John Ritter
Biography
Johnathan Southworth "John" Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian, perhaps best known for playing Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms "Three's Company" and "8 Simple Rules," respectively. Don Knotts called him the "greatest physical comedian on the planet." Ritter's final films "Bad Santa," "Clifford's Really Big Movie" and "Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up" were all dedicated in his memory.
Gallery
Known For
Acting History
2021
Superstar as Self (archive footage)
2015Behind Closed Doors with Natalie Morales as Himself (archive footage)
2006Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up as Great Uncle Stew (voice)
2005Mr. Thornton Goes to Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
2004Clifford's Really Big Movie as Clifford the Big Red Dog (voice)
2003Bad Santa as Bob Chipeska
2003TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV
2003Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
2003Manhood as Eli
2003Time Machine: When Cowboys Were King as Self
2003The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series as Narrator (voice)
20028 Simple Rules as Paul Hennessy
2002Tadpole as Stanley Grubman
2002Breaking News
2002Man of the Year as Bill
2002Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)
2001Nuncrackers as Narrator
2001Scrubs as Sam Dorian
2000TV Funhouse as Narrator (voice)
2000Panic as Josh
2000Terror Tract as Bob Carter
2000Clifford the Big Red Dog
2000Clifford the Big Red Dog as Clifford (voice)
2000TripFall as Tom Williams
2000Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel as Christian Therapist
1999The Early Show as Self
1999Lethal Vows as David Farris
1999Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Dr. Richard Manning
1999Family Law as Father Andrews
1999It Came from the Sky as Donald Bridges
1999Holy Joe as Joe Cass
1999Batman Beyond as Dr. David Wheeler (voice)
1998Dead Husbands as Dr. Carter Elston
1998Bride of Chucky as Chief Warren Kincaid
1998Loss of Faith as Bruce Simon Barker
1998Felicity as Mr. Andrew Covington
1998I Woke Up Early the Day I Died as Robert Forrest
1998Shadow of Doubt as Steven Mayer
1998Chance of a Lifetime as Tom Maguire
1998Montana as Dr. Wexler
1997Over the Top as Justin
1997Veronica's Closet as Tim Margolin
1997Sink Or Swim as Hank
1997Ally McBeal as George Madison
1997The View as Self
1997A Gun, a Car, a Blonde as Duncan the Bartender
1997Nowhere as Moses Helper
1997Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Ted Buchanan
1997A Child's Wish as Ed Chandler
1997King of the Hill as Eugene Grandy (voice)
1996For Hope as Date #5 (uncredited)
1996Mercenary as Jonas Ambler
1996Sling Blade as Vaughan Cunningham
1996E! True Hollywood Story
1996Harry Anderson: The Tricks of His Trade as Self
1996Unforgivable as Paul Hegstrom
1996Sex, Censorship and the Silver Screen as Quote Reader
1995The Colony as Rick Knowlton
1995Gramps as Clarke MacGruder
1995NewsRadio as Frank Westford
1994Touched by an Angel as Mike O'Conner
1994Touched by an Angel as Sheriff Tom McKinsley
1994Chicago Hope
1994North as Ward Nelson
1993The Only Way Out as Jeremy Carlisle
1993Intimate Portrait as Self - Interviewee
1993Intimate Portrait as Self - Narrator (voice)
1993Dave's World as John Ritter
1993Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
1993Heartbeat as Bill Grant
1992Hearts Afire as John Hartman
1992The Larry Sanders Show as John Ritter
1992Stay Tuned as Roy Knable
1992Noises Off... as Garry Lejeune / Roger Tramplemain
1992Fish Police as Inspector Gil (voice)
1992The Making of High Noon as Self
1992The Martin & Lewis Story: The Last Great Comedy Team as Self
1992Martin & Lewis: Their Golden Age of Comedy as Self
1991The Real Story of O Christmas Tree as Piney (voice)
1991Problem Child 2 as Ben Healy
1991The Summer My Father Grew Up as Paul
1990The Dreamer of Oz as L. Frank Baum
1990It as Ben Hanscom
1990Problem Child as Ben
1990Wings as Stuart Davenport
1989My Brother's Wife as Barney
1989Anything But Love as Patrick Serreau
1989Skin Deep as Zach
1988Tricks of the Trade as Donald Todsen (uncredited)
1988Mickey's 60th Birthday as Dudley Goode
1988LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self
1987Real Men as Bob Wilson
1987Hooperman as Detective Harry Hooperman
1987Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood as Self
1987Prison for Children as David Royce
1987The Last Fling as Phillip Reed
1986A Smoky Mountain Christmas as Judge Harold Benton (uncredited)
1986Unnatural Causes as Frank Coleman
1986Life with Lucy as John Ritter
1985Letting Go as Alex
1984All Star Party for Lucille Ball as Self
1984Donald Duck's 50th Birthday as Self
1984Muppet Babies
1984Three's a Crowd as Jack Tripper
1984The Cosby Show as Ray Evans
1984Love Thy Neighbor as Danny Loeb
1984Strong Kids, Safe Kids as Himself
1983Sunset Limousine as Alan O'Black
1983Life's Most Embarrassing Moments as Self - Host
1982In Love with an Older Woman as Robert
1982Nature as Narrator (voice)
1982The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show as Self
1982The Flight of Dragons as Peter Dickinson (voice)
1982Pray TV as Tom McPherson
1981They All Laughed as Charles Rutledge
1981Entertainment Tonight as Self
1980Wholly Moses as Satan (The Devil)
1980John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and Body as Self / Various
1980The Comeback Kid as Bubba Newman
1980Hero at Large as Steve Nichols
1979Americathon as President Chet Roosevelt
1979Echoes of the Sixties: A Musical Trip as Self - Host
1979The Ropers
1978Robin Williams: Off the Wall as Self
1978Leave Yesterday Behind as Paul Stallings
1978Ringo as Marty Flesh
1978The Goldie Hawn Special as Self
1978How to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness as Self
1977The Love Boat as Dale Riley
1977The Love Boat as Ben Cummins
1977Three's Company as Jack Tripper
1976Nickelodeon as Franklin Frank
1975The Night That Panicked America as Walter Wingate
1975Doc
1975Starsky & Hutch as Tom Cole
1975The Prisoner of Second Avenue as Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
1975The Bob Crane Show
1974Dinah! as Self
1974Petrocelli as John Oleson
1974Rhoda as Vince Mazuma
1974Rhoda as Jerry Blocker
1973Kojak as Kenny Soames
1973The Stone Killer as Hart
1973The Lie as Bauer
1973Barnaby Jones as Joe Rockwell
1972The Streets of San Francisco as John 'Johnny' Steiner
1972M*A*S*H as Private Carter
1972The Bob Newhart Show as Dave
1972The Waltons as Rev. Matthew Fordwick
1972The Rookies
1972The Other as Rider
1972Evil Roy Slade as Priest (uncredited)
1971Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law as Greg
1971Scandalous John as Wendell
1971The Barefoot Executive as Roger
1971Great Performances as Richard
1970Dan August as Coley Smith
1970The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Reverend Chatfield
1969Medical Center as Ronnie
1968Hawaii Five-O as Ryan Moore
1968Hawaii Five-O as Mike Welles
1967Mannix as Cliff Elgin
1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
1962The Merv Griffin Show as Self
1961The Mike Douglas Show as Self - Co-Host
1961The Mike Douglas Show as Self
1950The Bob Hope Show as Self
1944Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee
1944Golden Globe Awards as Self