Kaley Cuoco has paid tribute to her TV dad John Ritter, calling his death one of “the worst days of my life”.
Ritter died suddenly aged 54 in September 2003 after suffering a thoracic aortic dissection – the tearing of the heart’s main artery – while on set filming an episode of 8 Simple Rules.
The actor played the sitcom patriarch Paul Hennessy, loving father to three children including Cuoco’s popular high-schooler Bridget. Cuoco was 16 years old in the show’s first season, which aired in 2002.
Cuoco paid tribute to her sitcom dad as she appeared at the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health’s annual Evening From the Heart Gala, recalling their first sweet encounter.
Speaking about her role as the “hot girl”, Cuoco said she arrived at a table read for 8 Simple Rules wearing “the hottest outfit I could ever find”.
“It had these little spaghetti straps. Just ridiculous,” she laughed, recalling what happened next when she introduced herself to her Emmy-winning co-star, as reported by Variety.
“He gives me a big hug, and he looks at me, and he takes off his jacket, and he puts it on me and says, ‘Don’t ever wear that again,’” Cuoco said, smiling. “It was the best.”
Ritter starred in the first season of 8 Simple Rules as well as three episodes of the second series before he died on set.
Reflecting on his death, Cuoco said: “When he passed away, I don’t want to get dramatic, but I can truly say that was one of the worst days of my life.
“I remember having to remind myself that I wasn’t his kid. I remember for weeks after, I was like, ‘Gosh, I feel like I lost my dad.’”
Cuoco went on to say that she carried lessons she learnt from him into her life and her career. “He always has been the north star in my career and somebody who I adore,” she said, adding that Ritter was “so funny”.
The show’s producer chose not to recast Ritter’s character after his death, and instead addressed the real-life tragedy by writing the off-screen death of Paul into the show’s second season storyline. James Garner was brought in as the family’s grandfather, with David Spade also joining as the uncle.
The John Ritter Foundation gala was hosted by his widow Amy Yasbeck, and his son, Tyler Ritter.
In addition to Cuoco, Ritter’s Three’s Company co-star Joyce DeWitt also made an appearance at the event to announce a nationwide tour of table reads to benefit the foundation.
A fundraising dinner will also be held in October at the original Brady Bunch house in Los Angeles, and will be hosted by the show’s Maureen McCormick, who played eldest daughter Marcia Brady on the Seventies sitcom.
According to the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust, around 2,000 people die from aortic dissection in the UK each year. With the correct diagnosis, as many as 10 lives a week could be saved.
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