Biography
Johnathan Southworth "John" Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian, perhaps best known for playing Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms "Three's Company" and "8 Simple Rules," respectively. Don Knotts called him the "greatest physical comedian on the planet." Ritter's final films "Bad Santa," "Clifford's Really Big Movie" and "Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up" were all dedicated in his memory.
Known For
Complete Filmography
Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up
2006
as Great Uncle Stew (voice)
Stanley goes with his family and friend's to his great uncle's dude ranch. The local land baron is trying to buy the ranch and make it a parking lot f...
Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up
2006
In Memory Of
Stanley goes with his family and friend's to his great uncle's dude ranch. The local land baron is trying to buy the ranch and make it a parking lot f...
Mr. Thornton Goes to Hollywood
2005
as Self (archive footage)
A 14-part documentary that explores the life and career of Billy Bob Thornton, chronicling his journey that led him to work on Sling Blade. The piece ...
Clifford's Really Big Movie
2004
as Clifford the Big Red Dog (voice)
Fearing that he costs too much to feed, Clifford decides to join a traveling carnival so he can enter a talent contest in hopes of winning a lifetime ...
Clifford's Really Big Movie
2004
In Memory Of
Fearing that he costs too much to feed, Clifford decides to join a traveling carnival so he can enter a talent contest in hopes of winning a lifetime ...
Bad Santa
2003
as Bob Chipeska
You'd better watch out - Santa Claus Willie T. Soke is coming to town, and he doesn't care if you've been naughty or nice. Wille's favorite holiday tr...
Bad Santa
2003
In Memory Of
You'd better watch out - Santa Claus Willie T. Soke is coming to town, and he doesn't care if you've been naughty or nice. Wille's favorite holiday tr...
Manhood
2003
as Eli
Filled with both laughter and tears, Manhood is a fascinating exploration of the interpersonal relationships that can define - or destroy - a family. ...
Time Machine: When Cowboys Were King
2003
as Self
Take a nostalgic ride through movie history and relive the glory days of the Western -- when kids spent their Saturdays watching double-feature matine...
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
2003
as Narrator (voice)
Lifetime's "Intimate Portrait" series shines a spotlight on the Golden Girls -- Bea Arthur, Betty White, Estelle Getty and Rue McClanahan -- with a co...
Tadpole
2002
as Stanley Grubman
Beautiful, sophisticated women are all over Oscar Grubman. He is sensitive and compassionate, speaks French fluently, is passionate about Voltaire, an...
Man of the Year
2002
as Bill
Bill is the guest of honor as the "Man of the Year". A very successful head of a large energy firm, he is a man with many dark secrets. His best frien...
Nuncrackers
2001
as Narrator
Fourth musical in the Nunsense series.
Panic
2000
as Josh
Alex is going through a midlife crisis and it has become a very difficult time for him. His marriage is struggling, he's worried about his son, and hi...
Terror Tract
2000
as Bob Carter
A real estate agent terrifies a couple with the grim fates of the previous owners of a house they're looking at.
TripFall
2000
as Tom Williams
A serial killer turns the life of a family on vacation into a nightmare.
Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel
2000
as Christian Therapist
In 1970s Atlanta, a diminutive gay man tries to find succor from the small-town religion that filled him with self-loathing. He meets Miss Make-Do, wh...
Lethal Vows
1999
as David Farris
A seemingly upstanding, caring husband and father is accused of foul play by his ex-wife regarding the mysterious death of his second wife.
It Came From the Sky
1999
as Donald Bridges
Jarvis and Pepper crash land their small plane on the roof of the Bridges family. Pepper finds herself having a positive effect on the households' aut...
Holy Joe
1999
as Joe Cass
In the sleepy town of Vine Creek, preacher and volunteer fireman Joe Cass wakes up to realize his family and community are at a breaking point. Joe de...
Dead Husbands
1998
as Dr. Carter Elston
Dr. Carter Elson is a man who finds a list of men's names among his wife Alex's possessions. When Carter discovers his own name at the bottom of the l...
