John Ritter: A Great Actor with Incredible Talent

Last night, I flipped channels and found an old re-run of "The Dating Game" on The Game Show Channel. I stayed tuned because it brought back memories of watching it during my childhood. This episode looked incredibly dated. The two female bachelorettes had those high, complicated looking up-dos, and mini-skirts.

On game 2, I was shocked to see a familiar face- Bachelor number 3 was a very young and handsome John Ritter. He was introduced as a drama student, and younger than I had ever seen him. No surprise he charmed the girl to excess,and she chose him. I would have too, I thought. When she asked all three bachelors the question: "If you and I were to marry, what wacky wedding would you plan for me?" Bachelors one and two had answers that were pale by comparison, of course. I can't recall John's entire answer exactly, but it was something to the effect of having Lake Michigan drained with honey raining from the sky on their heads during the ceremony. What girl wouldn't melt?

John Ritter was born to parents Tex Ritter, a singing cowboy star, and Dorothy Fay in Burbank, California, September 17, 1948. He made major accomplishments early as president of the student body at Hollywood High School. While attending the University of Southern California, he majored in architecture and psychology.

Actress Nancy Morgan became his wife in 1977, and they had 3 children: Carly, Jason, and Tyler. They divorced in 1996 when John fell in love with his Problem Child co-star, Amy Yasbeck. John and Amy were married in 1999, and had one child, Stella.

On September 11, 2003, John was rushed to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center during rehearsals for '"8 SImple Rules," which was just beginning its second season. He died just hours later when it was discovered he had an aortic dissection, a result of a previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect. He died in the same hospital in which he had been born, on the day of his daughter Stella's birthday. His date of death was also just a few days short of his own 55th birthday, a day before his wife Amy's 40th birthday, and six days short of their wedding anniversary.

A master of physical comedy, I remember him most fondly as Jack Tripper, on the television show "3's Company" (1977-1984). I loved that show, and I still do. It was in the top of the ratings for several seasons before its end in 1984. I never watched the other sitcoms Ritter starred in:"8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter," "Heart's Afire," and "Hooperman," but I can say I never saw a performance of John's that I didn't enjoy.

He starred in several motion pictures, including Problem Child, Problem Child 2, Slingblade, and Bad Santa. He was the voice of Clifford, the Big Red Dog, and won the Theatre World Award for his Broadway perfromance in "The Dinner Party" in 2001.

His last movies, Bad Santa and Clifford's Really Big Movie were dedicated to his memory, as well as the 6th episode in season 4 of "Scrubs, " in which he appeared. I still miss him. He was a great actor, and a comedy genius.