When it comes to portraying his comedy parts, John Ritter did his research and came prepared. Fans will recall that he became a mainstay after his performance in the ABC show “Three’s Company,” which garnered him two coveted awards and made him a household name.
His private life was just as impressive as the work he did professionally. Even though he has been married twice, the second time was to a lady who turned out to be his truest and most perfect match.
In the beginning, John wed the actress Nancy Morgan. They were in a relationship for close to twenty years. Then, only a few years before they separated, he became romantically involved with Amy Yasbeck, an actress who had a starring role in “Wings.”
The year was 1989, and the duo first connected while working on the hit movie “Problem Child.” Yasbeck said to John that she was surprised to get the opportunity to co-star with the already well-known actor as she was reminiscing about the first time they worked together.
After her audition for “Problem Child,” Yasbeck thought that the person who would be playing her co-star in the film would be “almost nobody.” Yasbeck was an aspiring actor at the time.
On the other hand, after she learned the most amazing news from her agency, she felt like the happiest person alive. She related in a glowing manner:
“John Ritter, John Ritter. I did not lie to you when I said that the audition was the most crucial one of my life. When she spoke his name, I distinctly recall having one of those echoic moments. It wasn’t a case of déjà vu; rather, it was more like a glimpse into the future. It was almost like kismet or destiny.”
Yasbeck, John, and other notable cast members, such as Michael Richards from “Seinfeld,” as well as Jack Warden got together on September 25, 1989, for a read-through of the scripts.
Yasbeck was a touch younger than she needed to be for her role, according to Warden, a full-fledged film star; yet, this did not impact her prospects of playing the job. In the end, she made quite an impact with her performance, and she and John appeared together in the sequel to “Problem Child.”
Yasbeck and Mr. Healy, both from “Problem Child,” went on to appear together in “Wings” and “The Cosby Show” after their first appearance together in “Problem Child.” This was not the last time the two appeared together.
In addition to developing a strong collaboration onscreen by costarring in a number of different films, they were also in tune with one another in real life and had formed a link that could not be severed. The more time they spent working together, the more their connection developed into a friendship, and then into a romantic one.
After meeting for the first time 10 years before, the pair decided to finally make their relationship official by exchanging wedding vows. Stella Ritter was already in their care at the time, and she was their first and only child together as parents.
In 2017, credible sources disclosed that Stella had undergone a gender change and was now living as a man under the name Noah Lee. From 1999 through 2003, the pair stayed together as a married couple. Their marriage was tragically cut short as John’s sudden loss drove a wedge between them.
When John became ill, he was working on the set of the show “8 Simple Rules.” Immediately after the incident, he was sent to the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.
That was not his first time at the hospital; two years before, the actor had been examined by Dr. Matthew Lotysch on one of his previous visits to the facility.
A year ago, she even uploaded a picture to her Instagram account in which she and the attorney were wearing identical eyewear and called it a “power couple.”
Dr. Joseph Lee got in touch with Yasbeck after his sickness, while he was still in the hospital. They shared the news with her about the status of her husband, letting her know that he had had a heart attack and urgently required surgery.
Yasbeck talked gently to her hubby and gave him the assurance that he would get well soon, despite the fact that she had requested a consult on the problem and been informed that time was of the utmost and that they needed to move quickly. In her words:
“I got on my knees next to John and whispered in his ear, “I know you’re terrified, but you have to be courageous and do this because these people know what they’re doing.” John nodded his head. And during our whole encounter, he exhibited nothing but bravery.”
While John was being wheeled away, he assured his wife that he loved her by muttering the words, and she responded by mouthing them back to him. Unfortuitously, though, this was the last time the pair ever spoke with or saw one other. They never saw each other again.
Following the procedure, a surgeon met with Yasbeck, John’s ex-wife, and their kid, who was the product of their marriage. Yasbeck and their son had been waiting for John beside the “Wings” actor. The actress reportedly said:
“He said that everything was over and that John had passed away, that they had worked on John for a long time, but by the time he got there, the damage had already been done. John’s loss was a foregone conclusion at this point.”
After John’s passing, his family and widow filed a wrongful loss lawsuit against two medical professionals, a radiologist named Dr. Lotysch and another physician named Dr. Lee, seeking $67 million in damages. It was a laborious procedure that took place over the course of five years.
In spite of this, the physicians were found not guilty of any misconduct in the end. In court, Dr. Lotysch testified that the scan of his patient revealed that the aorta was expected, but John also suffered from coronary artery disease very early on.
After hearing all of the evidence, the jury came to the conclusion that there was no chance of preventing John’s passing since there just wasn’t enough time.
In spite of the decision, Yasbeck’s legal team continued to defend her. They remained steadfast in their belief that physicians had some responsibility. The following is what Michael Plonsker says:
“However, despite our continued belief that the physicians had a role in John’s loss, the jury system did its job. We are going to make some assessments, and then figure out what it is that we are going to do.”
Everyone who had known John found that life after he passed away, was different, even the creators of the ABC sitcom “8 Simple Rules,” which had only aired three episodes of its second season at the time.
The producers of the program were at a loss for what action to do until they consulted Yasbeck and many of John’s co-stars, all of whom agreed that the show should continue airing.
After some time, they picked up where they left off and addressed his passing on the next episode of the program. Posthumously, the actor was considered for the award of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series at the Emmy ceremony that took place in 2004.
John was also revered by his family, who, despite the fact that he was no longer present, did not waste any time paying tribute to him. One week following his passing, Yasbeck established a foundation in his name, which was later given the name The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health.
The mission of the foundation is described as “increasing awareness for thoracic aortic disease via genetic research, extensive education, and radical advocacy,” which can be seen on the website.
After a period of time that exceeded 10 years, the actress from “Wings” decided to put their 6,409 square foot Beverly Hills house on the market for $6.5 million.
In 1996, the couple paid $2.2 million for the property, and they continued to make it their home up until John’s loss. Before putting the estate up for sale, Yasbeck invested some time and money into restoring it.
The acting was another pursuit of hers that consumed a lot of her time. On the other hand, the actress never gave up on her professional life. She has maintained her hectic schedule throughout the years by making appearances in a variety of films and television shows, such as “Pretty Little Liars,” “Bones,” and “Hot in Cleveland.”
At one point in time, a number of people had the misconception that Yasbeck was romantically involved with her lawyer, Plonsker. Despite this, the two became more intimate with one another, and in the past, they have been seen together at one or two red-carpet events.
A year ago, she even posted a picture of herself and the attorney online, both of them wearing spectacles that matched, and she titled the image “power couple.”
Yasbeck startled the audience when she revealed this information in an interview that she gave to People a few weeks ago. Many people had thought that John’s widow had moved on. It was discovered that
“I don’t date. That is to say, it is not impossible. I’m just not in the mood right now. Much though it may seem strange, I believe that if I were in a relationship, I would miss John even more. But I usually get the impression that he is there with me, which is funny since if there are three of us, it is not considered to be a company.”
Whether or not Yasbeck is now seeing someone, the fact that she loves and appreciates her late husband and is committed to preserving the memories he left behind is unaffected by this fact in any way. During this period, she also educates her family and the rest of the world about the illness that ultimately led to John’s loss.