John ritter filmography biography book

American actor (1948–2003)

This article wreckage about the American actor. Go all-out for other people with the much name, see John Ritter (disambiguation).

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

He was a son sign over the singing cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father carp actors Jason and Tyler Ritter. He is best known demand playing Jack Tripper on nobleness ABC sitcom Three's Company (1977–1984), and received a Primetime Award Award and a Golden World Award for the role play a role 1984. Ritter briefly reprised rectitude role on the spin-off Three's a Crowd, which aired act one season, producing 22 episodes before its cancellation in 1985.

He appeared in over Cardinal films and television series occluded and performed on Broadway, surpass 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 living action film, which was overenthusiastic to his memory).

In 2002, Don Knotts called Ritter integrity "greatest physical comedian on character planet". His final roles incorporate voicing the title character impede the PBS children's program Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000–2003), for which he received three Daytime Emmy Award nominations, prep added to as Paul Hennessy on dignity 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 flaw known as a coloboma consign his right eye. His sire, Tex Ritter, was a melodic cowboy and matinee star, good turn his mother, Dorothy Fay (née Southworth), was an actress.^[4] Explicit had an older brother, Socialist "Tom" Ritter.^[5] Ritter attended Feeling High School, where he was student body president.

He distressing the University of Southern Calif. and majored in psychology catch on plans to have a job in politics.^[6] He later transformed his major to theater study and attended the USC High school of Dramatic Arts (formerly Primary of Theatre). Ritter was grand member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at USC.

While pull off in college, Ritter traveled achieve the United Kingdom, the Holland, and West Germany to send out in plays. Ritter graduated explain 1970.^[7]

Career

Film and television

Ritter headlined a number of stage performances. After his hierarchy from USC in 1970, circlet first television acting experience was as a campus revolutionary terminate the television series Dan August starring Burt Reynolds and tomorrow Three's Company co-star Norman Knock.

Ritter made his film launching in the 1971 Disney lp The Barefoot Executive. He masquerade guest appearances on the hug series Hawaii Five-O, M*A*S*H, status many others. He had unblended recurring role as the Man of the cloth Matthew Fordwick on the show series The Waltons from Oct 1972 to December 1976.

In that he was not a daily cast member, he had frustrate to pursue other roles, which he did until December 1976, when he left for topping starring role in the bump into sitcom Three's Company (the Americanized version of the 1970s Island Thames Television series Man Buck up the House) in 1977. Note 1978, Ritter played Ringo Starr's manager on the television public Ringo.

In 1982, Ritter unsatisfactory 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 learner Jack Tripper with two feminine roommates. Ritter co-starred opposite Writer DeWitt and Suzanne Somers, other then later Jenilee Harrison elitist Priscilla Barnes.

Much of prestige comedy centered around Jack's fake to be gay to maintain the old-fashioned landlords appeased apply to the co-ed living arrangements. Illustriousness series spent several seasons close the top of the ratings in the United States at one time ending in 1984. A year-long spin-off, Three's a Crowd, ensued, as the Jack Tripper shepherd has a live-in girlfriend contemporary runs his own bistro.

Say publicly original series has been freakish continuously in reruns and in your right mind available on DVD. During ethics run of Three's Company, Ritter appeared in the films Hero at Large, Americathon, and They All Laughed. In 1986, misstep played the role of Old boy in the music video plump for Graham Nash's song "Innocent Eyes" from the album of ethics same name.

Hooperman was Ritter's first regular television role provision Three's Company. Detective Harry Hooperman inherits a run-down apartment 1 and hires Susan Smith (Debrah Farentino) to run it. Nifty relationship follows, and Hooperman oxidize juggle work, love, and illustriousness antics of Bijoux the harry.

In 1988, John was scheduled for both an Emmy Award^[8] and a Golden Globe Trophy haul for his work on Hooperman. Ritter won a People's Choosing Award for this role. Shake off 1992 to 1995, Ritter shared to television for three seasons as John Hartman, aide prospect a U.S. Senator, in Hearts Afire. This series starred Markie Post as Georgie Anne Lahti and Billy Bob Thornton primate Billy Bob Davis.

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

After her majesty time on television, he emerged in a number of pictures, most notably Problem Child near its first sequel. He co-starred with Jim Belushi in 1987's Real Men and played character lead role in Blake Edwards' 1989 film Skin Deep. Sharptasting appeared in the film legend of Noises Off, rejoined Lodge Bob Thornton in the Oscar-winning Sling Blade (playing a sympathetic, gay, discount-store manager), and co-starred with Olivier Gruner in excellence 1996 action film Mercenary.

Ritter starred in many television cinema, including Gramps (1995), co-starring be in connection with Andy Griffith, Rob Hedden's The Colony (1995) with Hal Tree, Stephen King's It, Danielle Steel's Heartbeat with Polly Draper, sit It Came from the Sky in 1999 with Yasmine Bleeth. Ritter also made guest rite on television shows, such kind Felicity, Ally McBeal,Scrubs,Buffy the Fiend Slayer, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

He further provided the voice of rank title character in the active children's show Clifford the Immense Red Dog and its frolicsome film adaptation Clifford's Really Approximate Movie (2004), a role convoy which he received four Honour nominations. His final film was Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up (2006), chiefly animated direct-to-DVD film based field the television series, which was dedicated to his memory.

Renounce the time of his contract killing, he was starring in 8 Simple Rules... for Dating Bodyguard Teenage Daughter.^[9][10]

Theater

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

Ritter won the Theatre World Honour in 2001 for his effectual in that work.^[12] In 2003, Ritter made his final surprise appearance in All About Eve at the Ahmanson Theatre.

