Reply #65: Ritter also played the young Rev. Fordwick on "The Waltons"

[Unknown Known]

This was his first steady job. He left the show in '78 and went on to "Three's Company".

Strangely enough, John's father, Tex Ritter - "the singing cowboy" had a TV show in the '50's called, "Ranch Party" and introduced television audiences to a new, young singer - Johnny Cash. This was 1956.

Ritter and Cash went on to perform on the same stages for years.