'Three's Company': John Ritter's Heartbreaking Cause Of Death
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John Ritter
Born on September 17, 1948 in Burbank, California, actor John Ritter was a very talented star, also known as "Jack" in 'Three's Company', where he shared screen with actresses Priscilla Barnes, Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers.The TV show follows the story of three single roommates, who face hilarious ups and downs and struggles while living together.
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John Ritter
Before pursuing an acting career, John Ritter grew up along with his older brother Tom and their parents, cowboy star Tex, and actress Dorothy.
Ritter attended Hollywood High School and the University of Southern California afterwards, majoring in psychology. He initially wanted to build a career in politics, but changed his mind shortly after and studied theater arts at USC School of Dramatic Arts.
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John Ritter
After graduating from USC in 1970, Ritter approached acting by appearing in the TV show 'Dan August' as "Burt".
He then made his debut on the big screen, in Disney's 1971 film 'The Barefoot Executive'.
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John Ritter
Before landing one of his major roles in 'Three's Company' in 1977, Ritter appeared in numerous films including 'The Other Rider', 'The Stone Killer Hart' and 'The Prisoner of Second Avenue'.
As for television, from 19720 to 1976 he played "Rev. Matthew Fordwick" in 'The Waltons', and appeared in episodes of popular shows like 'Hawaii Five-O', 'M*A*S*H' and 'The Streets of San Francisco'.
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John Ritter
His role as "Jack" in 'Three's Company' earned Ritter a couple major awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy.
Apart from his on-screen credits, John Ritter appeared as "Claude" in the Broadway play, 'The Dinner Party' (2002), sharing stage with Henry Winkler.
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John Ritter
When it comes to hobbies, John Ritter used to enjoy music, both as a clarinet player, as well as a Beatles fan. In fact, Ritter once appeared on Ringo Starr's 1978 TV special, 'Ringo'.
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John Ritter and wife Amy Yasbeck
John Ritter walked down the aisle twice. The actor was married to actress Nancy Morgan from 1977 to 1996, whom with he shared three children, Jason, Carly and Tyler.
In 1999 Ritter married to his second wife, actress Amy Yasbeck (picture), whom with he worked with on the set of 'Problem Child'. They welcomed one child together and remained married until John's death in 2003.
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John Ritter
Quick facts about the 'Three's Company' star:
- John was the first-ever guest on 'The Wayne Brady Show' in 2002
- Was considered for the role of "Dan" in 'Fatal Attraction', which was eventually given to Michael Douglas
- Worked alongside Billy Bob Thornton multiple times
- 'Emergency!' actor Kevin Tighe was one of his best friends
- His final film role was featured in the 2006 film 'Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up', where he voiced "Uncle Stew", released posthumously
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John Ritter
On September 11, 2003, John Ritter's unexpected death was announced. The star fell sick while rehearsing for his show '8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter', where he played the lead role as "Paul Hennessy".
Ritter was rushed to the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, same hospital he was born, receiving treatment for a heart attack, which got worse. He was eventually taken to the operating room, as he was diagnosed with aortic dissection. Sadly, he was pronounced dead a couple hours later.
Ritter's funeral took place on September 15 in Los Angeles. He was interred at Hollywood Hills' Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Five years later, Ritter's widow Amy sued the medical team involved in her late husband's treatment. She accused doctors of misdiagnosing John with a heart attack, and claimed that one of the doctors who had been treating him prior to his death, failed at detecting Ritter's aorta issues.
Los Angeles authorities eventually determined that the medical staff were not negligent.
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John Ritter
John Ritter's unexpected death at age 54 had some eerie coincidences. The star died one week before his and Amy's wedding anniversary, and six days before turning 55.
Sadly, he also passed away on his youngest child, daughter Stella's fifth birthday. Also, music star Johnny Cash died one day after John. The latter's father, cowboy star Tex, had written numerous songs for Cash between the '50s and '60s.
Finally, heart conditions were common in Ritter's family, as his father died from a heart attack in 1974.