3's Company John Ritter Dies/Johnny Cash Too

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 6:11am

Just heard he died of "dissection of the aorta". He was 54. What a shock. Less of a shock was Johnny Cash's death

[DofB5]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 6:34am

When Johnny Cash's wife died a few months ago, I thought it wouldn't be long until we saw him pass. Still I'm very sorry to hear this.

What a shock about John Ritter. To soon. Just goes to show that you never know.

D

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 6:55am

I was very shocked to hear this awful news. John Ritter was such a great actor. I really did not know Johnny Cash, but any death is very sad.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 6:56am

Double post! Sorry.

Updated On: 9/12/03 at 06:56 AM

[Max Bialystock]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 8:04am

Who'd have thought Don Knotts would out live John Ritter!

Tonight -- KADDISH -- for Mr. Ritter and Mr. Cash!

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 8:17am

i cant take turning on the news first thing in the morning and hearing about another death. This made me very upset because I happened to love mr.ritter. I actually saw him a few months ago at GYPSY and he looked a bit overweight sad to say He must of been so stressed with everything. I wish his family and his tv family good prayers. I loved his new tv show. When I was home I'd always watch it. He will be VERY missed.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 8:37am

John leaves behind a lovely wife and daughter. I was always a big fan of his. He new show was a hit also.

You can tell how sick Johnny Cash was just by looking at the photos from his wife's funeral. That was no surprise. But, John Ritter, I can't believe it.

Posted: 9/12/03 at 8:39am

I am truly saddened. And I must say completely shocked!

[Benzy92]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 9:27am

I am so sad about John Ritter's death. He was a great actor.

[Becky]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 10:59am

"John leaves behind a lovely wife and daughter."

Not to mention his three other children, including Jason Ritter who I believe is supposed to be starring in the new show Joan of Arcadia.

I couldn't believe the news of his passing today.

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 12:11pm

It is indeed very sad, but what kills me is the headline from Broadway.com that reads 'Popular Actor John Ritter dead'.

I mean...when one of his co-stars goes, is it gonna read 'Unpopular Actress Joyce Dewitt, dead'???

God speed, John. You've made me laugh many times.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 1:01pm

Very sad on both counts.

I was actually up late watching a rerun of Three's Company when I heard of John's passing.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 1:16pm

I am so sorry to hear of both of these passings.

As a youngn’ we always had Johnny Cash on the stereo. Sexy man in black, sexy voice, sexy bad-boy.

Then came THREE’S COMPANY. Sexy man in towel, sexy smile, sexy sense of humor.

They will be missed, but never forgotten.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 1:29pm

I was stunned at hearing of John Ritter's death. The Neil Simon play he recently did on Broadway was The Dinner Party, right?

So young and sudden. Makes me wonder what hope there is for me

[AReinkingfan]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 2:09pm

TeacherOfTheater... here's to many happy years for you!

AND EVERYONE!

In the words of an old friend...

Be Well.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 2:14pm

An aortic dissection is what Jonathan Larsen had although his was genetic due to Marfan Syndrome.

John Ritter did not look like he had Marfan. It has very specific characteristics.

I have friends who have survived dissections. This is big stuff.

[cabarethed]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 2:40pm

Such a shame.
I really feel for John Ritter's family. My god. He seemed like such a loving family man, and I can't even think about how they must feel right now. So saddening...

Posted: 9/12/03 at 3:38pm

very odd. i recently saw Swingblade for the first time and i was taken back by john ritter's suttle yet compelling portrayal. Not to mention the sleezy talk show host in Nowhere. he will be missed.

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 3:39pm

I can't belive John Ritter died! He was such a good actor. His new show was good!!

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 4:50pm

When I heard the news about John this morning, I kept telling myself they had it wrong. He showed no signs of any illness this past year. My prayers are with his family. Updated On: 9/12/03 at 04:50 PM

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 5:08pm

Someone told me about John Ritter's death during lunch today (God forbid I should turn on the news in the morning and know earlier like everyone else). The food literally fell out of my mouth because my mouth was wide open in disbelief. I assumed the person telling me was slightly confused, but they said, "Yes that John Ritter; from Three's Company."
Apparently he's had heart trouble for some time; but I saw him on a talk show a few months ago and he looked great.
It is very sad...and not just because he was a good actor; but he was a good person.
I know he has quite a few children, but his youngest (his daughter with Amy Yasbeck) is only like 5 or 6 years old. How sad that she had to lose her father at such a young age.

It just sickens me at how many deaths we're hearing about all at once these past couple of months. And not just celebrities. Throughout the past month alone, three people I know have died.

