Happy Birthday to John Ritter!!!

[mickeymouseclubfan]

Born on September 17, 1948 in Burbank, California, Jonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was the younger of 2 boys (including brother Tom, age 68, who has Cerebral Palsy and is a successful lawyer) born to Tex Ritter, Western actor, and wife Dorothy Fay Southworth.

In 1966, before finding fame in his own right starring on "Three's Company," John was a contestant on "The Dating Game."

During his 2 1/2 decade career as an actor, John starred on many a TV show, including "Three's Company," "Hooperman" & Disney's "8 Simple Rules."

After filming 3 episodes of Season 2 of "8 Simple Rules," John fell ill with what was initially mistaken as food poisoning; instead, after a 5-hour fight to save him at the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, where he had been born, at 1 A.M. ET / 10 P.M. PT on September 12, 2003, John Ritter, age 54, 5 days shy of his 55th birthday, died.

John's cause of death was revealed as Dissection of the Aorta.

John was also shy of his 4th wedding anniversary to his wife Amy Yasbeck, the mother of their daughter Stella (whose 5th birthday was on 9/11/2003, 24 hours before John died).

Besides Amy and Stella, John was also survived by 3 grown children from his first marriage to Nancy Morgan: son Jason (born on February 17, 1980 in Los Angeles, California), a rising actor continuing the Ritter acting tradition; daughter Carly (born c. 1983) and son Tyler (born c. 1985).

Here's to John Ritter, a beloved talent taken from Earth much too young.

9/17/1948 - 9/12/2003

[JackJanetChrissy]

That's kinda sad to think he died less than a week before his own birthday. And a day after his daughter's birthday.

[opus]

Catch him today, 7:30ET, on MASH on ME-TV.

[JSP]

Happy Birthday to an actor whose legendary status has only grown with time.