Henry Winkler kept an unexpected memento from the day his friend John Ritter died
Henry Winkler kept an unexpected memento from the day his friend John Ritter died
Rance CollinsMon, September 14, 2026 at 12:44 PM UTC
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John Ritter and Henry WinklerCredit: Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagicKey Points -
Henry Winkler kept a water bottle from the set of 8 Simple Rules.
The Happy Days star was slated to guest on the series the week of friend John Ritter’s death.
“I took the water bottle and never quite opened it, so I have had it in its weird state since,” Winkler explained.
Henry Winkler has a surprising keepsake to remember his friend John Ritter — a water bottle from the set of 8 Simple Rules.
On Sept. 11, 2003, Ritter was in the middle of preparations for filming episode four of season two of his latest hit sitcom 8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter (later shortened to 8 Simple Rules), which costarred Katey Sagal as his wife and Kaley Cuoco, Amy Davidson, and Martin Spanjers, as their three children. Winkler was set to guest star, a subtle nod to the pair’s place as stars of hit Tuesday night ABC comedies of yore, Three’s Company for Ritter and Happy Days for Winkler.
But Ritter collapsed on set and later died that same day of what was determined to be an aortic dissection. Winkler recently took Graham Bensinger on a tour of his home in a recent wide-ranging interview, showing him his most treasured mementos from his storied life and career, including the odd item from 8 Simple Rules.
Henry Winkler and John Ritter in 1980Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
“That water bottle was on the set, when I was asked by John Ritter to participate in his 8 Simple Rules, and I took the water bottle and never quite opened it, so I have had it in its weird state since,” Winkler explained.
The bottle is scrunched up, but the distinctive logo from the ABC series remains.
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“He passed away that day. You know, I left the set, and 11:00 at night I got called, and they said, ‘We lost John.’ I went, ‘What do you mean you lost John?’ And he passed away. I saw him at about 4 or 5:00 that afternoon for the last time. Terrible,” Winkler recalled.
Winkler remembered Ritter as a “professional” who kept “everybody laughing” when the Scream actor testified in a lawsuit regarding Ritter’s death in 2011.
“We were reminiscing,” Winkler said of the day Ritter died. “He was sweating (and said) ‘I really need to get some water.’ I said ‘I really need to memorize my lines.’ And he went one way and I went the other. And that was the last time I saw him.”
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Winkler added that Ritter had been thrilled to have another hit show on the airwaves. “He loved everyone in the cast, and they loved him.”
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