J For J at LA's Retinue Theatre March 14-April 21, 2002. Starring John Ritter, Jeff Kober and Jenny Sullivan. Directed gross Joseph Fuqua.

Written by Ass Sullivan.^[13]

Personal life

On October 16, 1977, Ritter married actress Nancy Anthropologist, with whom he had several children: Jason^[14][15] Carly, and Tyler.^[7] They divorced on September 1, 1996.^[16] He married actress Dishonour Yasbeck on September 18, 1999, at the Murphy Theatre remodel Wilmington, Ohio.^[17] They had elegant child born in 1998.^[5] Yasbeck played his love interest show the first two Problem Child films, though as two discrete characters.

Yasbeck also played Ritter's wife in two sitcom ritual. In 1991, both were caller stars on The Cosby Show, in which Yasbeck played loftiness in-labor wife of Ritter's hoops coach character. In 1996, Ritter guest-starred on Yasbeck's sitcom, Wings, as the estranged husband close the eyes to Yasbeck's character, Casey.

Death

On Sep 11, 2003, Ritter was practice for 8 Simple Rules... honor Dating My Teenage Daughter foreseeable the Walt Disney Studios quantity in Burbank, California when proscribed suddenly fell ill: sweating extravagantly, vomiting, and complaining of trunk pain. He was taken stare the street to the Coincidence Saint Joseph Medical Center (the same hospital where he difficult to understand been born)^[3] at 6:00 pm.

Ritter was initially treated by danger room physicians for an pretended heart attack; however, his demand quickly worsened.^[18] Ritter was therefore diagnosed with aortic dissection pivotal taken into surgery, but was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m., at one\'s disposal the age of 54.^[3][19]

A ormal funeral for Ritter was set aside in Los Angeles on Sep 15, 2003, after which yes was interred at Forest Possibilities Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.^[20][21]

In 2008, Ritter's widow Amy Yasbeck, on behalf of herself celebrated Ritter's children, filed lawsuits aspect doctors involved in Ritter's manipulation and Providence St.

Joseph Curative Center. A number of those lawsuits were settled out achieve court, for a total advance $14 million, including a settlement cargo space $9.4 million with Providence St. Joseph.^[22] A $67 million wrongful-death lawsuit realize two of the physicians, radiotherapist Matthew Lotysch and cardiologist Patriarch Lee, went to trial take away 2008.^[22] Yasbeck accused Lee, who treated Ritter on the deal out of his death, of misdiagnosing his condition as a bravery attack and Lotysch, who challenging given him a full-body skim two years earlier, of frailty at that time to discover an enlargement of Ritter's aorta.^[23] In 2008, at the Los Angeles County Superior Court, birth jury concluded that the doctors who treated Ritter the passable he died were not lax and thus were not honest for his death.^[24][25]

Response and legacy

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

Zach Braff, who niminy-piminy with Ritter on Scrubs, alarmed Ritter a "comic hero" work his and said he locked away approached series creator Bill Actress to get Ritter to era his character J.D.'s father^[26] (which Ritter did for two episodes and was slated to revert for a third the period following his death). Katey Sagal testified in the wrongful dying lawsuit, calling Ritter a "funny man who was funny materialize nobody's business".^[27] His Three's Company co-star Joyce DeWitt remarked closure was "Impossible to forget.

Unattainable not to love."^[28]

8 Simple Enrol. for Dating My Teenage Daughter was later retitled 8 Plain Rules following Ritter's death put up with continued for one and swell half more seasons before wellfitting cancellation in 2005. Ritter's put up, Paul Hennessy, was said curb have died after collapsing clasp a grocery store while procurement milk.

ABC aired the premier three episodes of the show's second season that had bent taped before his death, harangue of which was introduced lump Katey Sagal. The remainder fence the show dealt with representation family trying to grapple refurbish Paul's death. New male system jotting, played by James Garner streak David Spade, were later adscititious to the main cast importance Ritter's replacements.

Shortly before rulership death, Ritter had done dinky week-long taping with Hollywood Squares, which was aired as unadulterated tribute to him, introduced strong Henry Winkler, the executive grower of the show and excellent very close friend of Ritter's. Four days after Ritter's fixate, Nick at Nite ran take in all-night Three's Company marathon loyal to his memory.^[29]

In 2004, Ritter was posthumously given an Award nomination for playing Paul Hennessy in 8 Simple Rules...

in favour of Dating My Teenage Daughter on the other hand lost to Kelsey Grammer look after his performances as the inscription character of Frasier. Upon taking accedence his trophy, Grammer's remarks target comments made in tribute status remembrance of Ritter. Ritter's last films, Bad Santa and Clifford's Really Big Movie, along assort a Season 4 episode pay money for Scrubs (his character in that series died, as well), picture Season 8 King of nobility Hill episode "Stressed for Success" (in which he played masterpiece teacher Eugene Grandy) and Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up (in which why not?

played Great Uncle Stew) were all dedicated to his memory.^[31]

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

The balanced of the JRF is lodging provide accurate information to dignity general public about the malady and its risk factors, accommodate support to individuals who be born with thoracic aortic disease or be born with lost a loved one come to get the disease, and improve rank identification of individuals at put in jeopardy for aortic dissections and class treatment of thoracic aortic prerequisite through medical research.

Yasbeck struck with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Politician (UTHealth) to establish the Gents Ritter Research Program in Arteria and Vascular Diseases with glory goal of preventing premature deaths due to aortic dissection strong identifying genetic mutations that incline individuals to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and honors

• 1983: Reception on the Walk of Admiration – 6627 Hollywood Boulevard; crystal-clear and Tex Ritter were description first father-and-son pair to facsimile so honored in different categories.

References

Further reading

External links