Winkler Takes Stand in Ritter Trial
For the Fonz, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth was comprised of nothing but fond memories.
Henry Winkler was the star attraction Wednesday, taking the stand in the $67 million wrongful-death and medical malpractice lawsuit filed by the family of the late John Ritter, recalling the on-set events that preceded his death on Sept. 11, 2003.
On that day, Winkler was shooting a guest spot on the Ritter-led ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter—later shortened to 8 Simple Rules before being canceled. He testified in Glendale Superior Court that at about 4 p.m., just two hours before Ritter was taken to the hospital, he mentioned that he didn't feel quite right.
"We were talking in the middle of the soundstage," Winkler said. "He was sweating, and told me, 'You know, I really need to get some water.' I went one direction and he went the other, and that was the last time I ever saw him."
Ritter, who was 54, was ushered to the emergency room at Providence Saint Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank, directly across the street from the sitcom's home base, at 6:10 p.m.
Per the lawsuit—filed on behalf of Ritter's widow, actress Amy Yasbeck; their daughter, Stella; and Ritter's three children from his first marriage, Carly, Tyler and Jason—the Emmy winner complained of "chest pain and tightness, nausea, vomiting and dizziness" when he arrived.
"At 9 o'clock, I was called and told he was in the hospital," recounted Winkler, who first met Ritter back in the mid-1970s, just before Ritter broke through in ABC's hit Three's Company and Winkler was starring in the network's Happy Days. "At 11:30, I was called to say we had lost John."
According to hospital records, Ritter was declared dead at 10:48 p.m. His cause of death was an ascending aortic aneurysm with a severe dissection. However, that is not what doctors had been treating him for.
Moses Lebovits, the lead attorney for the Ritter family, told jurors Monday that the actor's condition was twice misdiagnosed, first as an acute myocardial infarction by a radiologist who misinterpreted the results of a 2001 scan, then as pericardial tamponade by the cardiologist who treated him the night he died.
The lawsuit alleges that if either of the doctors had properly diagnosed—and therefore properly treated—the actor's condition, he would still be alive today. Instead, the suit claims, by treating Ritter for conditions he never had, his actual condition was made markedly worse. Had he never checked himself into the hospital, they said, he may still be alive.
"They did everything wrong," Lebovits said. "Everything gets bad. Everything gets worse."
The family has already received more than $14 million in settlements, including $9.4 million from the Providence hospital.
Yasbeck, along with Ritter's 27-year-old actor son Jason, were both in court Monday for the opening statements in the trial.
While on the stand Wednesday, Winkler shined a spotlight on the closeness of the family.
"Every thought that John had included his children," he said, adding that Ritter and Yasbeck "were an unbelievable team, truly, to watch. Amy has one of the fastest comedic minds I've ever seen. They were like two perfect sides of a whole." Yasbeck choked up during the testimony.
Winkler also made mention of Ritter's joy at his professional resurgence, thanks to the sitcom, saying he was "every day grateful that lightning had struck again."
Of his pal, Winkler said he had a real "passion for life" and "passion for the excitement of being on the earth."
The Big Picture
Gossip Curl Looks like Leighton's sailing the Good Ship Lollipop as she shows off a Shirley Temple 'do
More PhotosMost Commented
- Bitch-Back! Breaking News—Johnny's a Hottie (918)
- Rob and Kristen "Relaxed" Together in NYC (674)
- Rob Flies Back to L.A. With Kristen (601)
- Truth, Lies & Ted: Twilight Special (478)
- Adam Lambert: For Your Entertainment—or His? (450)
- Is New Moon Even Good? (429)
- Bitch-Back! Was Sweet Taylor Ever a Li'l A-Hole? (384)
- Review: New Moon Is Either Just Fine or Way Mopey, Depending On Who You Are (375)
- Bitch-Back! Is There Drama on the Gossip Girl Set? (345)
- Ridiculous Twilight Hookups in an "All Taken" Cast (348)
Top 10 Stories
- The Real Reason Oprah Quit Oprah: Sarah Palin!
- Beyoncé Is Yours on Thanksgiving
- Justin Bieber: Blame Twitter for His Broken Foot
- Adam Lambert on Early Show: I'm Not a Babysitter
- Dancing Finale: Did Donny Really Beat Marie?
- Uh-Oh, John Mayer's Ego May Explode
- Carrie Ann Inaba Trades Judges' Chair for Hospital Bed
- Dancing With the Stars: A New Winner Raises the Disco Ball
- J.Lo's Ex: There's "Maybe One Spanking," but I'm Not Selling a Sex Tape
- Nicole Richie Back in Her Own Bed
Fashion Police
First Lady of FashionMichelle is glamorous and elegant in a strapless gown at the White House's first state dinner
More Photos
Latest Movie Reviews
Get Your E! News Now
4 Comments
-
Show the next 1 - 0 of 4 comments
Now loading...