With Love and Laughter, John Ritter

by Amy Yasbeck

With Love and Laughter is actress Amy Yasbeck’s most enduring memory of the life she shared with her husband, one of America’s most popular and beloved film and television actors, John Ritter.We welcomed him into our homes weekly with his Emmy Award–winning portrayal of Jack Tripper on Three’s Company and his hit comedy 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter . On September 11, 2003, John Ritter’s death from an undiagnosed aortic dissection, at the age of fifty-four, shocked and saddened not only his family and friends but also his millions of fans around the world.In this inspiring and enlightening memoir, Yasbeck reveals how she dealt with the loss and shock of losing John so unexpectedly. It is both a moving portrait of her husband, and an extremely relatable examination of the painful process of grieving. Enduring her grief with poise and patience, she is dedicated to preserving his name and With Love and Laughter, John Ritter is a wonderful and touching tribute to a man adored by the public and cherished by friends and family.Here are the unforgettable times she shared with a man who was adored for finding humor in everyday encounters, never failing to energize and entertain everyone around him. His philosophy was summed up by his favorite autograph for his fans, With Love and Laughter, John Ritter . Amy Yasbeck’s powerful story reminds us that love never dies . . . and the laughter doesn’t have to end.

Genres: Biography, Memoir, Nonfiction, Death, Tv, Humor, Biography Memoir

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 8, 2009

Reviews

[Donna Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful tribute to John Ritter by his wife. Lots of laughs, tears, and a good understanding on what killed him and the awareness that needs to be shared to save lives, just as John would want.

[Amy MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yasbeck is an unbelievably talented writer.

I was admittedly skeptical early on in my reading. I was concerned that skipping between John’s life and her own “, in an only semi-chronological order would create for an unfocused memoir overall. By the time I got to the end of chapter 5, I was completely emersed. The ending of that chapter impacting me greatly; Yasbeck writes with incredible intellect and intention. There were sentences and ideas in this book that I expect to last with me forever.

Prior to reading this book, I had never really understood how people could truly laugh out loud or cry from reading a book. That type of uninhibited emotional response was never something that I had associated with reading. During this read, I authentically laughed, and I experienced my first book-prompted cry. By the end of the book, I was on about my tenth. As a huge Ritter fan, I have already spent a fair amount of time devastated by his sudden death, but reading the vulnerable accounts of his widow will leave any one feeling completely heartbroken for her. This is a beautiful and heart-wretching love story of two people who were made for each other.

Yasbeck’s talent for wordplay is God-given. I cannot stress enough that Amy is a brilliant writer. She had no ghost-writer for this memoir, which is simultaneously unbelievable and makes absolute sense. Though is unbelievable how well Yasbeck (being a non-writer by trade) was able to form this memoir, the love and voice she conveys has far too much depth for me to be able to picture someone else guiding her along. These are stories, jokes and messages directly from the heart.

I picked this book up from the library as a Ritter fan, and I will return it as a Yasbeck fan. Amy blew me away with her memoir, and I would read her grocery list.

[Videoclimber(AKA)MTsLilSis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting much more about John. I knew that Yasbeck would be in the book, but I didn't realize she would be in SO much of it. I found it insulting that the author didn't talk about John's original family and found it disturbing that there were no pictures of his children besides Stella. Ms. Yasbeck seems self absorbed and in my opinion this book does not cast her in a good light. I loved John Ritter. My favorite performance of his was on "Felicity" in which he played Ben's troubled alcoholic father, he nailed this part, comedy was not his only greatness his dramatic chops were incredible! I really don't care about Yasbeck, although I do feel sorry for her, but I feel the most sorry for his children.

[Jmtimms2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was at the library with my daughter and just caught a glimpse of this book. It was small and short, so I picked it up. I spent the next three hours reading the book and finished it the next day. What a beautiful labor of love. Written by Ritter's widow without the assistance of a ghost writer, it is a beautiful testament to a great example of celebrity and a great love. She leaves out just enough to keep some things for herself but adds just enough to make you really get John Ritter. It was very touching for me in several places. Really well written and a great summer read.

[Michelle Grayce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good biography.

[Gaynor Paynter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nearly finished reading it and so far, I am a little disillusioned with this.. I was expecting much more about John Ritter and more pictures of his shows, posters etc, as he was such a visual actor. The title "With Love and Laughter, John Ritter" indicates to me that it should be completely biographical about John, and less about the author. Agree with other reviews - I'd have liked more about John's first wife and older kids also and more about his career. I understand that it's completely Amy Yasbeck's prerogative to write about what she wants and has experienced, and it is written in a human and funny way but if you are looking for a biography on John Ritter, this might not be the one that answers your needs. I would be interested to read another biographical work on John.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, Amy Yasbeck is a talented writer, but she's not that great of a biographer. The book was an enjoyable read, but John Ritter became more of a character in her life than a presence in the biography. I didn't really learn all that much about his life. I am actually interested to read another biography about him that was written by someone else. But, this is an enjoyable read.

