John Ritter
John Ritter – 2003 Runway For Life Fashion Show Benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – Arrivals – Beverly Hilton – Beverly Hills, CA, USA – Keywords: – False – – Photo Credit: Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos
Birth Name: Johnathan Southworth Ritter
Date of Birth: September 17, 1948
Place of Birth: Burbank, Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Death: September 11, 2003
Place of Death: Burbank, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, with small amounts of Northern Irish, Scottish, German, Dutch, and French Huguenot
John Ritter was an American actor and comedian. His roles included television’s Three’s Company, 8 Simple Rules, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and It, and the films Americathon, Hero at Large, Problem Child, Sling Blade, Bride of Chucky, Panic, Terror Tract, and Bad Santa.
He was the son of Dorothy Fay (Southworth), an actress, and Tex Ritter (born Woodward Maurice Ritter), an actor, country music singer, and politician. John was married to actress Amy Yasbeck, until his death. He had four children: three, including actor Jason Ritter (Jason Morgan Ritter), with his former wife, actress Nancy Morgan; and a daughter with Amy.
Most branches of his family had lived in the United States for many generations. Much of his ancestry was English, with small amounts of Northern Irish, Scottish, German, Dutch, and French Huguenot. His surname, Ritter, likely also came from distant German ancestors.
John’s paternal grandfather was James Everett Ritter (the son of Benjamin Franklin/Frank Ritter and Margaret Ann Ball). James was born in Murvaul, Panola, Texas. Benjamin was the son of Everett S. Ritter and Anna Goodwin. Margaret was the daughter of William F. Ball and Martha Morris.
John’s paternal grandmother was Martha Elizabeth/Lizzie Matthews (the daughter of James Pinkney H. Matthews and Edna A. Murray/Murry). Martha was born in Texas. James was the son of James L. Matthews/Mathis and Catherine/Katherine L. Golden.
John’s maternal grandfather was Harry Thomas Southworth (the son of Thomas F. Southworth and Elizabeth Lamb “Eliza” Livesay). Harry was born in Ohio. John’s great-grandfather Thomas was the son of Thomas F. Southworth and Altha W. Aldrich. Eliza was the daughter of Judah M. Livesay and Caroline Post/Hathorn.
John’s maternal grandmother was Harriett/Harriette/Harriet Fay Fox (the daughter of William P. L. Fox and Harriett/Hattie Lucina Tilton). John’s grandmother Harriett was born in Illinois, and had deep Colonial American ancestry, with roots in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. William was the son of Pliny Lothrop Fox and Laura Utley Riddle. John’s great-grandmother Harriett was the daughter of William Franklin Tilton and Susan Estabrooks.
Sources: Genealogies of John Ritter – http://famouskin.com
https://www.geni.com
He is a direct descendant of Gilbert de Southworth.
Ritter is a German-American!
John Ritter is the cousin of the man with the highest rank in military history, General of the Armies, George Washington!
I see. I havent seen his genealogy, i was only going on what I know from past forays into that field and the origin of the name Ritter. But I think its odd that so many deny their German heritage, when we very nearly became a German speaking nation. But we digress. He was a funny guy, and the world is a sadder place without him.
I know this is very old but..
How did we almost become a German speaking nation?
The myth of a choice between English and German has been debunked so often it’s not funny. People need to stop spreading such crap…
English was always going to be THE language of the United States.
http://german.about.com/library/weekly/aa010820a.htm
http://www.us-english.org/view/295
Where in the world did they get the idea that Ritter was Dutch or French??Ritter is the GERMAN word for Knight. Why are people reluctant to admit that they are German? Germans are the the second largest ethnic group among white people in America. The Hamburg Amerika line brought them here in droves. There were very few Dutch imigrants French? I wont even comment. English….well we all are some, just as we all are part German. But Ductch, French? And if you think you will duck the NAzi onus…Holland contrubuted thousands of Freiwillige SS soldiers to serve in Russia. Volunteers not draftees like the Germans. They wanted to be there.
Look at his Genealogy. You can see that he also has ancestors that were born in France and the Netherlands. His Ritter ancestors were not trace in that genealogy.