Meet The Late John Ritter's Four Children
Most of us remember John Ritter as "a comedy genius, as his son Jason once put it, per Twitter. For Jason and his siblings, however, he was better known as "Dad." As far as his kids are concerned, John was just as impressive in the parenting department as he was at making the world laugh.
In the ABC documentary, "Superstar: John Ritter," which premiered nearly two decades after John's death, Jason described him as "a very loving and supportive dad," per MovieWeb. "I never felt like I was jealous that I had to share him with the world," Jason said. "There was so much beauty in his life."
In the documentary, John's ex-wife Nancy Morgan echoed these feelings. She recalled him saying "pursue what you want to pursue" to his children. "[He] made a good, conscientious choice to never say to his children, 'Don't, it's too hard,'" she said.
John married Morgan, a fellow actor, in 1977. The couple had three children together: Jason, Tyler, and Carly. John and Morgan split up in 1996, and he married his "Problem Child" costar, Amy Yasbeck, with whom he had a son named Noah. He remained married to Yasbeck until his tragic death in 2003. It's clear that Ritter had a wonderful impact on his children, and they've all grown up to be proof of that.
Jason Ritter followed in his parents' footsteps
You probably recognize John Ritter's oldest son Jason Ritter from somewhere, and it's not just because of his famous dad. Jason is a successful actor like his parents, and he's also a proud "nepo baby."
Jason addressed his first-ever role on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show," per People. "Oh, as a little kid, when I was maybe six or something like that, my dad was doing this cartoon called 'The Real Story of O Christmas Tree,'" he recalled. "I will say, without any hesitation, this was like a full-on nepotism hire. I will admit that. He for sure got me the job. I did try to stay away from that later."
While his earliest gig may have been all thanks to his dad, Jason has built an impressive acting career for himself all on his own. He's since appeared in many movies and with recurring roles in TV series like "Parenthood," "Gravity Falls," and "A Million Little Things" among many more, and earned multiple Emmy and other award nominations.
As of 2023, Jason has a daughter with Melanie Lynskey, his wife and fellow actor. While Jason was only 23 when John died, it's clear that his relationship with his late father was a close one. "The main thing I continue to pass down, which was a huge thing from my dad and mom, is how they always made sure we knew we were loved," he told ET Canada in 2020.
Carly Ritter is a country singer and songwriter
When Jason Ritter was just two years old in 1982, John Ritter and Nancy Morgan welcomed their second child into the world, Carly Ritter.
Carly wasn't bitten by the acting bug like the rest of her family; instead, she went on to become a country singer and songwriter. In an interview with KCET, Carly explained that learning about country music actually connected her to where she came from, per YouTube. "Because of my family background, it was this nice connection to learn more about my family," Carly explained, referring to John's father Tex Ritter, a famous country artist.
Carly released a self-titled album in 2013 and has continued to release songs since. She notes in her Spotify artist bio that "her childhood was one where creativity was encouraged." In addition to her music career, she's also an activist who fights for multiple causes, including the Huntington's Disease Society of America and Moms Demand Action.
Tyler Ritter is also an actor like his parents
Three years after Carly Ritter's birth, John Ritter and Nancy Morgan had Tyler Ritter in 1985. Like his older brother Jason, Tyler has developed a long acting resume. His first role, however, seems to be all thanks to Jason. Tyler appeared in a small role in Jason's film "Good Dick" in 2008.
Since then, Tyler has gone on to act in many well-known projects from "Modern Family" and "Grey's Anatomy" to "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" and "Arrow." Tyler has also appeared in quite a few sitcoms, including 2015's "The McCarthys," in which he channeled his dad's mastery of the genre.
"It feels very kind of surreal because [my dad] didn't see a lot of my acting abilities. I do feel his presence and I know somewhere he's proud of me," Tyler told Entertainment Tonight, crediting his dad for the fact that he now has a job that he loves. "I really got to see my dad enjoy every day that he was working. Everybody should be able to have this much fun when they go to work. He really paved that way for us and so here I am."
As of 2023, Tyler has two children, Benjamin Parma Ritter and Magnolia Parma Ritter, with his wife, Leila Parma, whom he married in 2016.
Noah Lee Ritter is more private than his siblings
Noah Lee Ritter is John Ritter's youngest child. While his older half-siblings have mostly remained in the public eye, Noah is a self-proclaimed "private guy." While his social media accounts are private, his bio on X, formerly known as Twitter, simply reads, "I don't use social media anymore much, a private guy ... rarely accept follow requests. have a nice day."
While Noah did dabble in acting during his youth, it doesn't seem that he's much involved in the family business as an adult, as it may go against his stated preference to remain out of the spotlight.
Sadly, John died on Noah's fifth birthday. While Noah wasn't able to have as many years with his dad as his siblings did, it's clear that John has still made quite an impact on his son's life. In May 2022, Noah appeared with his siblings at An Evening from the Heart, an event held by The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health, a foundation that was founded by Noah's mother, Amy Yasbeck. Noah is listed as a board member of the foundation alongside his siblings.