John Ritter Dies
John Ritter died suddenly last Thursday of an undetected heart problem. Ritter, who would have been 55 this week, collapsed suddenly while on-set filming his sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. Ritter was accompanied to the hospital by the show’s producers as well as his wife, actress Amy Yasbeck, and his 23 year-old son Jason. Ritter starred in over 25 TV movies and started his career in the early ’70s with a role as the minister on the show The Waltons. Ritter is best known for playing Jack Tripper in the hit TV series, Three’s Company, costarring Suzanne Somers and Joyce DeWitt. Ritter most recently co-starred in the film Tadpole. He also did a recent nine-month stint in the Broadway premiere of Neil Simon’s The Dinner Party. Ritter has won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and a People’s Choice award for his work. He leaves behind wife Amy Yasbeck and their daughter Stella and three children: Carly, Tyler, and Jason, from his first marriage to Nancy Morgan.
Man in Black Dies
As if one death last week wasn’t enough, Music legend Johnny Cash also died on Friday from respiratory failure, due primarily to his long battle with diabetes. Cash was born in Kingsland, Arkansas on February 26, 1932. With more than 70 albums and 11 Grammys, he covered all genres of music for over 50 years, including country, gospel, folk, and rock. Cash was recently nominated for six MTV VMA’s for his cover of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt.” Cash first started recording music in 1955 with the album Cry! Cry! Cry! Since then he has recorded musicians ranging from Willie Nelson to Lyle Lovett, as well as starring in two variety shows, The Johnny Cash Show and Johnny Cash and Friends. We are lucky to have been able to have his music, and he will be greatly missed.
Batman Again
While last week studio execs were still mulling over who would take the coveted role as Batman in the new movie, to be released in 2005, it was announced Thursday that Warner Brothers had made an offer to actor Christian Bale to become part of the Batman legacy. Bale is known for the films American Psycho, Little Women, Reign of Fire, and the musical Newsies. Bale is the first British actor to be selected for the role of Bruce Wayne, and will play a younger Batman in what will be a prequel to the first four movies.
J.Lo and Ben Split!
Holy Crap! Could it be true, do my eyes and ears deceive me? I totally didn’t see this one coming. Well, here’s the dirt. Apparently, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez split up “temporarily” after postponing their wedding due to media frenzy, People reported Sunday. According to sources, Affleck wants out of the relationship. No one is certain whether this breakup will be permanent, although, if you ask me, this relationship was in the crapper before it started.
Python Does Broadway
To think that I was beginning to assume Broadway couldn’t get any better this year! Well that was obviously the wrong assumption to make, because legendary director Mike Nichols has signed on to direct Spamelot, a musical version of Monty Python’s 1975 cult film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Python alum Eric Idle thought up this marvelous Broadway venture by writing a book for the musical based on the script he wrote with the other Flying Circus members. If all goes according to planned, Spamelot should be making its debut in Spring of 2005.
Archived article by Amanda Hodes