John Ritter
Known for acting · Born 17 September 1948 · Died 11 September 2003 · aged 54 · Burbank, California, USA
176 credits
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.
Known for
Three's Company
1977
Clifford the Big Red Dog
2000
Problem Child
1990
8 Simple Rules
2002
Problem Child 2
1991
Bad Santa
2003
Sling Blade
1996
Stay Tuned
1992
The Waltons
1972
Hooperman
1987
Hearts Afire
1992
The Flight of Dragons
1982
Acting (171)
2021SuperstarSelf (archive footage)Series
2015Behind Closed Doors with Natalie MoralesHimself (archive footage)Series
2006Stanley's Dinosaur Round-UpGreat Uncle Stew (voice)Film
2005Mr. Thornton Goes to HollywoodSelf (archive footage)Film
2004Clifford's Really Big MovieClifford the Big Red Dog (voice)Film
2003Bad SantaBob ChipeskaFilm
2003Jimmy Kimmel Live!SelfSeries
2003ManhoodEliFilm
2003The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait SeriesNarrator (voice)Film
2003Time Machine: When Cowboys Were KingSelfFilm
2003ABC's 50th Anniversary CelebrationSelfFilm
2003TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TVSeries
20028 Simple RulesPaul Hennessy · 31 episodesSeries
2002TadpoleStanley GrubmanFilm
2002Man of the YearBillFilm
2002Walt Disney World Christmas Day ParadeSelfFilm
2002Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)John RitterSeries
2002Breaking NewsSeries
2001ScrubsSam DorianSeries
2001NuncrackersNarratorFilm
2000PanicJoshFilm
2000Clifford the Big Red DogClifford (voice) · 130 episodesSeries
2000Terror TractBob CarterFilm
2000TV FunhouseNarrator (voice)Series
2000Lost in the Pershing Point HotelChristian TherapistFilm
2000TripFallTom WilliamsFilm
2000Clifford The Big Red Dog: Best BuddiesClifford · 6 episodesSeries
1999Law & Order: Special Victims UnitDr. Richard ManningSeries
1999Batman BeyondDr. David Wheeler (voice)Series
1999Lethal VowsDavid FarrisFilm
1999It Came from the SkyDonald BridgesFilm
1999Family LawFather AndrewsSeries
1999The Early ShowSelfSeries
1999Holy JoeJoe CassFilm
1998Bride of ChuckyChief Warren KincaidFilm
1998FelicityMr. Andrew Covington · 7 episodesSeries
1998Shadow of DoubtSteven MayerFilm
1998MontanaDr. WexlerFilm
1998I Woke Up Early the Day I DiedRobert ForrestFilm
1998Hollywood SquaresSelf - Panelist · 10 episodesSeries
1998Dead HusbandsDr. Carter ElstonFilm
1998Loss of FaithBruce BarkerFilm
1998Chance of a LifetimeTom MaguireFilm
1997Buffy the Vampire SlayerTed BuchananSeries
1997King of the HillEugene Grandy (voice) · 4 episodesSeries
1997Ally McBealGeorge Madison · 2 episodesSeries
1997NowhereMoses HelperFilm
1997The ViewSelf · 2 episodesSeries
1997Veronica's ClosetTim MargolinSeries
1997Dead Man's GunHarry McDonacleSeries
1997A Gun, a Car, a BlondeDuncan the BartenderFilm
1997Sink Or SwimHankFilm
1997A Child's WishEd ChandlerFilm
1997Over the TopJustinSeries
1997The History of Toys and GamesSelf - HostFilm
1996Sling BladeVaughan CunninghamFilm
1996E! True Hollywood Story · 4 episodesSeries
1996MercenaryJonas AmblerFilm
1996UnforgivablePaul HegstromFilm
1996For HopeDate #5 (uncredited)Film
1996Harry Anderson: The Tricks of His TradeSelfFilm
1995NewsRadioFrank WestfordSeries
1995The ColonyRick KnowltonFilm
1995GrampsClarke MacGruderFilm
1994NorthWard NelsonFilm
1994Touched by an AngelMike O'Conner, Sheriff Tom McKinsleySeries
1994Chicago HopeJoe DysmerskiSeries
1993Late Night with Conan O'BrienSelf - GuestSeries
1993Dave's WorldJohn Ritter · 3 episodesSeries
1993HeartbeatBill GrantFilm
1993Intimate PortraitSelf - Interviewee, Self - Narrator (voice)Series
1993The Only Way OutJeremy CarlisleFilm
1992Noises Off...Garry Lejeune / Roger TramplemainFilm
1992Stay TunedRoy KnableFilm
1992The Larry Sanders ShowJohn Ritter · 2 episodesSeries
1992Fish PoliceInspector Gil (voice) · 6 episodesSeries
1992Hearts AfireJohn Hartman · 54 episodesSeries
1992The Making of High NoonSelfFilm
1992The Martin & Lewis Story: The Last Great Comedy TeamSelfFilm
1992Martin & Lewis: Their Golden Age of ComedySelf · 3 episodesSeries
1991Problem Child 2Ben HealyFilm
1991The Real Story of O Christmas TreePiney (voice)Film
