John Ritter

Johnathan Southworth Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was a beloved American actor. Born into a showbiz family, he was the son of the singing cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father of actors Jason and Tyler Ritter. Acknowledged for his exceptional acting skills, Ritter is best known for playing Jack Tripper on the ABC sitcom Three's Company (1977–1984), a role that earned him a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award in 1984. He also briefly reprised the role on the spin-off Three's a Crowd, before its eventual cancellation in 1985. Ritter's acting pedigree extended beyond the small screen. He starred in over 100 films and television series. His notable roles included a dramatic turn in Sling Blade (1996), and Bad Santa in 2003. He was also a well-known actor on Broadway. Don Knotts once referred to Ritter as the "greatest physical comedian on the planet". His final roles included 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.

Born and raised in Burbank, California, Ritter pursued his passion for acting from an early age. He attended Hollywood High School and later the University of Southern California where he majored in theatre arts. Careers in both film and on stage kept him busy, although he never forgot his roots, often returning to his alma mater to perform in plays. A career that spanned over 35 years came to a tragic end when he died at 54. His legacy continued in reruns of Three's Company and his other works, and through his children, who followed in his acting footsteps. Posthumously, he was presented with an Emmy nomination in 2004 for his role in 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.