When was john ritter born this way
Remembering John Ritter: Some of His Best Roles
Actor John Ritter, son of legendary country star Tex Ritter, was born on September 17, 1948, and sadly died just days before his 55th birthday in 2003. He died from an aortic dissection and it was a shock to his family, friends, co-stars, and fans, especially since he was in the middle of filming the show 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. The show addressed his death by having his character pass away suddenly as well. Ritter’s death was also addressed in the show Scrubs, where he had a recurring role as the main character J.D.’s father, Sam Dorian.
In honor of Ritter’s legacy and his birthday, let’s go over some of his best roles over the years. We have to start with one of his first and perhaps most famous: Three’s Company. Don’t tell me the jingle isn’t already in your head!
Jack Tripper in ‘Three’s Company’ (1977)
Everett Collection
Ritter’s role as Jack Tripper made him a household name. He was the roommate of Janet and Chrissy, played by lovely ladies Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers. Much of the comedy centered around him being a straight man living with two women. While some of it was a bit over the top, Ritter showed off his comedic chops and it was the start to his long, yet not long enough, successful career.
Ben Healy in ‘Problem Child 1 & 2′ (1990 and 1991)
Everett Collection
Ritter played Ben Healy, a man who adopts a child named Junior with his wife. Unfortunately, the child turns out to be a nightmare, and hilarity ensues. The movie and its sequel proved that Ritter had a way with physical comedy and could pull off a heartwarming performance. He actually met his second wife, Amy Yasbeck, while working on the film. They wed in 1999 and were together until his death.
Ben Hanscom in ‘IT’ (1990)
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
1990 was a very busy year for Ritter and he had
John Ritter
American actor (1948–2003)
This article is about the American actor. For other people with the same name, see John Ritter (disambiguation).
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 | Nancy Morgan (m. 1977; div. 1996) |
| Children | 4, including Jason and Tyler |
| Parents | |
Johnathan Southworth Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American actor. He was a son of the singing cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father of actors Jason and Tyler Ritter. He is best known for playing Jack Tripper on the ABC sitcom Three's Company (1977–1984), and received a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for the role in 1984. Ritter briefly reprised the role on the spin-off Three'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 on Broadway, with 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 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 include voicing the title character on the PBS children's program Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000–2003), for which he received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations, and as Paul Hennessy on the ABC sitcom 8 S John Ritter's legacy lives on in his children. The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor suddenly died on Sept. 11, 2003, at age 54 after suffering an aortic dissection. In addition to his contributions to comedy, Ritter was also a proud dad to four children. He shared sons Jason, 45, and Tyler, 40, and daughter Carly, 42, with his first wife Nancy Morgan, whom he was married to from 1977 to 1996; as well as son Noah, 26, with his wife Amy Yasbeck, whom he was married to from 1999 up until his death. His children are all adults now, and many of them have gone on to follow in their late father's footsteps and pursue careers in entertainment. Through the years, several of the Ritter children have also been open about the impact losing their father has had on them and the legacy he left behind. "When there's someone in your family who's a force of nature, where they come into a room and that's where the focus goes, it's bizarre when that person is gone," Ritter's eldest Jason said on the podcast Melissa River's Group Text. "There's like a black hole of energy ... and your family becomes something different but it's hard to comprehend that a life like that is over." Keep reading for everything there is to know about John Ritter's children. Ritter's eldest child, son Jason, was born on Feb. 17, 1980, in Los Angeles. Jason began following in his dad's footsteps at a young age, landing his first acting gig in an animated Christmas special when he was 6 years old — thanks to some help from his famous dad. "I will say, without any hesitation, this was like a full-on nepotism hire. I will admit that. He for sure got me the job. I did try to stay away from that later," Jason later admitted during a March 2023 appearance on The Jess Cagle Show. "I got to play Little Acorn in The Real Story of O Christmas Tree, and he played my Uncle Piney." Af Died Sept. 11, 2003 of dissection of the aorta in Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, CA John Ritter's career was marked by comic bookends. His most famous role was as a girl-chasing bachelor. And he was enjoying renewed success as a harried father chasing off the boys who pursued his two teenage girls when he died unexpectedly at 54. Along the way, Ritter played such diverse characters as a dying Vietnam veteran, the author of "The Wizard of Oz," an earnest San Francisco policeman and a gay Southern shop employee. The youngest son of country and western singer and actor Tex Ritter worked steadily, appearing in more than 100 TV series, movies and plays. Ritter is best remembered as Jack Tripper, the closeted heterosexual who shared a Santa Monica apartment with two sexy single women on ABC's hit sitcom "Three's Company." Though never a favorite with critics, "Three's Company" aired for seven seasons and was a top 10 favorite for most of its run. He died unexpectedly in 2003 just as his latest sitcom, "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" was starting to break out as a hit for ABC. The same network made Ritter a household name in "Three's Company," the American version of the British hit "Man About the House." He won the role over 50 other young actors. His costars, Suzanne Somers and Joyce DeWitt, also gained fame on the racy comedy. After "Three's Company" ended in 1984, Ritter was given his own short-lived spinoff, "Three's a Crowd," in which Tripper became a restaurant chef. Ritter also starred in the TV series "Hooperman" and "Hearts Afire," such TV movies as the drama "Unnatural Causes" and numerous feature films, including his career-shifting performance as a gay store employee in good friend Billy Bob Thornton's "Sling Blade." He performed frequently on the stage, including appearances in Neil Simon's "The Dinner Party" at the Mark Taper Forum an John Ritter's 4 Children: All About Jason, Carly, Tyler and Noah
Jason Ritter, 45
John Ritter