[Mary Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. It is nice to read a bio that doesn't trash the person they are writing about. It was nice reading about John Ritter. He was such a great actor. He is truly missed.

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, Moving, Insightful & Uplifting! I Loved It!

[Mediaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This bland, so-so remembrance of John Ritter has too much about the author-actress-wife and not enough about Ritter. She acts as if his life story began with his relationship with her, zips through only a few facts about his childhood, and mostly ignores his first three children. She also fails to give specifics about their early relationship and uses only glowing terms about the guy, making him sound like a perfect person. It's too ideal, making him sound a bit fake like he was performing his way through life.

It would have been much more interesting if the author would have devoted more time to his background, his first family, shows he was involved in, and his weaknesses. As it's written I ended up learning too much about an actress I don't care about (the author) who seems to be using the book (and marriage) to further her career. She comes across as amoral or immoral, and there are deep concerns about how she was raising their daughter in a very progressive environment (showing a two-year-old Three's Company, calling it a "family show"???). So while there are a few interesting details about Ritter there's not enough depth and the author intentionally skips over his death other than a push to educate the public on his disease.

[nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

feel the need to write a review because so many others on here are very unfair to ms yasbeck. this was good! she's a great writer and manages to include a balance of really funny and sweet anecdotes interspersed with passages on grief that were a real punch in the gut. while it isn't a conventional biography, she discusses the principles john lived by, how he worked and interacted with the world, and how much he loved his children (yes, all of them - i don't think it's wrong at all for her to mention her own child more than his older children, who she is clearly also close with). this was a really touching and enjoyable tribute to him and as a fan it was nice to know more about his offscreen personality and interests. i don't know what everyone's problem is; maybe just jealousy that she got to bonk him (she does mention that a few times - good for her!)

[Ross Larnach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember watching 8 simple rules with a ex girlfriend and grew up watching problem child 1 and 2. This guy entertained me for years and finding out that he had passed away 😢 was difficult but years later reading this book made me realise that as a kid it's hard to say goodbye to a parent who has passed away young. I was 25 when my mum went. Now reading this made me feel some closure to her death. Now onto this book. Amy this book is a testament to how amazing a mother and wife you are. So thank you for sharing your John with us.

[Erin Hatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never base my review on others, but I take a look at a few once I get about halfway through a book. Usually I like to see the negative opinions of others to see if the gripes I have are similar to those of others or if I'm just cynical. Sometimes both.

I admittedly didn't realize who Amy is until I read this book, sorry Amy! But once I found out she was on Wings, I knew. I kind of live under a rock when it comes to celebrities.

Once I recognized Amy is a star in her own right, I appreciated the fact it was more about her with John as a secondary character. There were plenty of charming anecdotes about him and the book was definitely enjoyable, but I thought it was going to be more "he didn't have a chance to tell his story, so here it is." It was well written though, and very funny. Amy is a woman of many talents!

[Liz Sergent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book written about Amy Yasbeck's life with John Ritter was pretty good. I always liked him as an actor and now I like him even more! I totally forgot about his good relationship with Henry Winkler and that they now believe his dad also died from aortic aneurysm. I totally recommend this well written book!

[Sarah Salas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is serious one of the best books I've ever read. It tells about her life and John's life. It was great reading how she survived being a widow. You can see how much she truly loved John through her writing. I highly recommend!!

[Lisa Wooten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely tribute to her husband. I envy the relationship Amy and John had. We should all be so lucky.

[Howard Cruz · Rating 1 out of 5]

The stories of John were great but I honestly expected a little bit less of Amy's autobiography in there. Expect a little more talk of John and his other kids. Just not the book for me

[Stephen Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

In memory of the greatest 1990s sitcom star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pollopicu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to learn more about every detail about Johns last day and much less about Amy’s acting career. He was one of the best humans.

[the real Timtim Book man · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a beautiful written book about John Ritter and her life and the beautiful work that she did.

[Valencia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! I loved it.

[Dee Poynter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Job Amy!

I've had this in my Kindle for years..My husband is a survivor of Aortic Dissection . I believe due to Amy's work and educating the world. He had his event in 2006. For some reason I just read this. I am madly trying to contact my husband as he is due for his scans and he is not following thru. There are no coincidence s. I believe this story got on my radar to get him rechecked again. The night he was diagnosed the ER Dr. Said we think you have a dissecting aorta. We said what is that? He said " it's what killed John Ritter" This Dr was paying attention. I know this is a book review..But it's the only way I can find to thank you Amy. I grew up with John. You were so lucky to have him and your adorable Stella. I give the story 5 stars I read it straight through. It's given new life to the memory of John Ritter. Good Job Amy..He is proud of you!

