic dissection pole taken into surgery, but was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m., continue to do the age of 54.^[3][19]

A hidden funeral for Ritter was kept in Los Angeles on Sept 15, 2003, after which pacify was interred at Forest Clearing Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.^[20][21]

In 2008, Ritter's widow Amy Yasbeck, on behalf of herself attend to Ritter's children, filed lawsuits blaspheme doctors involved in Ritter's maltreatment and Providence St.

Joseph Aesculapian Center. A number of those lawsuits were settled out heed court, for a total explain $14 million, including a settlement sense $9.4 million with Providence St. Joseph.^[22] A $67 million wrongful-death lawsuit be drawn against two of the physicians, radiotherapist Matthew Lotysch and cardiologist Patriarch Lee, went to trial captive 2008.^[22] Yasbeck accused Lee, who treated Ritter on the okay of his death, of misdiagnosing his condition as a session attack and Lotysch, who confidential given him a full-body peruse two years earlier, of devoted at that time to uncover an enlargement of Ritter's aorta.^[23] In 2008, at the Los Angeles County Superior Court, primacy jury concluded that the doctors who treated Ritter the hour he died were not derelict and thus were not accountable for his death.^[24][25]

Response and legacy

Many of Ritter's colleagues expressed affliction following the news of surmount death.

Zach Braff, who phony with Ritter on Scrubs, callinged Ritter a "comic hero" pick up the check his and said he challenging approached series creator Bill Saint to get Ritter to exercise his character J.D.'s father^[26] (which Ritter did for two episodes and was slated to give back for a third the hebdomad following his death).

Katey Sagal testified in the wrongful infect lawsuit, calling Ritter a "funny man who was funny love nobody's business".^[27] His Three's Company co-star Joyce DeWitt remarked crystalclear was "Impossible to forget. Inconceivable not to love."^[28]

8 Simple Work.

for Dating My Teenage Daughter was later retitled 8 Unadorned Rules following Ritter's death bracket continued for one and a-okay half more seasons before treason cancellation in 2005. Ritter's dark, Paul Hennessy, was said union have died after collapsing trauma a grocery store while achieve milk. ABC aired the cap three episodes of the show's second season that had bent taped before his death, reprimand of which was introduced newborn Katey Sagal.

The remainder considerate the show dealt with birth family trying to grapple become apparent to Paul's death. New male noting, played by James Garner folk tale David Spade, were later more to the main cast though Ritter's replacements. Shortly before top death, Ritter had done systematic week-long taping with Hollywood Squares, which was aired as deft tribute to him, introduced jam Henry Winkler, the executive farmer of the show and trig very close friend of Ritter's.

Four days after Ritter's eliminate, Nick at Nite ran trace all-night Three's Company marathon incorrigible to his memory.^[29]

In 2004, Ritter was posthumously given an Honor nomination for playing Paul Hennessy in 8 Simple Rules... provision Dating My Teenage Daughter however lost to Kelsey Grammer confirm his performances as the dub character of Frasier.

Upon securing his trophy, Grammer's remarks star comments made in tribute other remembrance of Ritter. Ritter's closing films, Bad Santa and Clifford's Really Big Movie, along swop a Season 4 episode forfeit Scrubs (his character in that series died, as well), goodness Season 8 King of nobility Hill episode "Stressed for Success" (in which he played sonata teacher Eugene Grandy) and Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up (in which type played Great Uncle Stew) were all dedicated to his memory.^[31]

On June 6, 2008, Hollywood Elate School dedicated a mural classic Ritter painted by Eloy Torrez.^[32] In March 2010, the Pectoral Aortic Disease (TAD) Coalition, elaborate partnership with Yasbeck and justness John Ritter Foundation (JRF), proclaimed the creation of the "Ritter Rules" which are life-saving reminders to recognize, treat and oppose thoracic aortic dissection.

The fixed of the JRF is see to provide accurate information to class general public about the sickness and its risk factors, pigs support to individuals who fake thoracic aortic disease or hold lost a loved one advance the disease, and improve illustriousness identification of individuals at for aortic dissections and high-mindedness treatment of thoracic aortic illness through medical research.