Bride of Chucky
1998
as Chief Warren Kincaid
Chucky is reborn when his old flame, Tiffany, rescues his battered doll parts from a police impound.
Loss of Faith
1998
as Bruce Simon Barker
A crime novelist searches for a missing baby at his sister's behest and makes painful discoveries about himself along the way.
I Woke Up Early the Day I Died
1998
as Robert Forrest
A mental patient escapes from the looney bin in drag, robs a bank, and goes on the lam!
Shadow of Doubt
1998
as Steven Mayer
An attorney uncovers a political conspiracy in the brutal killing of a wealthy young woman.
Chance of a Lifetime
1998
as Tom Maguire
Irreverent freelance investigative reporter Tom Maguire hits rock bottom when bigot editor in chief Ivan refuses to print his pieces anymore and his b...
Montana
1998
as Dr. Wexler
A seasoned enforcer is given the seemingly routine task of finding the Boss's runaway mistress, Kitty. However Kitty is involved in plans to overthrow...
Sink Or Swim
1997
as Hank
Brian is a television writer-producer who has to script a 22-episode anthology, but lacks inspiration. He witnesses a strange romantic encounter betwe...
A Gun, a Car, a Blonde
1997
as Duncan the Bartender
In this homage to film noir, a wheelchair bound (Jim Metzler) paraplegic fantasizes about the new blonde (Andrea Thompson), who moves into the house a...
Nowhere
1997
as Moses Helper
In Los Angeles, a colorful assortment of bohemians try to make sense of their intersecting lives. The moody Dark Smith, his bisexual girlfriend, her l...
A Child's Wish
1997
as Ed Chandler
A family discovers their youngest daughter has cancer. But the real struggle has yet to start.
For Hope
1996
as Date #5 (uncredited)
The life and death of a young woman who suffered from scleroderma, and how she and her family coped.
Mercenary
1996
as Jonas Ambler
Jonas Ambler is a rich businessman whose wife is killed by kidnappers, so he decides to get even. He hires a mercenary to find and kill the kidnappers...
Sling Blade
1996
as Vaughan Cunningham
Karl Childers, a mentally disabled man, has been in the custody of the state mental hospital since the age of 12 for killing his mother and her lover....
Harry Anderson: The Tricks of His Trade
1996
as Self
A one man CBS Special featuring classic close-up magic, card tricks and other sleight of hand.
Unforgivable
1996
as Paul Hegstrom
Paul Hegstrom is a so-called family man who puts his wife through domestic violence and his children through emotional torture. After leaving his fami...
Sex, Censorship and the Silver Screen
1996
as Quote Reader
Explores sexuality and censorship over a hundred years of motion pictures.
The Colony
1995
as Rick Knowlton
A man and his family move from a crime-ridden inner city suburb to a self-proclaimed violence-free haven overseen by a godlike businessman. However, t...
Gramps
1995
as Clarke MacGruder
After a long search, lawyer Clarke MacGruder finally locates his long lost father Jack. At first, everything seems fine with his new extended family, ...
North
1994
as Ward Nelson
Eleven-year-old North has had it with his parents. They are always busy with their careers and don't give North the attention he needs, so he files a ...
The Only Way Out
1993
as Jeremy Carlisle
Jeremy Carlisle's ex-wife Lynn is trying to stay away from her dangerously disturbed ex-boyfriend Tony, and Jeremy does all he can do protect his fami...
Heartbeat
1993
as Bill Grant
A divorced father falls in love with a pregnant woman whose husband had abandoned her when he discovered she was expecting a child.
Stay Tuned
1992
as Roy Knable
Salesman Roy Knable spends all his free time watching television, to the exasperation of his wife, Helen. One day, TV salesman Spike convinces Roy to ...
Noises Off...
1992
as Garry Lejeune / Roger Tramplemain
Hired to helm an Americanized take on a British play, director Lloyd Fellowes does his best to control an eccentric group of stage actors. With a star...
The Making of High Noon
1992
as Self
Documentary about High Noon featuring Fred Zinnemann and Stanley Kramer.
