Sylvester Ritter
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 13, 1952
- Died
- June 2, 1998 (aged 45)
- Birthplace
- Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA
Biography
Sylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog (or JYD for short), a nickname Ritter received while working in a wrecking yard. Entering the ring with his trademark chain attached to a dog collar, to the music of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust," JYD regularly headlined cards that sold out the Louisiana Superdome and other major venues, becoming "the first blackwrestler to be made the undisputed top star of his promotion". JYD was one of the most electrifying and charismatic wrestlers in the country, particularly during his peak in the early 1980s. JYD was most known for his head butt and upper-body strength, the latter of which saw him regularly body slam such large wrestlers as The One Man Gang, Kamala, and King Kong Bundy. The word "Thump," which referred to JYD's power slam, was prominently displayed on his wrestling trunks.
Known For
Filmography
Biography: Wrestlemania I
Movie · as Self (archival footage) - The Junkyard Dog
Dark Side of the Ring
TV · as Self (Archival Footage) · 1 ep
Andre the Giant
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
Movie · as Junkyard Dog / Stagger Lee
The True Story of WrestleMania
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Jerry the King Lawler and Junkyard Dog
Movie
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE: The Ladder Match
Movie · as Big Daddy Ritter
Heroes of World Class
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s
Movie · as Junkyard Dog (Archive Footage)
WWE Hall of Fame 2004
Movie · as Self
ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998
Movie · as Junkyard Dog (Honoree)
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
Movie · as Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
WCW WrestleWar 1991
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WCW Halloween Havoc 1990
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
WCW The Great American Bash 1990
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Starrcade 1988
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)
Hulkamania 3
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE U.K. Rampage 1988
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE WrestleMania IV
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE SummerSlam 1988
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
Clash of the Champions
TV · as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance) · 1 ep
WWE WrestleMania III
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 11
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Houston Wrestling: The Paul Boesch Retirement Show
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Houston Wrestling: December '87
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '87
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
George "The Animal" Steele
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WrestleMania II
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 8
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Houston Wrestling: November '86
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE The Big Event
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Grudge Match
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
WWF Wrestling Challenge
TV · as The Junkyard Dog · 26 eps
WWF Superstars
TV · as The Junkyard Dog · 31 eps
WrestleMania
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
The Wrestling Classic
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
Most Unusual Matches
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
Movie · as Junkyard Dog
The WWF's Amazing Managers
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
TV · as Junkyard Dog · 5 eps
NWA World Championship Wrestling
TV · as Junkyard Dog · 3 eps
WWE St. Louis Wrestling: September '84
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Boogie Jam
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WCCW Parade of Champions
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Lords of The Ring
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
Tuesday Night Titans
TV · as The Junkyard Dog · 10 eps
WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '83
Movie · as The Junkyard Dog
WCW Arena Shows
TV · as The Junkyard Dog · 1 ep
World Class Championship Wrestling
TV · as Junkyard Dog · 3 eps
Mid-South Wrestling
TV · as Junkyard Dog (Archive footage), Stagger Lee, Junkyard Dog (Special Referee) · 37 eps
WWE Old School
TV · as Junkyard Dog, The Junkyard Dog · 7 eps