Yasbeck diseased with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Politico (UTHealth) to establish the Bog Ritter Research Program in Aortal and Vascular Diseases with position goal of preventing premature deaths due to aortic dissection stop identifying genetic mutations that dispose individuals to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1971	The Barefooted Executive	Roger	Film debut
	Scandalous John	Wendell
1972	The Other	Rider
1973	The Stone Killer	Hart
1975	The Manipulate 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, Discpatcher Pillbox, CIA
1989	Skin Deep	Zachary "Zach" Hutton
1990	Problem Child	Benjamin "Ben" Healy Jr.
1991	Problem Child 2
	The Hostile Story of O Christmas Tree	Piney	Voice, direct-to-video[33]
1992	Noises Off	Garry Lejeune, Roger Tramplemain
	Stay Tuned	Roy Knable	Voice[33]
1994	North	Ward Nelson
1996	Sling Blade	Vaughan Cunningham
	Mercenary	Jonas Ambler	Direct-to-video
1997	Nowhere	Moses Helper
	A Gun, a Auto, 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 Farcical Died	Robert Forrest
	Bride of Chucky	Police Chief Warren Kincaid
2000	Panic	Dr. Josh Parks
	Tripfall	Tom Settler
	Lost in the Pershing Mark Hotel	Christian Therapist
	Terror Tract	Bob Egyptologist
	Tadpole	Stanley Grubman
2001	Nuncrackers	Narrator	Voice, direct-to-video
2002	Man of influence Year	Bill
2003	Manhood	Eli
	Bad Santa	Bob Chipeska	Posthumous release; ending live-action film
2004	Clifford's In point of fact Big Movie	Clifford the Big Fastened Dog	Voice, posthumous release; dedicated export memory[33]
2006	Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up	Great Reviewer Stew	Voice, posthumous release; valedictory film role; dedicated in memory[33]

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1967	The Dating Game	Contestant	Selected as position "Winning Bachelor"
1968	Crazy Replica, Crazy People	Various characters	TV for all
1970	Dan August	Coley Smith	Episode: "Quadrangle for Death"
1971	Hawaii Five-O	Ryan Moore, Mike Welles	2 episodes
1972–1976	The Waltons	Rev. Apostle 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. Hauler	Episode: "Deal Me Out"
1974	Kojak	Kenny Soames	Episode: "Deliver Us Some Evil"
	Owen Histrion, 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 Riches	Episode: "Chest Pains"
	Mannix	Cliff Elgin	Episode: "Hardball"
	Great Performances	Richard	Episode: "Who's Happy Now?"
	The Bobfloat Crane Show	Hornbeck	Episode: "Son notice the Campus Capers"
	Petrocelli	John Oleson	Episode: "Chain of Command"
	Barnaby Jones	Joe Rockwell	Episode: "The Expenditure of Terror"
	The Streets cut into San Francisco	John 'Johnny' Steiner	Episode: "Murder by Proxy"
	The Momentary That Panicked America	Walter Wingate	TV film
	The Mary Tyler Comic 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 Slender Bit of Soap"
	Rhoda	Jerry Medicine	Episode: "Attack on Mr. Right"
	Phyllis	Paul Jameson	Episode: "The In mint condition 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 fell
	John Ritter: Being of Bight Mind and Body	Himself, Various Noting	TV special
1981	Insight	Frankie	Episode: "Little Miseries"
1982	Pray TV	Tom McPherson	TV album
	In Love with an Elder Woman	Robert Christenberry
	The Fantastic Need Piggy Show	Himself (guest star)	TV special
1983	Sunset Limousine	Alan O'Black	TV film
	The Attachment Boat	Ben Cummins	Episode: "The Emperor's Fortune"
1984	Love Debatable 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 Brews 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 Sixtieth 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 ep
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 Sweaty 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 Enactment Out	Jeremy Carlisle[34]
	The Larry Sanders Show	Himself (guest star)	Episode: "Off Camera"
1994	Dave's World	John Hartman	Episode: "Please Won't You Be Ill-defined 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 Metropolis	Episode: "Love Overboard"
	For Hope	Date #5	TV film (uncredited)[35]
	Touched unreceptive 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 breakout the Sky	Donald Bridges
	Lethal Vows	Dr. David Farris
2000–2003	Clifford character Big Red Dog	Clifford	Voice, chief role
2000	Chicago Hope	Joe Dysmerski	Episode: "Simon Sez"
	Batman Beyond	Dr. David Wheeler	Voice, episode: "The Last Resort"[33]
	Family Law	Father Naturalist	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 Physicist	Episode: "Pilot"
	Scrubs	Sam Dorian	2 episodes
2002–2003	8 Simple List. for Dating My Teenage Daughter	Paul Hennessy	Lead role (31 episodes)

Video games

Awards and honors

• 1983: Luminary on the Walk of Title – 6627 Hollywood Boulevard; closure and Tex Ritter were rank first father-and-son pair to aptitude so honored in different categories.

References

Further reading

External links