Dear John

[Myztlee]

John Ritter: 17 September 1948 - 11 September 2003

Johnny Cash: 26 February 1932 - 12 September 2003

Wow... both within weeks of their birthdays.

Ok, so John Ritter wasn't the best of actors, but I used to watch Three's Company every day growing up, 1977-1981. It was dumb, but it was fun. Prime sitcom.

And if you've seen the duelling glowing condom scene in Skin Deep, you'll remember it as one of the funnier moments in film history.

And finally, the last thing I saw him in was the episode of Buffy.

He made me laugh, and the world needs people like that.

As for Johnny Cash, not much I can say about him that isn't obvious. My sister had "Ring of Fire" as her wedding dance song. By amazing coincidence, I was in a restaurant yesterday having dinner, and they were playing all Johnny Cash songs, Ring of Fire, NiN's Hurt, etc.

Makes for a very "am I awake, is this real?" start to the day.

[Myztlee]

PS: Get the video for his version of NiN's Hurt. It's the best tribute anyone could have done.

[Forty]

Include John Ritter's current sit-com and he was the voice of Clifford the Big Red Dog.

[Zarxen]

I was in a store yesterday looking for that Johnny Cash recording with Hurt and "when the man comes around". The Man in Black will be missed.

[Lola]

I always thought John Ritter was a terrible actor, but he redeemed himself (in part) with his portrayal of the robotic stepfather on an episode of Buffy.

[Lilcix]

What did Ritter die from? Couldnt of been old age.....

[Lilcix]

The cause of death was a dissection of the aorta, the result of an unrecognized flaw in his heart. John died at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank CA. shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday Sept. 11th, 2003



Ok thats sad ;/

[Peotr]

The Man in Black.

'Hurt' is pretty cool. The song, as Johnny Cash sings it, is good but the video makes it better. The song is intriguing because Trent Reznor wrote the words, but the words don't become iconic until they are sung by Johnny Cash.

I read a Reznor interview where he said that he had always been proud of 'Hurt', but that it was no longer his song, even in his own mind. I think thats a unique thing to appreciate, that as an artist you can create something that has a connection to you, and yet still watch your creation change as someone else inhabits it.

-- Peotr (The Normal Guy) ©™

P.S. John Ritter was actually a talented actor. He was never macho enough to be on the A-List, he was too boyish to be on the E-List (Evil), and he was too normal, too average to be a Hollywood comedic lead. He was always in the shadows.

Aging helped to take some of that boyishness away and give his looks some maturity. He was just starting to get his second wind as an actor, making several notable appearances in some indy films in the last few years, but he never quite got the chance to step out from behind his peers.

Now, I know it's not proper to joke, but I find it ironic that just as Ritter is developing some fresh credibility and getting some real nibbles he suffers a heart arrest and passes away - on the same day as Johnny Cash. You can just see his soul, passing a television on the way to heaven, and you can hear the CNN anchor saying:

"And now, in other news: The entertainment industry is bereaved at the passing of a beloved and renowned figure .. yes, Johnny Cash, the famous Man In Black. Oh, hey, and this just in, another John died, too. Yup. More on that as it develops. Bob, could we hear 'Ring of Fire' one more time?"

I know it's not funny, but if you watched enough Three's Company you can just hear his ghost saying, "Doh!"

[Qaediin]

John Ritter was Clifford the Big Red Dog? You sure Forty?=o

[Riccee]

a very sad day..

Johnny Cash was one of the best song writers ever =(

He Will be missed~

[Daisiee]

John Ritter :( One of the few dudes who wore shorts short enough for one of his nads to come out on network television.

[Vinilaa]

Originally posted by Zarxen
The Man in Black will be missed.

Yeah :(

I never thought John Ritter was the best of actors, but he is a vestige of my childhood and I think of him fondly. (Plus what Peotr said).