[singnyc]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 5:22pm

I had the pleasure of meeting John while he was in NYC doing the Dinner Party. He seemed like an incredibly kind and funny man!

From what I've heard his heart condition was more of a defect then something caused by poor health habits and his condition was previously undetected.

Yesterday was actully his daughter Stella's 5th birthday as well. Poor girl

[Hello Gorgeous]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 5:22pm

I agree Christine, it's such a shame for his little children.

I loved John Ritter. I heard it on the radio this morning, and literally couldn't get up after I heard it. He was such a good actor, and was really coming back with "8 Simple Rules", which is a great show. He was also the voice of Clifford! My brother loves that show! This is really a shame, and so sudden too.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 5:38pm

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 12) - John Ritter, whose portrayal of the bumbling but lovable Jack Tripper helped make the madcap comedy series ``Three's Company'' a smash hit in the 1970s, died of a heart problem after falling ill on the set of his new television sit-com. He was 54.
Ritter became ill Thursday while working on ABC's ``8 Simple Rules ... For Dating My Teenage Daughter,'' the hit show that became the actor's big television comeback, said Susan Wilcox, his assistant of 22 years.
The cause of his death was a tear in the aorta, the result of an unrecognized flaw in his heart, said his publicist, Lisa Kasteler. He died at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday.
Ritter, a Southern California native who would have turned 55 on Wednesday, came to prominence for his role in ``Three's Company'' and had appeared in more than 25 television movies, a number of films and on Broadway.
He made his successful return to sitcom acting last year with ``8 Simple Rules'' last year. The show was scheduled to begin its second season Sept. 23.
At the Burbank hospital where he died, Ritter was accompanied by producers and co-workers, his wife, Amy Yasbeck, and 23-year-old son Jason, Wilcox said. He is survived by three other children.
``It's just stunning, unbelievable,'' said Wilcox. ``Everybody loved John Ritter. Everybody loved working with him. ... Whatever set he was working on, he made it a very fun place.''
ABC released a statement saying: ``All of us at ABC, Touchstone Television and The Walt Disney Company are shocked and heartbroken at the terrible news of John's passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children at this very difficult time.''
Ritter was the youngest son of Western film star and country musician Tex Ritter and actress Dorothy Fay. He graduated from Hollywood High School and earned a degree in drama from the University of Southern California.
``I was the class clown, but I was also student body president in high school,'' he told The Associated Press in a 1992 interview. ``I had my serious side - I idolized Bobby Kennedy, he was my role model. But so was Jerry Lewis.''
Ritter's first steady job was his role as a minister in television's ``The Waltons'' in the early 1970s.
With ``Three's Company,'' starting in 1977, his career took off. His other performances included 1996's Oscar-winning movie ``Sling Blade'' and a Broadway run in Neil Simon's ``The Dinner Party.'' He received an Emmy and other awards for his ``Three's Company'' role and was honored by the Los Angeles Music Center in June with a lifetime achievement award.
``Three's Company,'' about a bachelor sharing an apartment with two attractive women, Suzanne Somers and Joyce DeWitt, was considered racy during its run from 1977 to 1984. And Ritter worried about falling into a typecasting trap after the show ended.
``I would get scripts about 'a young swinging bachelor on the make,' and I said 'No, I've done that,''' he told the AP in the 1992 interview. ``Or they'd say, 'You're living alone and .
'
``What I was looking for in my time off was something a little bit different, a little serious, or funny in a different way.''
Ritter described his time on the show as ``an education'' in quick-study acting.
``When the curtain went up, no matter how long you've studied or haven't studied at all, you had to answer to the audience. We didn't do retakes. If there was a (microphone) boom in the shot, so be it,'' he said.
Ritter later starred in the television series ``Hooperman'' and the early 1990s political comedy ``Hearts Afire.'' He received two Emmy nominations for his PBS role as the voice of ``Clifford the Big Red Dog'' on the animated series.
His TV movie appearances included ``Unnatural Causes,'' Stephen King's ``It'' and ``Chance of a Lifetime.''
Ritter won popularity among independent film directors in recent years and appeared in films including ``Sling Blade,'' ``Tadpole'' in 2002, and the new feature ``Manhood.'' He appears alongside Billy Bob Thornton in the scheduled November release from Miramax ``Bad Santa.''
Ritter was married from 1977 to 1996 to Nancy Morgan, the mother of his three oldest children, Jason, Carly and Tyler. He married actress Yasbeck in 1999, the mother of Stella.
09/12/03 09:35 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

[Hello Gorgeous]

Posted: 9/12/03 at 5:45pm

That's the same article that's in MSN too...I was just shocked even more when I read that...