Sylvester Ritter
Born: 1952-12-13 in Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA
Died: 1998-06-02
Known For: Acting
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.
Filmography
2022
- Biography: Wrestlemania I as Self (archival footage) - The Junkyard Dog
2019
- Dark Side of the Ring as Self (Archival Footage)
2018
- Andre the Giant as Self (archive footage)
2013
- Legends of Mid-South Wrestling as Junkyard Dog / Stagger Lee
2011
- The True Story of WrestleMania as Junkyard Dog
2010
2009
- WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event as Junkyard Dog
2008
- Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II as The Junkyard Dog
2007
- WWE: The Ladder Match as Big Daddy Ritter
- Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1 as The Junkyard Dog
2006
- WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology as Junkyard Dog
- Heroes of World Class as Junkyard Dog
2005
- The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s as Junkyard Dog (Archive Footage)
2004
- WWE Hall of Fame 2004 as Self
1998
- ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998 as Junkyard Dog (Honoree)
1994
- The Life And Times of Paul Boesch as Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
1991
- WCW WrestleWar 1991 as The Junkyard Dog
1990
- WCW Halloween Havoc 1990 as Junkyard Dog
- NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush as The Junkyard Dog
- WCW The Great American Bash 1990 as The Junkyard Dog
1989
- NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre as The Junkyard Dog
- NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun as The Junkyard Dog
1988
- Clash of the Champions as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)
- WWE SummerSlam 1988 as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Royal Rumble 1988 as The Junkyard Dog
- NWA Starrcade 1988 as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE WrestleMania IV as The Junkyard Dog
- NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE U.K. Rampage 1988 as The Junkyard Dog
- Hulkamania 3 as The Junkyard Dog
1987
- WWE WrestleMania III as The Junkyard Dog
- Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports as The Junkyard Dog
- Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments as Junkyard Dog
- WWE Houston Wrestling: The Paul Boesch Retirement Show as The Junkyard Dog
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts as The Junkyard Dog
- George "The Animal" Steele as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Houston Wrestling: December '87 as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87 as The Junkyard Dog
- The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches as The Junkyard Dog
- The Best of the WWF: volume 11 as The Junkyard Dog
- The Best of the WWF: volume 14 as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '87 as The Junkyard Dog
- The Best of the WWF: volume 10 as The Junkyard Dog
1986
- WWF Wrestling Challenge as The Junkyard Dog
- WWF Superstars as The Junkyard Dog
- WrestleMania II as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Grudge Match as Junkyard Dog
- WWE The Big Event as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86 as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86 as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Houston Wrestling: November '86 as The Junkyard Dog
- The Best of the WWF: volume 8 as The Junkyard Dog
- The Best of the WWF: volume 9 as The Junkyard Dog
1985
- WWE Saturday Night's Main Event as Junkyard Dog
- WWE Pay Per View
- NWA World Championship Wrestling as Junkyard Dog
- WrestleMania as The Junkyard Dog
- The WWF's Amazing Managers as The Junkyard Dog
- The Wrestling Classic as The Junkyard Dog
- Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports as The Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
- Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest! as Junkyard Dog
- Most Unusual Matches as The Junkyard Dog
1984
- Tuesday Night Titans as The Junkyard Dog
- NWA Lords of The Ring as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84 as The Junkyard Dog
- NWA Boogie Jam as The Junkyard Dog
- WCCW Parade of Champions as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE St. Louis Wrestling: September '84 as The Junkyard Dog
1983
- WCW Arena Shows as The Junkyard Dog
- WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '83 as The Junkyard Dog
1982
- World Class Championship Wrestling as Junkyard Dog
1981
- Mid-South Wrestling as Junkyard Dog (Archive footage)
1973
- WWE Old School as Junkyard Dog