Home  ›  People  ›  John Ritter
John Ritter
ACTOR

John Ritter

Known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit · Buffy the Vampire Slayer · M*A*S*H

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…

Snapshot 2026-10-15

Born
Sep 17, 1948
Died
Sep 11, 2003
Birthplace
Burbank, California, USA
Known For
Acting

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.

Advertisement

Known For

TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitDr. Richard Manning · 1999
★ 8.0
TVBuffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire SlayerTed Buchanan · 1997
★ 8.1
TVM*A*S*H
M*A*S*HPrivate Carter · 1972
★ 7.9
TVKing of the Hill
King of the HillEugene Grandy (voice) · 1997
★ 7.4
TVBatman Beyond
Batman BeyondDr. David Wheeler (voice) · 1999
★ 8.2
TVSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night LiveAudience Member (uncredited) · 1975
★ 6.9
TVScrubs
ScrubsSam Dorian · 2001
★ 8.2
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self · 2003
★ 5.3

Filmography

Movies

Scandalous JohnWendell
1971
The Barefoot ExecutiveRoger
1971
Evil Roy SladePriest (uncredited)
1972
The OtherRider
1972
The LieBauer
1973
The Stone KillerHart
1973
The Night That Panicked AmericaWalter Wingate
1975
The Prisoner of Second AvenueElevator Passenger (uncredited)
1975
NickelodeonFranklin Frank
1976
HT
How to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into HappinessSelf
1978
Leave Yesterday BehindPaul Stallings
1978
RingoMarty Flesh
1978
Robin Williams: Off the WallSelf
1978
The Goldie Hawn SpecialSelf
1978
AmericathonPresident Chet Roosevelt
1979
Echoes of the Sixties: A Musical TripSelf - Host
1979
Hero at LargeSteve Nichols
1980
John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and BodySelf / Various
1980
John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and BodyWriter
1980
The Comeback KidBubba Newman
1980
Wholly MosesSatan (The Devil)
1980
They All LaughedCharles Rutledge
1981
In Love with an Older WomanRobert
1982
Pray TVTom McPherson
1982
The Fantastic Miss Piggy ShowSelf
1982
The Flight of DragonsPeter Dickinson (voice)
1982
Sunset LimousineAlan O'Black
1983
AS
All Star Party for Lucille BallSelf
1984
Donald Duck's 50th BirthdaySelf
1984
Love Thy NeighborDanny Loeb
1984
Strong Kids, Safe KidsHimself
1984
The Secret World of the Very YoungSelf - Host
1984
Letting GoAlex
1985
A Smoky Mountain ChristmasJudge Harold Benton (uncredited)
1986
Unnatural CausesFrank Coleman
1986
Happy 100th Birthday, HollywoodSelf
1987
It's Howdy Doody Time: A 40-Year CelebrationHimself - Guest
1987
Prison for ChildrenDavid Royce
1987
Real MenBob Wilson
1987
Superstars and their MomsSelf
1987
The Last FlingPhillip Reed
1987
Mickey's 60th BirthdayDudley Goode
1988
Tricks of the TradeDonald Todsen (uncredited)
1988
My Brother's WifeBarney
1989
Skin DeepZach
1989
PoochinskiExecutive Producer
1990
Problem ChildBen
1990
The Dreamer of OzL. Frank Baum
1990
Problem Child 2Ben Healy
1991
The Real Story of O Christmas TreePiney (voice)
1991
The Summer My Father Grew UpPaul
1991
Noises Off...Garry Lejeune / Roger Tramplemain
1992
Stay TunedRoy Knable
1992
The Making of High NoonSelf
1992
The Martin & Lewis Story: The Last Great Comedy TeamSelf
1992
HeartbeatBill Grant
1993
The Only Way OutJeremy Carlisle
1993
NorthWard Nelson
1994
GrampsClarke MacGruder
1995
The ColonyRick Knowlton
1995
For HopeDate #5 (uncredited)
1996
Harry Anderson: The Tricks of His TradeSelf
1996
MercenaryJonas Ambler
1996
Sling BladeVaughan Cunningham
1996
UnforgivablePaul Hegstrom
1996
A Child's WishEd Chandler
1997
A Gun, a Car, a BlondeDuncan the Bartender
1997
NowhereMoses Helper
1997
Sink Or SwimHank
1997
The History of Toys and GamesSelf - Host
1997
Bride of ChuckyChief Warren Kincaid
1998
Chance of a LifetimeTom Maguire
1998
Dead HusbandsDr. Carter Elston
1998
I Woke Up Early the Day I DiedRobert Forrest
1998
LO
Loss of FaithBruce Barker
1998
MontanaDr. Wexler
1998
Shadow of DoubtSteven Mayer
1998
Holy JoeJoe Cass
1999
It Came from the SkyDonald Bridges
1999
Lethal VowsDavid Farris
1999
Lost in the Pershing Point HotelChristian Therapist
2000
PanicJosh
2000
Terror TractBob Carter
2000
TripFallTom Williams
2000
NuncrackersNarrator
2001
Man of the YearBill
2002
TadpoleStanley Grubman
2002
Walt Disney World Christmas Day ParadeSelf
2002
ABC's 50th Anniversary CelebrationSelf
2003
Bad SantaBob Chipeska
2003
Bad SantaIn Memory Of
2003
ManhoodEli
2003
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait SeriesNarrator (voice)
2003
Time Machine: When Cowboys Were KingSelf
2003
Clifford's Really Big MovieClifford the Big Red Dog (voice)
2004
Clifford's Really Big MovieIn Memory Of
2004
Mr. Thornton Goes to HollywoodSelf (archive footage)
2005
Stanley's Dinosaur Round-UpGreat Uncle Stew (voice)
2006
Stanley's Dinosaur Round-UpIn Memory Of
2006

