Jonathan Southworth Ritter (September 17, 1948 â€" September 11, 2003)
was an American actor and comedian. He was the son of the singing
cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father of actors Jason and Tyler
Ritter. Ritter is known for playing Jack Tripper on the ABC sitcom
Three's Company (1977â€"1984), for which he received a Primetime Emmy
Award and a Golden Globe Award in 1984. He briefly reprised the role
on the spin-off Three's a Crowd, which aired for one season.Ritter
appeared in over 100 films and television series combined and
performed on Broadway, with roles including adult Ben Hanscom in It
(1990), Problem Child (1990), Problem Child 2 (1991), and Bad Santa in
2003 (his final live action film, which was dedicated to his memory).
In 2002, Don Knotts called Ritter the "greatest physical comedian on
the planet". His final roles include voicing the title character on
the PBS children's program Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000â€"2003), for
which he received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations, as Paul
Hennessy on the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules (2002â€"2003) and an
uncredited role for providing the normal voice as Three in Seven
Little Monsters (2000â€"2003).Ritter was born at Providence Saint
Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, on September 17, 1948.
Ritter had a birth defect known as a coloboma in his right eye. His
father, Tex Ritter, was a singing cowboy and matinee star, and his
mother, Dorothy Fay (née Southworth), was an actress. He had an older
brother, Thomas "Tom" Matthews. Ritter attended Hollywood High School,
where he was student body president. He attended the University of
Southern California and majored in psychology with plans to have a
career in politics. He later changed his major to theater arts and
attended the USC School of Dramatic Arts (formerly School of Theatre).
Ritter was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at USC. While still
in college, Ritter traveled to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands,
and West Germany to perform in plays. Ritter graduated in 1970.
was an American actor and comedian. He was the son of the singing
cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father of actors Jason and Tyler
Ritter. Ritter is known for playing Jack Tripper on the ABC sitcom
Three's Company (1977â€"1984), for which he received a Primetime Emmy
Award and a Golden Globe Award in 1984. He briefly reprised the role
on the spin-off Three's a Crowd, which aired for one season.Ritter
appeared in over 100 films and television series combined and
performed on Broadway, with roles including adult Ben Hanscom in It
(1990), Problem Child (1990), Problem Child 2 (1991), and Bad Santa in
2003 (his final live action film, which was dedicated to his memory).
In 2002, Don Knotts called Ritter the "greatest physical comedian on
the planet". His final roles include voicing the title character on
the PBS children's program Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000â€"2003), for
which he received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations, as Paul
Hennessy on the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules (2002â€"2003) and an
uncredited role for providing the normal voice as Three in Seven
Little Monsters (2000â€"2003).Ritter was born at Providence Saint
Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, on September 17, 1948.
Ritter had a birth defect known as a coloboma in his right eye. His
father, Tex Ritter, was a singing cowboy and matinee star, and his
mother, Dorothy Fay (née Southworth), was an actress. He had an older
brother, Thomas "Tom" Matthews. Ritter attended Hollywood High School,
where he was student body president. He attended the University of
Southern California and majored in psychology with plans to have a
career in politics. He later changed his major to theater arts and
attended the USC School of Dramatic Arts (formerly School of Theatre).
Ritter was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at USC. While still
in college, Ritter traveled to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands,
and West Germany to perform in plays. Ritter graduated in 1970.
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