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Actor John Ritter dead at 54
(CNN) -- Actor and comedian John Ritter, who gained stardom in the sitcom "Three's Company," died Thursday night after collapsing on the set of his current TV series. He was 54. Ritter was rushed from the set of the ABC series "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, after suffering from aortic dissection, an unrecognized and undetected flaw in his heart, according to a statement from his publicist Lisa Kasteler. "Surgeons at the hospital tried to save the Emmy Award-winning actor but, sadly, were unable to do so," the statement said. WebMD.com describes an aortic dissection as "an abnormal separation of tissues within the walls of the aorta" caused by high blood pressure, family history of the condition, disease of connective tissue, or severe trauma to the chest. "Aortic dissection results in a weakened blood vessel wall that may also rupture," the Web site says. Ritter, who would have turned 55 next week, is best known for his role as Jack Tripper on the long-running television sitcom, "Three's Company," which brought him an Emmy. Actress Suzanne Somers remembered her former "Three's Company" co-star as a man of "great joy" and said he was one of the finest physical comedy actors she had ever known "The chemistry that people see on that show is the chemistry we had," Somers told CNN's Larry King in a phone interview. "I loved John Ritter. He was like playing ping-pong with a great player, he'd just bang the ball and you better be fast to get it. And he also had a great joy." Ritter was the youngest son of Western film star and country music legend Tex Ritter, according to his biography on ABC's Web site. Henry Winkler, best known as "The Fonz" in "Happy Days," was to make a guest appearance on "8 Simple Rules" and was on the set Thursday with Ritter. He said he got a call later about Ritter's death. Winkler told the Larry King show: "He said, 'I'm tired.' And I said, 'You're always tired.' He said, 'Well I just took a nap.'" He later heard that Ritter had gone home from the set early, and thought it was to celebrate his daughter's birthday. "He loved what he did, he loved children. He loved his wife, Amy, and he loved his work. It's a gigantic loss. He's irreplaceable." 'I was the class clown'Ritter was born on September 17, 1948, to Tex Ritter and actress Dorothy Fay. He was graduated from Hollywood High School and attended the University of Southern California. A psychology major, he had no intentions of following in his father's footsteps as a performer -- but a drama class changed his mind. He later earned a degree in drama. "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 had roles on many popular television series, including "The Waltons" and a guest shot on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (he played a clergyman on both) and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his appearance on "Ally McBeal." He also starred on the late-'80s series "Hooperman," produced by Steven Bochco, and the early-'90s show "Hearts Afire." Proving his versatility, he also provided the voice of Clifford on the PBS animated series "Clifford the Big Red Dog," a role for which he received two Emmy nominations. "He never aspired to be Hamlet," said Tim Brooks, co-author of "The Complete Guide to Prime-Time Network and Cable TV Shows," to the AP. "He was a true actor of the people and television viewers really bonded with him as a result." Variety of rolesHe is best remembered for his goofy physical humor on "Three's Company," but showcased his penchant for serious acting in Billy Bob Thornton's 1996 cinematic hit, "Sling Blade." That role opened the door for future serious acting roles. He recently co-starred with Sigourney Weaver in Miramax's "Tadpole," directed by Gary Winick. He also appeared in the independent feature "Manhood," which premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. Ritter will also be seen in Miramax's "Bad Santa," opposite Thornton. The film is scheduled for release on November 26. Ritter 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. Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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