Fans speculated a relationship between character actress Thelma Ritter and actor John Ritter due to their similar surname. However, they didn’t share any familiar connection.
Thelma Ritter was active in the entertainment industry for over 5 decades, and John Ritter was for almost 35 years.
Highlights
- Thelma and John Ritter had no familiar connection but shared their passion for acting.
- Thelma was the daughter of Charles Vaname Ritter and Lucy B. Ritter, and John was the son of Tex Ritter and Dorothy Fay.
- Thelma was married to Joseph Moran, and John was married to Amy Yasbeck.
The Tony Award winner Thelma Ritter was known for her diminutive size, New York City accent, and plain look. Working-class roles always favored her, and she earned six Academy Award nominations.
The Evening Standard named her one of ten women who changed the face of film forever in 2019.
She began acting at 11, portraying the role of Puck in a semi-professional dramatic society’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
On the other hand, John Ritter received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations for voicing his final role on the PBS children’s program Clifford the Big Red Dog.
He studied theater arts at the USC School of Dramatic Arts and traveled to different countries to perform in plays.
He gained worldwide fame for portraying the role of Jack Tripper on the ABC sitcom Three’s Company.
Thelma Ritter And John Ritter Belonged To Different Family Background
The legendary actors Thelma and John Ritter had no ties, but they shared their passion for the entertainment industry.
Thelma was a renowned actress from the mid-20th century, whereas Ritter rose to stardom in the late 20th century.
Thelma Ritter really steals the show in every movie she's in. She is so deserving of an Academy Award, in my honest opinion. pic.twitter.com/SHGBuLZHM3
— Edward the Movie Buff 🎥🎞📽🎬💻 (@midgetmoxie) September 1, 2024
Thelma Ritter, the daughter of Charles Vaname Ritter and Lucy B. Ritter, was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 14, 1902. Her parents married on April 25, 1900.
Her father worked as a shoe salesman and bookkeeper before becoming an office manager.
She married Joseph Moran on April 27, 1927, and they had two children, Monica and Joe. The married couple did everything from jingle contests to vaudeville.
Joesph was an actor in the mid-1930s but changed his profession to an advertising executive for Young & Rubicam.
Thelma appeared with her daughter in a 1966 roadshow production of Bye Bye Birdie.
Dear kids, his name was John Ritter and he was awesome. pic.twitter.com/Ay2NTJgmmV
— Not Today Eric (@NotTodayEric) January 27, 2024
On the other hand, John Ritter, the celebrity son of Tex Ritter and Dorothy Fay, was born in Burbank, California, on September 17, 1948.
His father was a singing cowboy, and his mother was an actress. He grew up with his elder brother, Thomas “Tom” Ritter.
John Ritter married actress Nancy Morgan on October 16, 1977, and they had three children, Jason, Carly, and Tyler. His children walked in his footsteps and became actors.
Later, John divorced Nancy on September 1, 1996.
John also had a child, Stella, born in 1998 from his second marriage with actress Amy Yasbeck. They shared the screen in The Cosby Show and Wings.
Nonetheless, Thelma lost her life due to a heart attack at 66 on February 5, 1969, whereas John was diagnosed with aortic dissection but pronounced demise at 54 on September 11, 2003.
Additional Information
- Thelma Ritter was an alumna of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, class of 1922.
- She worked in radio and on stage until a former neighbor, George Seaton, gave her a role in Miracle on 34th Street.
- John Ritter’s final film, Bad Santa, was dedicated to his memory.
- He had a congenital disability known as a coloboma in his right eye.