The Martin & Lewis Story: The Last Great Comedy Team
1992
as Self
Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis were the hottest act in America in the 1950's & the highest paid comedy team in show business. They starred in nightclubs, r...
The Real Story of O Christmas Tree
1991
as Piney (voice)
In this children's video a little girl asks a little pine tree to stay green through the winter to remind people of spring. The little tree must disob...
Problem Child 2
1991
as Ben Healy
Junior and his father, Ben, move from Cold River to Mortville. Junior becomes threatened by Ben's desire to date again and find a new mother for Junio...
The Summer My Father Grew Up
1991
as Paul
A divorced and remarried doctor tries to reconnect with his eleven-year-old son whom he has always neglected.
The Dreamer of Oz
1990
as L. Frank Baum
The film is the biography of Frank Baum, the children's book author and creator of the fantasy world Oz.
Problem Child
1990
as Ben
Ben Healy and his social climbing wife Flo adopt fun-loving seven year old Junior. But they soon discover he's a little monster as he turns a camping ...
My Brother's Wife
1989
as Barney
Barney is a guy who comes home for his father's funeral. Eleanor, his brother's wife who is Barney first love meets him and they go to the club where ...
Skin Deep
1989
as Zach
Hard-drinking novelist Zach Hutton spirals out of control after his wife and mistress both leave him. Alone and crippled by a bad case of writer's blo...
Tricks of the Trade
1988
as Donald Todsen (uncredited)
After her picture perfect husband is murdered in a prostitute's apartment, Beverly Hills homemaker Catherine is devastated. But she doesn't spend too ...
Mickey's 60th Birthday
1988
as Dudley Goode
This film combines live action/original animation and library animation. Mickey steals a magic hat from a Sorcerer and is put under a spell by the ang...
Real Men
1987
as Bob Wilson
A womanizing CIA agent and an insecure insurance agent are paired together to make sure a deal goes through with aliens for the future of mankind.
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
as Self
A TV special on the 100th anniversary of the birth of film.
Prison for Children
1987
as David Royce
Contemporary drama dealing with an orphaned teenager trapped in an antiquated juvenile disciplinary system and the efforts of the institution's superi...
The Last Fling
1987
as Phillip Reed
A young woman decides to have one more romantic escapade before marrying her dull fiancé.
A Smoky Mountain Christmas
1986
as Judge Harold Benton (uncredited)
A country-western singer on a trip through the Tennessee mountains runs into a reclusive backwoodsman — and a witch.
Unnatural Causes
1986
as Frank Coleman
Frank Coleman is a Vietnam veteran dying from cancer brought on by exposure to the defoliant chemical Agent Orange which he turns to Maude DeVictor, a...
Letting Go
1985
as Alex
Letting Go stars John Ritter as a widower and Sharon Gless as a lonely unmarried woman. They meet during a group-therapy session. Romance is inevitabl...
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
1984
as Self
A tribute to Lucille ball, with an humanitarian award for her quest to end juvenile diabetes.
Donald Duck's 50th Birthday
1984
as Self
Donald is shown in both animated and costumed form, interacting with emcee Dick Van Dyke and other cast members. The film not only shows Donald's life...
Love Thy Neighbor
1984
as Danny Loeb
When Danny’s wife and Linda’s husband run away together, the two neighbors form an unlikely bond.
Strong Kids, Safe Kids
1984
as Himself
Strong Kids, Safe Kids was put together because so many of us are concerned about the horrible potential dangers our kids face every day. Sexual moles...
Sunset Limousine
1983
as Alan O'Black
Alan O'Black is a comic who wants to hit it big. But his endless attempts at stardom have worn down his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Julie. Th...
In Love with an Older Woman
1982
as Robert
A 29-year-old lawyer falls for a 43-year-old woman.
The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show
1982
as Self
Miss Piggy hosts her own variety show, with special guests John Ritter, George Hamilton and Tony Clifton (Andy Kaufman). Under the direction of Kermit...
The Flight of Dragons
1982
as Peter Dickinson (voice)
The realm of magic is being threatened by the realm of logic, so Carolinus, the green wizard decides to shield it for all time. Ommadon, the evil red ...
