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John Ritter as Jack Tripper in the sitcom "Three's Company". Source: https://people.com/kaley-cuoco-bought-john-ritters- threes-company-cast-jacket-at-john-ritter-foundation-auction-11815096 (May be subject to copyright) |
I was reminded of John Ritter recently, because his son Jason is on the re-boot of “Matlock”, and it happens to be John Ritter’s birthday today.
That all brought back a lot of memories of an actor who died far too young, with so much more to give.
At the start
When John Ritter started out, he was country singing sensation Tex Ritter’s son. That changed as he built an acting resumé.
When John Ritter started out, he was country singing sensation Tex Ritter’s son. That changed as he built an acting resumé.
Before his big break on “Three’s Company”, John Ritter got his first role in television in an episode of the Burt Reynolds detective show “Dan August” in 1970. He also had roles in “Hawaii Five-O”; “Medical Center”; “M*A*S*H”; “Kojak”; “Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law”; “The Bob Newhart Show”; “Movin’ On”; “Rhoda”; “Mannix”; “Petrocelli”; “Barnaby Jones”; “The Streerts of San Francisco”; “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”; “The Rookies”; “Starsky and Hutch”; “Doc”; “Phyllis”; “The Love Boat”; and more.
His first movie role was in “The Barefoot Executive”, a 1971 Disney movie starring Kurt Russell about a a chimp who can predict the popularity of TV shows.
Ritter was best known for his role as Reverend Matthew Fordwick in “The Waltons”. My earliest memory of John Ritter is as the good reverend. He appeared in 18 episodes of “The Waltons” from 1972 to 1976.
However, he stopped playing that role when he landed a part that would take him into living rooms across the continent, make him a household name, and cement his legacy as a great comedic actor physical actor and master of physical comedy.
“Three’s Company”
It is a show that still lives on perpetually in reruns and on-demand services. “Three’s Company” was kind of provocative when it aired in 1977. The premise is that Jack Tripper, played by Ritter, wanted to live in an apartment with two women, florist Janet Wood, played by Joyce DeWitt, and secretary Chrissy Snow, played by Suzanne Somers. However, that was not really “allowed” – so he pretended to be gay. It fooled his original landlords, Stanley and Helen Roper, played by Norman Fell and Audra Lindley, and their successor Ralph Furley, played by Don Knotts.
It is a show that still lives on perpetually in reruns and on-demand services. “Three’s Company” was kind of provocative when it aired in 1977. The premise is that Jack Tripper, played by Ritter, wanted to live in an apartment with two women, florist Janet Wood, played by Joyce DeWitt, and secretary Chrissy Snow, played by Suzanne Somers. However, that was not really “allowed” – so he pretended to be gay. It fooled his original landlords, Stanley and Helen Roper, played by Norman Fell and Audra Lindley, and their successor Ralph Furley, played by Don Knotts.
Jack is a cooking student, who dates a lot of different women, hangs out at a bar called the “Regal Beagle” with his best friend Larry, played by Richard Kline, and strives to one day own his own restaurant.
The hallmark of the show was a misunderstanding of some kind occurring in every episode, sometimes concerning Jack’s sexuality, that was always resolved by episode’s end. Throughout each episode, Jack would often trip, stumble, fall, bang his head, or suffer some kind of mishap that showcased John Ritter’s skill at physical comedy. I always found it ironic, which I am sure was intentional, that his last name was Tripper, given how often he tripped.
He would eventually meet Vicky Bradford, played by Mary Cadorette. They would fall in love and their story would be spun off into a new series called “Three’s a Crowd”.
“Three’s Company” ran from 1977 to 1984, for eight seasons and a total of 172 episodes. “Three’s a Crowd” lasted one season, from 1984 to 1985, for a total of 22 episodes.
For his efforts, Ritter was nominated in 1978 and 1981 for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and won in 1984. He was also nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy in 1979 and 1980, and won in 1984.
Movie magic
Throughout his run of “Three’s Company”, John Ritter undertook a number of projects in the off-season.
Throughout his run of “Three’s Company”, John Ritter undertook a number of projects in the off-season.
He appeared in “The Comeback Kid” in 1980, as a minor league baseball player who finds renewed hope coaching an underprivileged baseball team; “Pray TV” in 1982 as a recently ordained minister who goes to work with a televangelist; “Sunset Limousine” in 1983, as a limousine driver who wants to be a stand-up comedian; and “Love Thy Neighbor” in 1984, as a man whose wife runs off with their neighbour, leaving him and the neighbour’s wife to pick up the pieces.
