An icon lost
I cried when John Ritter died. I was watching television with a
girlfriend when I saw the news report. Quietly I got up, went into
the bathroom, closed the door and cried my eyes out.
An icon lost
I cried when John Ritter died. I was watching television with a girlfriend when I saw the news report. Quietly I got up, went into the bathroom, closed the door and cried my eyes out.
I don’t know why John Ritter’s death affected me so deeply. I had never met him. It might have been because he was the first true television icon of my generation to pass away. Maybe it was because it happened so suddenly. Maybe it was because he was starring in yet another hit series and it was just nice to see him on TV again every week.
John Ritter was born in Burbank in 1948. His father was Tex Ritter, a singing cowboy in movies during the 1930s and 1940s, probably best known for his rendition of “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’,” the theme song for the 1952 film “High Noon” with Gary Cooper. John Ritter provides audio commentary on the DVD.
Ritter guest starred in dozens of television series during the 1970s, including “Kojak,” “Rhoda,” “Mannix” and “The Rookies,” before getting his big break in 1976 with “Three’s Company.” The series was based on a British TV show called “Man about the House,” where a man shared an apartment with two women. The twist to the plot was the man pretended to be gay so the landlord would not throw him out.
In the Americanized version, Ritter played Jack Tripper, a cooking student who lived with two single, beautiful women – Janet Wood (Joyce Dewitt) and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers). The show was pretty much a hit from the beginning, with most of the plots centering on the womanizing Jack Tripper.
In each episode there was always some sort of comic misunderstanding between the roommates, or the landlord, played first by Norman Fell and later Don Knotts. The highlights of the show were the sight gags and pratfalls performed by Ritter showcasing his talent for physical comedy. The show was so popular that almost anyone who grew up in the 1970s will instantly recognize the catchy theme song. “Come and knock on my door…”
I liked Jack because deep down he was a nice guy. This was contrasted with his best friend Larry Dallas who was a used car salesman. Larry was everything that Jack wasn’t. He was selfish, dishonest, uncaring and exploited women. Larry was around to remind Jack of what he could become.
“Three’s Company” went off the air in 1984. The next year, Ritter resurrected Jack Tripper in a spin-off called “Three’s a Crowd,” in which Jack fell in love and moved in with his girlfriend. The show lasted one season. I didn’t care for the show very much. It was hard to see Jack Tripper settle down and become domesticated.
Like most TV actors, Ritter tried his hand at movies, but had little success. His best was the 1980 film “Hero At Large,” and his worst were “Problem Child” and its sequel “Problem Child 2.” He also did a good job in the 1989 film “Skin Deep” playing a womanizing, alcoholic writer.
In 1987 Ritter starred in the police comedy-drama “Hooperman,” playing a San Francisco cop. Ritter brought humor and humanity to a role that could have been just another cop show; unfortunately it lasted only two seasons. He also starred in “Hearts Afire” from 1992-1995 with actress Markie Post and a then unknown Billy Bob Thornton.
He worked constantly during the nineties acting in movies ranging from “Bride of Chucky” to a critically acclaimed role in “Sling Blade,” directed and written by Billy Bob Thornton. He also did voice overs in cartoons such as “Clifford The Big Red Dog.” In 2002, it was nice to have Ritter back in my living room, when his new series “8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter,” co-starring Katey Segal of “Married With Children,” hit the airwaves.
Ritter finally had a hit on his hands, and he used the opportunity to make us laugh with him all over again. The show wasn’t Masterpiece Theater, but it was funny and Ritter was good. He played Paul Hennessy, the overprotective father to two teenage girls. The character felt like a grown-up version of Jack Tripper. As played by Ritter, Paul knew all of the tricks that he, as a teenage boy, used to meet teenage girls and he was determined that they weren’t going to be used on his daughters.
During rehearsals in the second season Ritter collapsed on the set. He was taken to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, where he died a few hours later from aortic dissection. He died on the day of his daughter’s fifth birthday, a day before his wife’s 41st birthday, a week before his 55th birthday, and six days before his wedding anniversary. He also died in the same hospital where he was born.
Ritter had completed three episodes for the second season, and after a brief hiatus, the show was retooled to deal with his death, but it wasn’t the same. It was eventually cancelled in 2005.
I still get sad when I think of John Ritter. The events of his death were tragic and they loom over the laughter that he gave me. I tried to watch “Three’s Company” the other day, but turned it off after a few minutes.
John Ritter was just a likeable guy. To me, he represented my childhood that I remember as carefree and fun. When he died so did that part of me. I know that everyone dies eventually, but it would have been nice if he had been able to stick around a little longer.
For those who never saw Ritter’s hit shows, “Three’s Company” airs on TVLand nightly and is also available on DVD. “8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter” airs on the Family Channel.
