REMEMBERING RITTER

Last week I took a nostalgic walk down memory lane and reminisced about a defining moment for me as an actor.  A moment, thanks to casting director Mark Fincannon, which brought me my first TV role that happened to include acting opposite Emmy and Golden Globe award winning actor and comedian John Ritter.

To be honest, all I knew about John Ritter at the time was that he was the funny guy on “Three’s Company.”  Knowing this gave my sister and me a good laugh and I looked forward to sharing the screen with such an established actor.

So, during the summer of 1998, when I stepped onto the set of “Holy Joe” in Wilmington, NC, the cast had been shooting the TV movie together for a couple months and everyone had formed a rather tight circle of comfort.  I, an unknown actor, was being added to the mix near the end of the shooting schedule.

That said, aside from the butterflies I felt from my first time on a “real” set, I never felt like an outsider.  Instead, Mr. Ritter instantly gave me that “at home” feeling.  He was in the middle of rehearsal for an upcoming scene when the Production Assistant, who was showing me around, and I quietly entered.  John quickly noticed us, looked over and smiled warmly.  At which point the PA said, “this is Liesl who will be playing Cylla.”  Without missing a beat, he stopped what he was doing, put the rehearsal on hold, and said, “let’s all take a moment to welcome Liesl.”

He went on to make a little joke, in a typical John Ritter manner, about what they were doing before I showed up, catching me up to speed and making everyone laugh with ease.  He then said how happy he was to have me join them and how he looked forward to working with me.

His words gave me the encouragement I think I, unknowingly, needed.  They assured me that, despite just starting out in this industry, I was a fellow actor whom he and others, including Meredith Baxter (“Family Ties”) and Joanna Garcia (“Reba”), saw on a mostly level playing field.  We were all there to do the same thing - to act.

I still remember sitting with him in director’s chairs that evening during our down time, which you have a lot of on most shoots, and chatting like two everyday people, talking about everyday things.  He spoke so fondly about his family, things he and his children were planning to do later that summer and just how much he enjoyed being a father.

He made a point not to talk only about himself, but graciously to ask about me:  where I was from, where I was in school, when I started acting, etc. He showed a true interest in me, as well as in all those around him.

When my part was wrapped, he guided everyone saying, “Let’s give Liesl a round of applause for her wonderful work.  It’s not easy to come on a set when everyone already knows each other.”  As I left, he made a point to simply say, “Thank You” to me.  Those two rather small words really meant a great deal to me, which I suspect was his kind intent.

Needless to say, his death came as a shock to me, as it did to so many who loved him, be it personally or through his many talents and work.  It hit me harder than I would have thought, probably because he was such a big part of my first TV acting role and had made it such a positive experience for me.

Shortly after his death, I saw his widow, Amy Yasbeck, at a FOX Fall Lineup party in LA.  I wanted to go up to her and quickly say how sorry I was for her loss and let her know what a beneficial and authentic impression John had left on me as an actor just starting out, but didn’t want to bother her.  Looking back, I wish I had said something.

Therefore, I shall take this opportunity to let her and everyone know that my experience says that he was a lot more than the talented actor and comedian we saw on the screen and in Hollywood.  He was a down to earth, genuine and encouraging person towards everyone he encountered, no matter who you were, and he kept things lighthearted and fun through his wonderful sense of humor.

I am quite sure that anyone who had had the honor of meeting, knowing and/or working with him, can’t help but hold fond thoughts when Remembering Ritter.

“I’d like to be remembered just as a guy who was interested in the golden thread that intertwines all of us together.  That’s what an artist can do, that someone - anyone - could do, if they’re willing to pluck that…golden thread of humanity, and I’d like to be remembered as maybe a guy who plucked a few of those.” – John Ritter