John Ritter

John Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American actor.

Related Topics:
September 17 - 1948 - September 11 - 2003 - American - Actor

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Born Jonathan Southworth Ritter in Burbank, California, he was the son of country singer/actor Tex Ritter and former actress Dorothy Fay.

Related Topics:
Burbank - California - Country - Singer - Tex Ritter - Actress - Dorothy Fay

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Ritter attended Hollywood High School, where he was Student Body President. He went on to the University of Southern California, where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) fraternity, majored in psychology and minored in architecture.

Related Topics:
Hollywood High School - University of Southern California - Phi Gamma Delta - Psychology - Architecture

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After two years in college, he was persuaded to join a drama class given by leading drama coach and actress Nina Foch. Ritter soon changed his major to Theater Arts, graduating in 1971 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama. Under Foch, he studied acting with Stella Adler and the Harvey Lembeck Comedy Workshop.

Related Topics:
Drama - 1971 - Stella Adler - Harvey Lembeck Comedy Workshop

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Ritter went on to star in several stage performances before he was made a star by appearing in the hit sitcom Three's Company in 1977, playing a single ladies man and culinary student, Jack Tripper, who lived with two female roommates while pretending to be gay to keep the landlords happy with the living arrangement. The show spent several seasons at or near the top of the TV ratings in the US before ending in 1984, although Ritter would go on for one more year on the follow-up comedy Three's a Crowd. The original series has been seen endlessly in reruns, and currently airs on TV Land in addition to being available on DVD.

Related Topics:
Sitcom - Three's Company - 1977 - Culinary - Jack Tripper - Female - Roommates - Gay - 1984 - TV Land - DVD

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In 1978, he played Ringo Starr's manager on the television special Ringo.

Related Topics:
1978 - Ringo Starr's

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After Three's Company, he appeared in a number of movies, notably Problem Child and its first sequel, the Academy Award-winning Sling Blade, and Noises Off. He also starred with Markie Post in the early-1990s sitcom Hearts Afire and on the 1980s police comedy-drama Hooperman.

Related Topics:
Movies - Problem Child - Academy Award - Sling Blade - Noises Off - Markie Post - 1990s - Hearts Afire - 1980s - Hooperman

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He starred in many made-for-TV movies and made guest appearances on TV shows such as Ally McBeal and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also provided the voice for Clifford in the animated children's show Clifford the Big Red Dog, a role for which he received two Emmy nominations.

Related Topics:
Made-for-TV movie - Ally McBeal - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Clifford the Big Red Dog - Emmy

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He also guest starred on the NBC sitcom Scrubs as the father of Zach Braff's character, J.D. He was to make another guest appearance but due to his death the producers changed the storyline to J.D.'s older brother Dan (played by Tom Cavanagh) visits J.D. to tell him that their father passed away and help his brother cope with his passing. That episode, titled "My Cake" (Season 4, Ep 6), was dedicated to Ritter.

Related Topics:
NBC - Scrubs - Zach Braff - Tom Cavanagh

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Ritter had two wives, actress Nancy Morgan (married 1977-divorced 1996) and actress Amy Yasbeck (married 1999-2003). Yasbeck had played his wife or love interest in two of the Problem Child movies (interestingly, as two distinct characters.)

Related Topics:
Nancy Morgan - 1977 - Divorce - 1996 - Amy Yasbeck - 1999 - 2003

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He and Morgan had three children, Carly, Tyler, and Jason. He and Yasbeck had one daughter, Stella.

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Ritter played Claude Pichon in The Dinner Party (2000) at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway, which was written by Neil Simon. It ran for three hundred and sixty-four perfomances.

Related Topics:
2000 - Music Box Theatre - Broadway - Neil Simon

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Ritter won the Theatre World Award in 2001 for his performance in The Dinner Party.

Related Topics:
Theatre World Award - 2001

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In 2002, he made a TV comeback with the ABC family sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.

Related Topics:
2002 - ABC - 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter

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Ritter's final movie role was as the store manager in Bad Santa (2003), starring Billy Bob Thornton and Bernie Mac.

Related Topics:
Bad Santa - 2003 - Billy Bob Thornton - Bernie Mac

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He became ill during a rehearsal of his TV series (which was at the time starting its second season), on September 11, 2003, and died later that day at the age of 54 at a nearby hospital in Burbank, California. Coincidentally, the hospital where he died was the same place where he was born. The cause of death was listed as an aortic dissection, the result of a previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect. He was interred at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Related Topics:
September 11 - 2003 - Burbank, California - Aortic dissection - Congenital - Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery - Los Angeles

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Ritter has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6631 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood.

Related Topics:
Hollywood Walk of Fame - Hollywood

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