1991The Summer My Father Grew UpPaulFilm
1990ItBen Hanscom · 2 episodesSeries
1990Problem ChildBenFilm
1990WingsStuart DavenportSeries
1990The Dreamer of OzL. Frank BaumFilm
1989Skin DeepZachFilm
1989Anything But LovePatrick Serreau · 5 episodesSeries
1989My Brother's WifeBarneyFilm
1988LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelfSeries
1988Mickey's 60th BirthdayDudley GoodeFilm
1988Tricks of the TradeDonald Todsen (uncredited)Film
1987Real MenBob WilsonFilm
1987HoopermanDetective Harry Hooperman · 42 episodesSeries
1987The Last FlingPhillip ReedFilm
1987Happy 100th Birthday, HollywoodSelfFilm
1987Prison for ChildrenDavid RoyceFilm
1987It's Howdy Doody Time: A 40-Year CelebrationHimself - GuestFilm
1987Superstars and their MomsSelfFilm
1986A Smoky Mountain ChristmasJudge Harold Benton (uncredited)Film
1986Unnatural CausesFrank ColemanFilm
1986Life with LucyJohn RitterSeries
1985Letting GoAlexFilm
1984The Cosby ShowRay EvansSeries
1984Muppet BabiesSeries
1984Three's a CrowdJack Tripper · 22 episodesSeries
1984Love Thy NeighborDanny LoebFilm
1984Donald Duck's 50th BirthdaySelfFilm
1984Strong Kids, Safe KidsHimselfFilm
1984All Star Party for Lucille BallSelfFilm
1984The Secret World of the Very YoungSelf - HostFilm
1983Sunset LimousineAlan O'BlackFilm
1983Life's Most Embarrassing MomentsSelf - HostSeries
1982The Flight of DragonsPeter Dickinson (voice)Film
1982NatureNarrator (voice)Series
1982The Fantastic Miss Piggy ShowSelfFilm
1982In Love with an Older WomanRobertFilm
1982Pray TVTom McPhersonFilm
1981They All LaughedCharles RutledgeFilm
1981Entertainment TonightSelfSeries
1980Hero at LargeSteve NicholsFilm
1980Wholly MosesSatan (The Devil)Film
1980The Comeback KidBubba NewmanFilm
1980John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and BodySelf / VariousFilm
1979The RopersSeries
1979AmericathonPresident Chet RooseveltFilm
1979Echoes of the Sixties: A Musical TripSelf - HostFilm
1978Leave Yesterday BehindPaul StallingsFilm
1978RingoMarty FleshFilm
1978Robin Williams: Off the WallSelfFilm
1978The Goldie Hawn SpecialSelfFilm
1978How to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into HappinessSelfFilm
1977The Love BoatDale Riley, Ben Cummins · 2 episodesSeries
1977Three's CompanyJack Tripper · 171 episodesSeries
1976NickelodeonFranklin FrankFilm
1975Saturday Night LiveAudience Member (uncredited)Series
1975Starsky & HutchTom ColeSeries
1975The Prisoner of Second AvenueElevator Passenger (uncredited)Film
1975The Night That Panicked AmericaWalter WingateFilm
1975People's Choice AwardsSelf - HostSeries
1975The Bob Crane ShowSeries
1975DocSeries
1974RhodaVince Mazuma, Jerry BlockerSeries
1974PetrocelliJohn OlesonSeries
1974Dinah!SelfSeries
1973KojakKenny SoamesSeries
1973The Stone KillerHartFilm
1973Barnaby JonesJoe RockwellSeries
1973The LieBauerFilm
1972M*A*S*HPrivate CarterSeries
1972The OtherRiderFilm
1972The Streets of San FranciscoJohn 'Johnny' SteinerSeries
1972The WaltonsRev. Matthew Fordwick · 17 episodesSeries
1972The Bob Newhart ShowDaveSeries
1972The RookiesSeries
1972Evil Roy SladePriest (uncredited)Film
1971The Barefoot ExecutiveRogerFilm
1971Great PerformancesRichardSeries
1971Scandalous JohnWendellFilm
1971Owen Marshall: Counselor at LawGregSeries
1970The Mary Tyler Moore ShowReverend ChatfieldSeries
1970Dan AugustColey SmithSeries
1969Hawaii Five-ORyan Moore, Mike WellesSeries
1969Medical CenterRonnieSeries
1967MannixCliff ElginSeries
1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 9 episodesSeries
1962The Merv Griffin ShowSelfSeries
1961The Mike Douglas ShowSelf - Co-Host · 2 episodes, Self · 3 episodesSeries
1950The Bob Hope ShowSelfSeries
1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Nominee, Self · 2 episodesSeries
Crew (3)
2006Stanley's Dinosaur Round-UpIn Memory OfFilm
2004Clifford's Really Big MovieIn Memory OfFilm
2003Bad SantaIn Memory OfFilm
Production (1)
1990PoochinskiExecutive ProducerFilm
Writing (1)
1980John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and BodyWriterFilm