“If He Had Called One Minute Later…”: Joyce DeWitt, 77, Reveals Heartbreaking Final Night With John Ritter — Just Weeks Before His Sudden Death at 54

NEW YORK — November 2, 2026

One minute.

That was all that separated Joyce DeWitt from missing what would become her final evening with beloved Three’s Company co-star John Ritter.

The actress was preparing to leave her New York hotel room in August 2003 when the telephone suddenly rang.

On the other end was Ritter, the man who had spent years making millions of Americans laugh alongside her.

Neither of them knew that, just weeks later, he would be gone.

Now, more than 23 years after Ritter’s shocking death at just 54, DeWitt is opening up about the remarkable coincidence that brought them together one final time.

And the 77-year-old actress believes something almost impossible to explain made that last reunion happen.

“It’s like there was divine assistance in allowing us that time together,” she recalled.

A Chance Encounter That Almost Never Happened

It was August 2003, and Joyce DeWitt was visiting New York City.

She had no idea her former television co-star was staying in the same city.

The two had shared countless memorable moments on the set of Three’s Company, but their careers had taken different paths since the sitcom ended in 1984.

Then, in an unexpected twist, photographers informed DeWitt that Ritter was nearby.

Surprised and delighted, she decided to reach out.

She called him, hoping they might find time to see each other.

But Ritter didn’t immediately respond.

Hours passed.

DeWitt eventually made other plans.

She was preparing to leave her hotel and walk toward Lincoln Center to see a movie when the telephone rang.

It was John.

The timing could hardly have been closer.

There were no smartphones to exchange instant messages or coordinate a meeting while walking across Manhattan.

Had she left the room, she might never have received his call.

“If he had called one minute later, I would have been out walking to Lincoln Center on my way to a movie,” DeWitt told Page Six.

Instead, they arranged to spend the evening together.

Neither could have imagined how meaningful that decision would become.

One Last Dinner, One Unforgettable Memory

That night, DeWitt and Ritter met at an Italian restaurant in New York’s Greenwich Village.

They were joined by actor and comedian Jim Belushi.

The three spent the evening enjoying one another’s company, sharing the kind of easy companionship that comes from years of friendship and shared experiences.

There was no indication that the gathering would become a final farewell.

No reason to believe that the night would later carry such emotional weight.

To DeWitt, it was simply a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with someone who had played an important part in her life.

Looking back, however, she remembers the evening very differently.

She described it as deeply meaningful and expressed gratitude that their schedules had aligned.

“We had such a good time,” she remembered. “It was dear, and it was precious.”

What made the memory so emotional was what happened only weeks later.

The Tragedy That Shocked Hollywood

On September 11, 2003, John Ritter was working on the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter when he began experiencing serious medical symptoms.

The actor complained of chest discomfort and severe nausea during rehearsals.

He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors initially treated him for a suspected heart attack.

But Ritter was suffering from something different and extremely dangerous.

An aortic dissection.

The condition occurs when a tear develops in the inner layer of the aorta, the body’s main artery.

Blood can enter the wall of the artery, potentially causing life-threatening complications.

Despite emergency medical efforts, Ritter died that evening.

He was just 54 years old.

The news devastated his family, friends, fellow performers and generations of television viewers.

For DeWitt, the shock was accompanied by the realization that their unexpected dinner in New York had been the last time they would spend an evening together.

A phone call that nearly went unanswered had given her one final memory to treasure.

The Television Friendship That Made America Laugh

To millions of viewers, Joyce DeWitt and John Ritter will forever be remembered as Janet Wood and Jack Tripper.

Alongside Suzanne Somers as Chrissy Snow, they helped turn <Entity category=”tv_show” value=”Three’s Company” disambig=”American television sitcom 1977–1984″/> into one of the most recognizable sitcoms of its era.

The show premiered in 1977 and followed three unmarried roommates sharing an apartment in Southern California.

Its humor revolved around misunderstandings, mistaken identities, awkward situations and romantic complications.

Ritter’s gift for physical comedy made Jack Tripper an unforgettable character.

He could transform an ordinary misunderstanding into an elaborate disaster with a single exaggerated expression or perfectly timed fall.