Ritter was also in several theatrical releases during this period. In “Americathon”, released in 1979, Ritter plays the president of the United States, who initiates a national telethon to raise money to heal the country’s ailing finances.
“Hero at Large” came out in 1980. It features Ritter as an actor, hired to wear a super-hero costume for promotional purposes, who foils a robbery while in costume. He then decides to carry on as a super hero. I actually saw this movie in Lethbridge at the Green Acres Drive-in with my Uncle Ed, Aunt Johanna, and cousins Nina and Carl. I really liked it.
He was also in “Wholly Moses!”, in 1980, where he played the Devil; and “They All Laughed” in 1982, where he plays a detective investigating infidelity.
After the conclusion of “Three’s a Crowd”, Ritter was in the movie comedies “Real Men” in 1987, and Blake Edwards’ romantic comedy “Skin Deep” in 1989.
However, it would be television where he worked the most.
In 1986, he was in “Unnatural Causes”. He played a Vietnam War veteran dying of cancer as a result of exposure to Agent Orange, who was trying to expose a government cover up. Ritter was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1987 for the role, for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
He was in “A Smoky Mountain Christmas” in 1986, opposite Dolly Parton; and in 1987 was in “The Last Fling” and “Prison for Children”.
In 1983, he was also honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Soon, John Ritter landed another starring role in a weekly TV series.
Hooperman
“Hooperman” came out in 1987, starring Ritter as police detective Harry Hooperman. It pioneered another form, coined the “dramedy”, which was a combination comedy and drama. Part of its style was having no laugh track. It focused on Hooperman trying to balance his work and home life.
“Hooperman” came out in 1987, starring Ritter as police detective Harry Hooperman. It pioneered another form, coined the “dramedy”, which was a combination comedy and drama. Part of its style was having no laugh track. It focused on Hooperman trying to balance his work and home life.
The show started just as I left home for university, so I only saw a handful of episodes, including the pilot. It had one memorable line I won’t forget. Hooperman was getting intimate with a woman when she said, “We need protection.” In his haste, Hooperman responded, “That’s okay, I have my gun.” As funny as it was, I remember it just as much for having no laugh track.
“Hooperman” lasted two season, from 1987 to 1989, and 42 episodes. Ritter was nominated in 1988 for the Emmy or Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for the role, and nominated for a Golden Globe for Best TV Actor in a Musical/Comedy.
The years after
John Ritter kept right on acting for the next decade.
John Ritter kept right on acting for the next decade.
He was in several movies including “Problem Child”; “Problem Child 2”; “Noises Off”; “North”; “Sling Blade”; “Nowhere”; “Hacks”; “Montana”; “Shadow of a Doubt”; “Bride of Chucky”; “Bad Santa”; and much more.
On television he had guest roles in the miniseries “It”; “The Cosby Show”; “Anything but Love”; “Dave’s World”; “Newsradio”; “Wings”; “Touched by an Angel”; “Dead Man’s Gun”; “Over the Top”; “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”; “Ally McBeal”, where he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1999; “Veronica’s Closet”; “Chicago Hope”; “Family Law”; “Felicity”; “The Ellen Show”; “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”; “Scrubs”; and more.
Ritter was also in two good TV series.
“Hearts Afire” ran from 1992 to 1995 for three seasons and 54 episodes. He starred opposite Markie Post as two staffers working for a Washington senator. Billy Bob Thornton was also in the show establishing the connection that would see Ritter in “Sling Blade” and “Bad Santa”.
Ritter also starred in 31 episodes of “8 Simple Rules…for Dating my Teenage Daughter” over two seasons, from 2002 to 2003, and died while the show was in production. For his efforts, Ritter was nominated in 2004 for the Emmy or Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
When he died, Ritter was just 54 years old, six days short of his 55th birthday.
Parting thoughts
John Ritter is another one of my favourite actors. As much as I saw him every Tuesday night for years stumbling and pratfalling his way through “Three’s Company”, it was in some of his other, more dramatic roles, where he really shone.
John Ritter is another one of my favourite actors. As much as I saw him every Tuesday night for years stumbling and pratfalling his way through “Three’s Company”, it was in some of his other, more dramatic roles, where he really shone.
I loved him in “Hero at Large”; “Unnatural Causes”; “Sunset Limousine”; and even in “Hearts Afire” where he was more serious. He was still funny, just not in a Jack Tripper way.
He was also great in “8 Simple Rules…for Dating my Teenage Daughter”.
It is just sad that was the end of his career – and life.
Still, he built quite a career of comedy, drama, and fine entertainment.
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