Television

Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Nominee · 1 eps
1944
Golden Globe AwardsSelf · 2 eps
1944
The Bob Hope ShowSelf · 1 eps
1950
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf - Co-Host · 2 eps
1961
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 3 eps
1961
The Merv Griffin ShowSelf · 1 eps
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 9 eps
1962
MannixCliff Elgin · 1 eps
1967
Hawaii Five-ORyan Moore · 1 eps
1969
Hawaii Five-OMike Welles · 1 eps
1969
Medical CenterRonnie · 1 eps
1969
Dan AugustColey Smith · 1 eps
1970
The Mary Tyler Moore ShowReverend Chatfield · 1 eps
1970
Great PerformancesRichard · 1 eps
1971
Owen Marshall: Counselor at LawGreg · 1 eps
1971
M*A*S*HPrivate Carter · 1 eps
1972
The Bob Newhart ShowDave · 1 eps
1972
The Rookies1 eps
1972
The Streets of San FranciscoJohn 'Johnny' Steiner · 1 eps
1972
The WaltonsRev. Matthew Fordwick · 17 eps
1972
Barnaby JonesJoe Rockwell · 1 eps
1973
KojakKenny Soames · 1 eps
1973
Dinah!Self · 1 eps
1974
PetrocelliJohn Oleson · 1 eps
1974
RhodaVince Mazuma · 1 eps
1974
RhodaJerry Blocker · 1 eps
1974
D
Doc1 eps
1975
People's Choice AwardsSelf - Host · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveAudience Member (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Starsky & HutchTom Cole · 1 eps
1975
TB
The Bob Crane Show1 eps
1975
The Love BoatDale Riley · 1 eps
1977
The Love BoatBen Cummins · 2 eps
1977
Three's CompanyJack Tripper · 171 eps
1977
The Ropers1 eps
1979
Entertainment TonightSelf · 1 eps
1981
NatureNarrator (voice) · 1 eps
1982
Life's Most Embarrassing MomentsSelf - Host · 1 eps
1983
Muppet Babies1 eps
1984
The Cosby ShowRay Evans · 1 eps
1984
Three's a CrowdJack Tripper · 22 eps
1984
Life with LucyJohn Ritter · 1 eps
1986
HoopermanDetective Harry Hooperman · 42 eps
1987
LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf · 1 eps
1988
Anything But LovePatrick Serreau · 5 eps
1989
ItBen Hanscom · 2 eps
1990
WingsStuart Davenport · 1 eps
1990
Fish PoliceInspector Gil (voice) · 6 eps
1992
Hearts AfireJohn Hartman · 54 eps
1992
M&
Martin & Lewis: Their Golden Age of ComedySelf · 3 eps
1992
The Larry Sanders ShowJohn Ritter · 2 eps
1992
Dave's WorldJohn Ritter · 3 eps
1993
Intimate PortraitSelf - Interviewee · 1 eps
1993
Intimate PortraitSelf - Narrator (voice) · 1 eps
1993
Late Night with Conan O'BrienSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1993
Chicago HopeJoe Dysmerski · 1 eps
1994
Touched by an AngelMike O'Conner · 1 eps
1994
Touched by an AngelSheriff Tom McKinsley · 1 eps
1994
NewsRadioFrank Westford · 1 eps
1995
E! True Hollywood Story4 eps
1996
Ally McBealGeorge Madison · 2 eps
1997
Buffy the Vampire SlayerTed Buchanan · 1 eps
1997
Dead Man's GunHarry McDonacle · 1 eps
1997
King of the HillEugene Grandy (voice) · 4 eps
1997
Over the TopJustin · 1 eps
1997
The ViewSelf · 2 eps
1997
Veronica's ClosetTim Margolin · 1 eps
1997
FelicityMr. Andrew Covington · 7 eps
1998
Hollywood SquaresSelf - Panelist · 10 eps
1998
Batman BeyondDr. David Wheeler (voice) · 1 eps
1999
Family LawFather Andrews · 1 eps
1999
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitDr. Richard Manning · 1 eps
1999
The Early ShowSelf · 1 eps
1999
Clifford the Big Red DogClifford (voice) · 130 eps
2000
Clifford The Big Red Dog: Best BuddiesClifford · 6 eps
2000
TV FunhouseNarrator (voice) · 1 eps
2000
ScrubsSam Dorian · 1 eps
2001
8 Simple RulesPaul Hennessy · 31 eps
2002
Breaking News1 eps
2002
Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)John Ritter · 1 eps
2002
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self · 1 eps
2003
TL
TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV1 eps
2003
Behind Closed Doors with Natalie MoralesHimself (archive footage) · 1 eps
2015
SuperstarSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
2021

Photos

John Ritter photo
John Ritter photo
John Ritter photo
Advertisement

Catalog data and artwork by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Advertisement
Previously.Your brand hereAdvertise with us →