Tongiht is the final episode of which John RItter plays the dad on 8 Simple Rules.
Everyone watch!
Does anyone have an idea how they are going to write him off? Any news of any major actor being written in the script to off-set John’s disappearance?
No cite, but I’ve heard it rumored that Henry Winkler, who was on set for a guest appearance the week Ritter passed away, is being considered for a regular role on the show. I’ve heard that he and Ritter were close friends.
Sorry I’ve got no cite. Just something I heard. Someone will be along shortly to either debunk me or confirm.
[spoiler]The local radio station I listen to has the most potentially tacky ad spots for tonight’s show- standard mellow-voiced announcer asking us to join ABC for a very special night of television, yadda yadda, and an audio clip of John’s character saying something along the lines of “Always follow your heart. I followed my heart and never looked back.” Yikes.
AFAIK, they’re doing the standard off-screen death, with a story arc dealing with the funeral and aftermath and moving Katie Segal’s character to the lead, with no current plans for a male replacement. There are rumors of Henry Winkler doing some guest spots as an uncle, but 1) dunno how true those are, and 2) dunno if it would be long or short-term. [/spoiler]
PRN:
Henry Winkler was/is a producer of the show, and was indeed on set for a guest appearance that week, but had been a close friend of John Ritter’s for many years. If you saw any interviews with him right after Ritter’s death, you could really see how affected he was.
Ritter also taped episodes of “Hollywood Squares” (which aired last week). Henry (exec prod) came in b4 the show and talked fondly about John. Nad you can see how the death effected Winkler.
Wouldn’t it have been cool if Fonzie and Tripper were best friends, too?
The Fonz would have so tapped Chrissy.