Many fans of classic Hollywood movies and sitcoms have wondered if Thelma Ritter, the Oscar-nominated actress who starred in films like All About Eve and Rear Window, is related to John Ritter, the Emmy-winning actor who played Jack Tripper on Three’s Company. They share the same last name, but is there any family connection between them? The answer is no. Thelma Ritter and John Ritter are not related by blood or marriage. They were both successful actors in their own right, but they never worked together or crossed paths in their careers. Here is everything you need to know about these two stars and their separate lives.
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Thelma Ritter: A Versatile Character Actress
Thelma Ritter was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 14, 1902. She started acting as a teenager in high school plays and stock companies, and later studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She married Joseph Moran, an actor who later became an advertising executive, in 1927. They had two children, Monica and Joe.
Ritter took a break from acting to raise her family, but returned to the stage in the late 1930s. She made her Broadway debut in 1941 in The Shelf, and went on to appear in several other plays, including New Girl in Town, for which she shared a Tony Award with Gwen Verdon in 1958.
Ritter’s film career began with a small uncredited role in Miracle on 34th Street (1947), where she played a frustrated mother looking for a toy for her son. She caught the attention of writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who cast her as Birdie Coonan, the cynical maid of Bette Davis’ character, in All About Eve (1950). This role earned her the first of six Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress, a record that she still holds.
Ritter was known for her comedic timing, her strong New York accent, and her ability to play working-class characters with wit and warmth. She often stole the scene from her more glamorous co-stars, such as Marilyn Monroe in The Misfits (1961) and Doris Day in Pillow Talk (1959). She also showed her dramatic range in films like Pickup on South Street (1953), where she played a doomed informant, and Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), where she played the mother of Burt Lancaster’s character. Her last Oscar nomination came for this role.
Ritter also worked on television, appearing in shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The United States Steel Hour, and The Jerry Lewis Show. She received an Emmy nomination for her performance in Goodyear Television Playhouse in 1956.
Ritter died of a heart attack on February 5, 1969, at the age of 66. She was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York.
John Ritter: A Beloved Sitcom Star
John Ritter was born in Burbank, California, on September 17, 1948. He was the son of Tex Ritter, a country singer and actor who appeared in many western movies, and Dorothy Fay, an actress who later became a politician. He had a brother named Tom.
Ritter grew up surrounded by show business, but he initially wanted to be a minister. He changed his mind after enrolling at the University of Southern California, where he majored in psychology and minored in architecture. He also joined an improv group called The Cheviot Hills Players, where he discovered his talent for comedy.
Ritter decided to pursue acting as a career, and studied at the Harvey Lembeck Comedy Workshop and the Stella Adler Acting School. He made his TV debut in an episode of The Dating Game in 1968, and his film debut in The Barefoot Executive (1971), starring Kurt Russell.
Ritter’s breakthrough came when he was cast as Jack Tripper, a clumsy but charming chef who pretends to be gay to share an apartment with two women, on Three’s Company (1977-1984). The sitcom was based on a British show called Man About the House, and was a huge hit with audiences. Ritter won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his performance, and became one of the most popular TV stars of his generation.
Ritter also appeared in several movies during his Three’s Company run, such as Hero at Large (1980), where he played an aspiring actor who becomes a real-life superhero; They All Laughed (1981), where he played a private detective who falls in love with Audrey Hepburn; and Skin Deep (1989), where he played a womanizing writer who tries to overcome his addiction to sex.
Ritter continued to work on television after Three’s Company ended, starring in spin-offs like Three’s a Crowd (1984-1985) and Hooperman (1987-1989), as well as sitcoms like Hearts Afire (1992-1995) and 8 Simple Rules (2002-2003). He also did voice work for animated shows like Clifford the Big Red Dog and King of the Hill.
Ritter married actress Nancy Morgan in 1977. They had three children, Jason, Carly, and Tyler. They divorced in 1996. Ritter then married actress Amy Yasbeck in 1999. They had one daughter, Stella.
Ritter died of an aortic dissection on September 11, 2003, at the age of 54. He was filming an episode of 8 Simple Rules when he collapsed on the set. He was taken to a hospital, where he underwent surgery, but he did not survive. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California.
Conclusion
Thelma Ritter and John Ritter were both talented and beloved actors who left behind a legacy of memorable performances. They shared a common surname, but they were not related in any way. They were simply two stars who shone brightly in their own fields.