DeWitt’s Janet often provided a grounded counterbalance to the chaos.

And their chemistry helped make the show’s increasingly ridiculous situations feel surprisingly believable.

The sitcom ran for eight seasons, ending in 1984.

But its popularity continued long after the final episode.

For fans, the characters became familiar faces associated with an era of television when families gathered around the same screen and shared a laugh.

Joyce Reveals the Secret Behind Their Chemistry

In another recent interview, DeWitt reflected on the natural connection she and Ritter experienced while performing together.

She explained that their physical timing seemed to work almost instinctively.

They could anticipate one another’s movements without needing to discuss every detail.

If Ritter raised his body during a comedic sequence, DeWitt often knew exactly when to duck or move in the opposite direction.

The effect was spontaneous and fluid.

That connection allowed them to perform some of the show’s most memorable physical comedy.

DeWitt said the understanding had been present from the beginning of their working relationship.

It was more than rehearsed choreography.

It was a shared rhythm.

And it became one of the defining elements of their partnership.

Remembering Suzanne Somers, Too

The memories have become even more poignant following the death of their fellow Three’s Company star Suzanne Somers.

Somers died in October 2023 at age 76 following a long battle with breast cancer.

She had portrayed the cheerful and often hilariously confused Chrissy Snow.

Together, Ritter, DeWitt and Somers formed one of the most recognizable television trios of the late 1970s.

Their behind-the-scenes relationships were not always uncomplicated.

DeWitt and Somers experienced a lengthy period of estrangement following Somers’ departure from the sitcom.

But the two eventually reconciled.

After Somers’ death, DeWitt expressed sympathy and affection for her family.

Today, remembering Three’s Company also means remembering two beloved performers who are no longer here.

For DeWitt, the surviving memories carry a different significance as the decades pass.

A Special Reunion to Honor John Ritter

Now, DeWitt is helping celebrate the legacy of the show that changed her life.

On November 2, 2026, she and Ritter’s widow, actress Amy Yasbeck, are scheduled to host a Three’s Company 50th-anniversary celebration at Joe’s Pub in New York City.

The event will feature a celebrity reading involving performers including Jason Biggs, Christine Taylor, Richard Kind, Susie Essman and Richard Kline.

The celebration is designed not only to honor the sitcom’s enduring cultural influence but also to support an important medical cause.

Proceeds will benefit the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health.

The organization works to increase public understanding of aortic dissection, promote awareness of its warning signs and support efforts aimed at improving diagnosis.

For Ritter’s loved ones, the mission is deeply personal.

His sudden death revealed how easily a life-threatening aortic condition can be mistaken for another medical emergency.

By supporting public education, the foundation hopes to help other families recognize potential warning signs and seek urgent medical attention.

Why That Final Night Still Means So Much

More than two decades have passed since John Ritter’s death.

DeWitt has continued her career, attended reunions and spoken about the extraordinary experience of working on Three’s Company.

But certain memories remain especially vivid.

That August evening in New York is one of them.

The unexpected news that Ritter was in town.

The telephone call that almost came too late.

The spontaneous dinner with Jim Belushi.

And the opportunity to spend a few more hours with an old friend.

There was nothing dramatic about their goodbye that night.

They did not know it would be their last.

And perhaps that is precisely why the memory remains so powerful.

A Friendship That Outlived the Final Episode

When Three’s Company ended in 1984, its stars moved on to other opportunities.

But the laughter they created together remained part of American television history.

Ritter continued entertaining audiences until his sudden death in 2003.

Somers built a successful career beyond the sitcom before her death in 2023.

And DeWitt continues honoring the show and the people who helped make it special.

As she prepares to celebrate its approaching 50th anniversary, her memories of Ritter offer a reminder of the human friendships behind the familiar television characters.

Millions of viewers remember Jack Tripper for making them laugh.

Joyce DeWitt remembers the friend who called her hotel room just before she walked out the door.

One minute later, she might have missed his call. One month later, John Ritter was gone. And 23 years afterward, that unexpected dinner remains a memory she calls precious.

Sometimes, the moments we remember most are the ones we never realized would be our last.