I was saddened by the news that John Ritter died unexpectedly on September 11th after collapsing on the set of his show 8 Simple Rules, reportedly due to an unseen flaw in his heart. He always came off as a real likeable guy and in my mind was a great comedian going back to the days of Three's Company, which will always be a classic television show to me because I grew up watching it. There's even a soft spot in my heart for Stay Tuned.

I suppose what strikes me as particularly sad in this case is that after appearing in countless supporting roles for the past five to ten years (in films such as Sling Blade, Panic and Bride of Chucky), his career had just experienced a resurgence. 8 Simple Rules may not have been up there with C.S.I. in the ratings, but it consistently had strong numbers and I suspect would have been around for at least four or five more seasons. He also has a role in the upcoming Bad Santa starring Billy Bob Thornton. Ritter was only a week away from his 55th birthday and leaves behind a wife and four kids.

Posted September 12, 2003 | link