[Laura Duffield Biegger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written with humor, love and laughter. Looks at John's life and Amy's from childhood onward. Letting go "necessary, heartbreaking, and draining." "Any object, picture, scent, taste, or sound can evoke a memory so real that it's disorienting."

Strongly advocates for aortic aneurysm testing as a legacy of John's.

[Peggy Schupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lover of celebrity biographies, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt it was well written and held my interest. Although I was a fan, I did learn things about this man I did not previously know. I recommend this book highly.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful tribute to John Ritter from his wife, Amy. He was lost much too young and it was so interesting to learn about him and how he got into acting. Beautiful story

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book. This is written by Amy Yasbeck (Wings, Robin Hood Men in Tights), the wife of John Ritter.

This book is written with love and humor and in such a conversational way you feel that you could just talk with the writer. She has a fun sense of humor (I could totally hang with her) with which she lets you glimpse a little into the life and heart of one of our most beloved comedic actors.

I grew up with John Ritter as Jack Tripper. It was fun to reminisce a little about some of the roles he played. She tells you a little about her life, then his life, how they met, and some fun experiences that they had together.

One such story is the time they were invited to a party a Elizabeth Taylor's home. They were completely star struck. They had gotten their plates of food and weren't sure where to go. They saw Ms. Taylor seated next to and talking with Johnny Depp. Again, star struck. Ms. Taylor patted the floor next to her and they both quickly sat down on the floor so excited that she had invited them over only to notice her gaze looking elsewhere. They looked to see to very disgruntled pooches whose place they had just taken.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loved John Ritter as an actor or who just wants to read an absolutely lovely tribute of a wife to her husband.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A loving tribute to a wonderful actor. I often think of John Ritter and still get teary eyed when I see him on tv, thinking that he left this world too soon and it could have been avoided with the proper tests and treatment. I first remember John when I was a little girl and he played the minister on one of my favorite shows, "The Waltons". I never really watched "Three's Company" as a child, because it came on at my bedtime and in the 70's, my Mom considered it a show not meant for children (the sexual undertones). Watching it in reruns years later (of course it is mild compared to what is on tv in today's world)I love John's humor and physical comedy. His true acting range is also shown in later years in one of my husband & mine's favorite movies, "Sling Blade". Reading Amy's tribute to her husband, brought to light what a fun loving man he was. He loved his children, his family, his fans and life in general. Although John was taken too soon, he made every moment count. He left us all with wonderful memories and I will smile every time I see him on the screen.

[BJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first choice book for the 2011 Memorable Memoirs challenge was "With Love and Laughter, John Ritter" by Amy Yasbeck. Like much of the rest of the world, I was a huge fan of funnyman, John Ritter and very saddened when he died unexpectedly, much too young. His wife, Amy Yasbeck writes a very heartfelt and surprisingly readable memoir of their life together with their daughter, Stella. The only real complaint I have is that I felt like it left out a lot of his life. She writes a very short account of his growing up with his actress mother and famous cowboy father, Tex Ritter. However, he had three children prior to Stella and Ms. Yasbeck only mentions them in passing, so it is not a biography of his entire life, just the life that he shared with the author. Although I feel this was intentional on her part, it left me feeling like the book was incomplete. Still, it was an interesting, worthwhile read and I enjoyed it.

[Sue Seligman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy Yasbeck, the wife of John Ritter has written a combination memoir/biography. She writes about John Ritter's early life and career, as well as her own, and then discusses their lives together, careers, parenthood and marriage. The most poignant part of the book concerns John's unexpected death from a little known condition of aortic dissection. Her book was interesting and insightful, but I was disappointed that very little was mentioned about John's first wife, and although his children from that marriage are discussed, we don't really get to know them as well as Stella, the child of their marriage. Still an interesting insight into the life and love of a Hollywood couple, a relationship that ended tragically and too soon.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember growing up watching Three's Company and I was a fan anytime John Ritter was in something in his later years. I loved "Noises Off" and his role as "Ted" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I didn't get into his last show much (I don't think we had DVR's yet) but I'm looking forward to going back and catching the dvds as well as watching some other things the book talked about. I have the entire dvd series of Wings and I was fan of Amy's (Casey) but I had no clue she could write such a moving book and I vaguely recall that she was married to John Ritter. The book is very personal. I found myself laughing picturing John acting up all the time, and moved to tears while his widow recalls their careers and their family life. Great Bio.