West Coast Connection Forum
Lifestyle => Sports & Entertainment => Topic started by: mrtonguetwista on September 12, 2003, 09:11:52 AM
-
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Emmy award-winning actor John Ritter, who gained fame playing bumbling and lovable characters in a pair of television comedies decades apart, has died suddenly due to a previously undetected arterial problem, his representatives said on Friday.
Ritter, who was 54, collapsed on Thursday evening while filming "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," the ABC television comedy which had reinvigorated his career and was a centerpiece of the network's upcoming fall season.
The former star of "Three's Company" was taken to Providence St. Joseph hospital in Burbank, California, across from the studio where he had been working.
Surgeons at the hospital were unable to save him, and he died from a "dissection of the aorta," which results from an unrecognized flaw in a main artery from the heart, his publicists, Wolf-Kasteler & Associates Public Relations, said.
Ritter was best known for his portrayal of Jack Tripper in the 1970s situation comedy "Three's Company," which won him Emmy, Golden Globe and People's Choice awards.
A prolific actor, Ritter recently reconnected with television audiences as the star of "8 Simple Rules."
Ritter played Paul Hennessy in the family comedy about a father dealing with his precocious daughters which was one of the Walt Disney Co.-owned network's hits in the 2002 season.
"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," ABC said in a statement.
Born into a Hollywood family, John Ritter was the son of country singer and actor Tex Ritter and graduated from Hollywood High School, where he was student body president.
He graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in drama and went on to act in film, television and on the stage.
He is survived by his wife, Amy Yasbeck and their daughter, Stella and three children, Carly, Tyler and Jason, from his first marriage to Nancy Morgan.
Jack Tripper on 3's Company was da man!!! R.I.P.
-
he was a great actor...damn. R.I.P.
-
he was a great actor...damn. R.I.P.
-
Damn, Problem Child was the shit. Seems like a lot of actors have been dying/in trouble lately. :-\ R.I.P.
-
Yeah, this is a horrible day. First Johnny Cash, now this. I don't think he ever got the respect he deserved, because he played such a goofball, but he was always a person that you just LIKED seeing, he (to me, at least) was never annoying when many people that do roles like this ARE. I was always a fan of his, his dad was Tex Ritter, this famous country guitar player. I've seen a lot of charity commercials and public service announcements that John did, too, so that should speak to what kind of a guy he was, It's always sad to see a good person die so young.
-
In this kind of moment what else can you say then Rest In Peace John Ritter
-
RIP :(
-
8 Simple Rules has it's season premire in 2 weeks, I wonder what's going to happen with the show now.
RIP John Ritter :'(
-
What a horrible tragedy. RIP to the great John Ritter.
-
RIP :(
-
damn i was just thinkin about 8 simple rules at work, damn didnt expect to hear this, what a shame, and so sudden
R.I.P
-
R.I.P.
-
come an knock at our door we been waiting for you *begins cryin*
-
he was a great actor...damn. R.I.P.
-
man john ritter was coooooooooooooool as hell, i'm more sad that johnny cash died, but i'm more shocked that john ritter died......dude shouldn't of passed. it wasn't his time
and for the record "8 simple rules for dating my daughter" is a tight ass show!
-
RIP i remember him on Problem Child & IT the most so iv always reconized him.. i was shocked when i heard this but RIP John
-
RIP i remember him on Problem Child & IT the most so iv always reconized him.. i was shocked when i heard this but RIP John
congratulations! you are truley a great man.
-
rip