Few performers could turn a stumble, a raised eyebrow, or a perfectly timed pause into something unforgettable. But decades after the late icon last made audiences laugh, one discovery within his own family has given his story an unexpected and deeply consequential second chapter.

John Ritter spent decades making people laugh, but the story his family is telling about him today carries a far more serious message. Scroll through the photos that chart his extraordinary life and career, because the most haunting part of his legacy only becomes clear near the end.
1970: Before Jack Tripper Changed Everything

Long before audiences knew him as the accident-prone Jack Tripper, John grew up with show business quite literally in the family. According to his Biography profile, Jonathan Southworth Ritter was born on September 17, 1948, in Burbank, California, to Country Singer and Actor Tex Ritter and Actress Dorothy Fay Southworth.
He and his older brother, Tom Ritter, grew up surrounded by entertainment, although John initially had no intention of following his famous parents into the business.
At the University of Southern California, he majored in psychology and minored in architecture. Everything changed after he was persuaded to join a drama class taught by Actress and Drama Coach Nina Foch. John switched to Theater Arts and eventually graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama.
Before that graduation even arrived, however, his career had already begun moving. From 1968 to 1969, he appeared in stage productions in Europe, including “Love Letters,” “The Glass Menagerie,” and “As You Like It.”

By 1970, John was already building the television résumé that would soon make him a familiar face, with appearances on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Waltons.” Acting had replaced the psychology-and-architecture path he initially imagined for himself. | Source: Getty Images
Back in the United States, John continued appearing on major shows, including “Hawaii Five-O” in 1971 and “M.A.S.H.” in 1973. While his professional life was gathering speed, his personal life was beginning an important chapter, too.
1975

This image came roughly two years before John and Nancy Morgan married in 1977. Their marriage would last until 1996 and produce three children, Jason, Tyler, and Carly. | Source: Getty Images
This image came roughly two years before John and Nancy Morgan married in 1977. Their marriage would last until 1996 and produce three children, Jason, Tyler, and Carly. | Source: Getty Images
Then came the role that transformed John from a steadily working actor into a television star.
1977: The Role That Made Him a Household Name

In 1977, John landed the part of Jack Tripper on ABC’s “Three’s Company.” The setup followed three singles sharing an apartment, but John’s gift for physical comedy quickly became one of the show’s defining ingredients. His goofy, accident-prone Jack became the sort of character audiences could recognize almost instantly.
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