Pray TV
1982
as Tom McPherson
A newly ordained minister accepts a summer job with a dynamic TV evangelist only to find deep conflicts between the latter's conventional activities s...
They All Laughed
1981
as Charles Rutledge
New York's Odyssey Detective Agency is hired by two different clients to follow two women suspected of infidelity. Ladies' man John Russo trails Angel...
Wholly Moses
1980
as Satan (The Devil)
Harvey and Zoey, two tourists in Israel, discover an ancient scroll about Herschel, the man who was almost Moses. Herschel receives the command from G...
John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and Body
1980
as Self / Various
John Ritter shows off his comedic talent with a collection of comedy sketches.
John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and Body
1980
Writer
John Ritter shows off his comedic talent with a collection of comedy sketches.
The Comeback Kid
1980
as Bubba Newman
A down-on his-luck baseball pitcher finds a new set of rewards coaching a gang of underprivileged youngsters and romancing a career-oriented playgroun...
Hero at Large
1980
as Steve Nichols
An idealistic but struggling actor finds his life unexpectedly complicated when he stops a robbery while wearing the costume of Captain Avenger, a sup...
Americathon
1979
as President Chet Roosevelt
In a story told in narrative flashbacks, a young TV consultant is hired by the President of a bankrupt USA to organize a telethon in order to prevent ...
Echoes of the Sixties: A Musical Trip
1979
as Self - Host
A documentary on the pop music and culture of the 1960's, featuring film and video clips of 60's-era performers.
Robin Williams: Off the Wall
1978
as Self
This was Robin's first HBO special, part of the HBO On Location series. It was taped on location at the Roxy Theatre in Hollywood in 1978. The theatre...
Leave Yesterday Behind
1978
as Paul Stallings
A happy-go-lucky veterinary student, paralyzed for life in a college polo meet, finds love with a young woman who leaves her fiancée to help him overc...
Ringo
1978
as Marty Flesh
Ringo Starr, bored and disillusioned with fame, meets a doppelgänger in Hollywood named Ognir Rrats who sells maps to the stars' homes and lives with ...
The Goldie Hawn Special
1978
as Self
Goldie Hawn’s second TV special was in 1978, “The Goldie Hawn Special” and it was a sort of comeback for her, after she had been out of the spotlight ...
How to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness
1978
as Self
A 1978 special starring Mary Tyler Moore, Harvey Korman, and John Ritter. Dick Van Dyke guest stars.
Nickelodeon
1976
as Franklin Frank
In the silent film era, attorney Leo Harrigan and gunslinger Buck Greenway are hired to stop an illegal film production. However, they soon team up wi...
The Night That Panicked America
1975
as Walter Wingate
A dramatization of the Oct. 30, 1938 mass panic that Orson Welles' radio play, "The War of the Worlds" accidentally provoked.
The Prisoner of Second Avenue
1975
as Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
Mel Edison has just lost his job after many years and now has to cope with being unemployed at middle age during an intense NYC heat wave.
The Stone Killer
1973
as Hart
A Los Angeles detective is sent to New York where he must solve a case involving an old Sicilian Mafia family feud.
The Lie
1973
as Bauer
An Ingmar Bergman script. Produced for Swedish Television as "Reservatet" (1970) and for BBC as "The Lie" (1971). An American couple is trapped in the...
The Other
1972
as Rider
A series of gruesome accidents plague a small American farming community in the summer of 1935, encircling two identical twin brothers and their famil...
Evil Roy Slade
1972
as Priest (uncredited)
Orphaned and left in the desert as an infant, Evil Roy Slade (John Astin) grew up alone—save for his teddy bear—and mean. As an adult, he is notorious...
Scandalous John
1971
as Wendell
A crotchety old ranch owner fights to be able to live his life the way he wants to, and not the way other people--and the law--tell him he has to.
The Barefoot Executive
1971
as Roger
In the great Disney tradition of wild family fun, a young Kurt Russell stars as Steven Post - an ambitious mailroom clerk at a second-rate TV network....