Meet John Ritter’s four famous children — including Hollywood superstar son starring in major hit television dramas

John and his first wife Nancy Morgan, who is also an actress, welcomed their first child, Jason Ritter, on February, 17, 1980. He started acting from a young age. As a child, he voiced Little Acorn in the 1991 cartoon The Real Story of O Christmas Tree.

“I will say, without any hesitation, this was like a full-on nepotism hire. I will admit that. He for sure got me the job. I did try to stay away from that later,” Jason admitted during a March 2023 appearance on The Jess Cagle Show.

Since his first gig, Jason has become a major Hollywood star, starring in shows like Matlock, Joan of Arcadia, and Raising Dion. And in 2012, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on Parenthood.

In 2020, Jason tied the knot with fellow actor, Melanie Lynskey, 49. The New Zealand born actress is best known for her work in Yellowjackets. Two years before their wedding, the famous couple welcomed their daughter.

Since her birth, Jason and Melanie have been very private about their daughter, keeping her face off social media. The Parenthood actor absolutely adores his role of “dad.” ​In 2025, he told ETalk CTV: “The most important thing you can give to your child is time and attention and love.​“

Two years after Jason was born, John and Nancy welcomed their daughter Carly Ritter on March 1, 1982. While she didn’t pursue a career in acting, Carly is in the entertainment industry. Like her Country Music Hall of Fame musician grandfather, Tex Ritter, Carly works in country music.

Although, it took her many years to fall in love with the genre. “My dad hadn’t really played that much of [country] music for us growing up,” she told KCET in 2013. “After being exposed to so much country music as a kid, when my dad discovered Rock & Roll, he just never looked back.”

Carly released her debut album in 2013, but hasn’t released one since, instead focusing on activism. She works with The Huntington’s Disease Society of America and supports Moms Demand Action, a grassroots movement fighting gun violence.

On January 31, 1985, John and Nancy welcomed their third child, son Tyler Ritter. Like his big brother, Tyler was inspired by his dad to become an actor.

“It feels very kind of surreal because [my dad] didn’t see a lot of my acting abilities,” he told Entertainment Tonight in 2014. “I do feel his presence and I know somewhere he’s proud of me.”

He continued: “I really got to see my dad enjoy every day that he was working … Everybody should be able to have this much fun when they go to work. He really paved that way for us and so here I am.”

Since he started acting in 2007, Tyler has appeared in shows like Arrow, NCIS, and Young & Hungry.

Outside of his career, the actor is married to Argentinian film director Lelia Parma. The couple are parents to two children: daughter Magnolia, and son Benjamin Parma Ritter, who was born on June 11, 2017.