John Ritter

Jonathan Southworth Ritter was born in Burbank, California, on September 17, 1948, the son of country singer and actor Tex Ritter (born Woodward Maurice Ritter) and actress Dorothy Fay (née Dorothy Fay Southworth). His parents married in 1941 and their first child, Tom Ritter, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Ritter attended Hollywood High School, where he served as student‑body president, then enrolled at the University of Southern California, initially majoring in psychology with a minor in architecture. In 1966 he appeared as a contestant on *The Dating Game* and won a vacation to Lake Havasu, Arizona; after this cameo he joined an acting class taught by Nina Foch, changed his major to theater arts, and graduated in 1971 with a BFA in drama. He also studied with Stella Adler at the Harvey Lembeck Comedy Workshop and performed in stage productions in England, Scotland, Holland, and Germany between 1968 and 1969.

Ritter’s television debut was as a campus revolutionary on *Dan August* (1970), followed by the role of Reverend Matthew Fordwick on *The Waltons* (1972). He subsequently guest‑starred on *Medical Center* (1969), *M*A*S*H* (1972), *The Bob Newhart Show* (1972), *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), *Kojak* (1973), *Rhoda* (1974) and *The Mary Tyler Moore Show* (1970). While working on *The Waltons*, he learned that his father had died a day after New Year’s Day in 1974. In late 1975 ABC acquired the rights to adapt the British sitcom *Man About the House*. Ritter was selected from a field of fifty candidates, including Billy Crystal, for the role of Jack Tripper; after an initial pilot was discarded, Joyce DeWitt and Susan Lanier were cast, and Suzanne Somers later replaced Lanier as Chrissy. The resulting series, *Three’s Company* (1976), premiered as a mid‑season replacement and became a ratings hit, centering on Ritter’s character, a chef who pretended to be gay to share an apartment with two women. Prior to the series he appeared in the film *Nickelodeon* (1976); later he co‑starred with Jenny Sullivan in *Breakfast in Bed* (1977) and played President Chet Roosevelt in *Americathon* (1979). He and his brother emceed the United Cerebral Palsy Telethon beginning in 1977, a commitment that continued for more than fifteen years. Additional film work included *Hero at Large* (1980) and *They All Laughed* (1981).

When *Three’s Company* entered syndication in 1980 it achieved further popularity. Ritter won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Comedy or Musical in 1983 after two prior nominations, and the following year received an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series after two earlier nominations. The series’ ratings declined by its eighth season and it was cancelled in 1984; Ritter then headlined the spin‑off *Three’s a Crowd* (1984), which lasted one season. He voiced the title character in the animated film *The Flight of Dragons* (1982) and returned to television as Detective Harry Hooperman in *Hooperman* (1987), earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations in 1988 and winning a People’s Choice Award for the role. Film appearances during this period included *Skin Deep* (1989), *Problem Child* (1990) and its sequel (1991), *Noises Off…* (1992) and *Stay Tuned* (1992). He starred in the sitcom *Hearts Afire* (1992–1995) with Billy Bob Thornton, and played Ward Nelson on *North* (1994). In 1996 he appeared as a department‑store manager in *Sling Blade*. Ritter provided the voice of Clifford in *Clifford the Big Red Dog* (2000) and received four consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations, bringing his total to seven Emmy nods over a 35‑year career. He was nominated for an Outstanding Guest Actor Emmy for playing George Madison on *Ally McBeal* (1997) and later portrayed Paul Hennessey on *8 Simple Rules* (2002), a series that earned People’s Choice and Family Awards honors. While working on that show he also appeared in the film *Manhood* (2003). In 2003, during rehearsal he fell ill and was taken to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center.