John Ritter

John Ritter Profile Photo

Characters played by John Ritter

Ben Hanscom — It (1990)

Kind-hearted historian who uncovers Derry's dark past.

Jack Tripper — Three's Company (1977)

Jack is a culinary student who crashes the roommates' going-away party and is found passed out in the bathtub the next morning. Needing a home beyond the YMCA, he accepts their spare bedroom, while his attraction to Chrissy remains within their agreed platonic arrangement.

Paul Hennessy — 8 Simple Rules (2002)

Middle-class father left in charge of his three children after his wife takes a full-time nursing job. Known for his strict, comedic rules concerning his daughters' dating lives. His character was killed off after the actor's sudden death.

Chief Warren Kincaid — Bride of Chucky (1998)

Corrupt police chief and Jade's uncle, killed by Chucky.

Bob Chipeska — Bad Santa (2003)

Store manager or security figure in the original film.

Ben — Problem Child (1990)

Same as Ben Healy, primary father figure in the first film.

Vaughan Cunningham — Sling Blade (1996)

Linda's gay best friend and employer. He is concerned about Karl's criminal history and fears that Doyle may eventually hurt or kill Linda and Frank. Vaughan provides a place where Linda and Frank can stay temporarily and promises Karl that he will look after them.

Ben Healy — Problem Child 2 (1991)

Well-meaning adoptive father trying to raise Junior in a new town.

Dudley Goode — Mickey's 60th Birthday (1988)

A news anchor who joins the search party for the missing Mickey. He and his co-anchor wrongly suspect Donald Duck based on circumstantial evidence, leading to Donald's wrongful arrest.

Ward Nelson — North (1994)

Ward Nelson is part of the family North encounters after rejecting several other parental candidates. The Nelsons provide the attention and appreciation North has wanted from parents and seem ideal, but North still feels unsatisfied, emphasizing that his emotional problem cannot be solved simply by changing families.

Garry Lejeune / Roger Tramplemain — Noises Off... (1992)

Hot-tempered actor playing Roger Trampleman, the estate agent attempting a tryst in Nothing On. His volatile personality and romantic rivalry with Frederick Dallas over Dotty Otley fuel much of the backstage conflict throughout the tour.

Roy Knable — Stay Tuned (1992)

Struggling plumbing salesman and former fencing athlete who signs a demonic contract for a satellite TV system. He and his wife are trapped in Hellvision, where he must survive twisted parodies and a final fencing duel against Spike to escape. Ultimately uses wits and a remote control to defeat the demon and save his family before quitting his dead-end job to start a fencing school.

Career Overview

John Ritter has 134 screen credits in a career dating back to 1961. Their work spans 5 cinematic universes — most prominently Problem Child with 2 titles. Signature works include Three's Company, It, Bride of Chucky. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For
Acting
Gender
male
Known Credits
134
Birth Date
1948-09-17
Birth Place
Burbank, California, USA

Known For

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 5 universes

Frequent Collaborators

Credits

Content sources

Related entry on Wikidata (Q314812), public domain (CC0).