Sylvester Ritter
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1952-12-13
Day of Death
1998-06-02 (45 years old)
Place of Birth
Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA
Sylvester Ritter
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
Acting
(2022)
Biography: Wrestlemania I
as Self (archival footage) - The Junkyard Dog
(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)
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
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
(2007)
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
as The Junkyard Dog
(2006)
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
as Junkyard Dog
(2006)
Heroes of World Class
as Junkyard Dog
(2004)
(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)
NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush
as The Junkyard Dog
(1990)
WCW Great American Bash '90: New Revolution
as The Junkyard Dog
(1990)
WCW Halloween Havoc '90
as Junkyard Dog
(1989)
NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre
as The Junkyard Dog
(1989)
NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun
as The Junkyard Dog
(1988)
WWE WrestleMania IV
as The Junkyard Dog
(1988)
WWE Royal Rumble
as The Junkyard Dog
(1988)
WWE SummerSlam 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
(1988)
NWA Starrcade '88: True Gritt
as The Junkyard Dog
(1988)
Hulkamania 3
as The Junkyard Dog
(1988)
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
as The Junkyard Dog
(1988)
WWE U.K. Rampage 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
(1988)
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings
as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)
(1987)
WWE WrestleMania III
as The Junkyard Dog
(1987)
The Best of the WWF: volume 11
as The Junkyard Dog
(1987)
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87
as The Junkyard Dog
(1987)
WWE Houston Wrestling: The Paul Boesch Retirement Show
as The Junkyard Dog
(1987)
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
as The Junkyard Dog
(1987)
WWE Houston Wrestling: December '87
as The Junkyard Dog
(1987)
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
as The Junkyard Dog
(1987)
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
as The Junkyard Dog
(1987)
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '87
as The Junkyard Dog
(1986)
WrestleMania II
as The Junkyard Dog
(1986)
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
as The Junkyard Dog
(1986)
WWE The Big Event
as The Junkyard Dog
(1986)
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86
as The Junkyard Dog
(1986)
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86
as The Junkyard Dog
(1986)
The Best of the WWF: volume 8
as The Junkyard Dog
(1986)
WWE Houston Wrestling: November '86
as The Junkyard Dog
(1985)
WrestleMania
as The Junkyard Dog
(1985)
The Wrestling Classic
as The Junkyard Dog
(1985)
WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest
as Junkyard Dog
(1985)
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
as The Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
(1985)
The WWF's Most Unusual Matches
as The Junkyard Dog
(1984)
WWE St. Louis Wrestling: September '84
as The Junkyard Dog
(1984)
NWA Lords of The Ring
as The Junkyard Dog
(1984)
WCCW Parade of Champions
as The Junkyard Dog
(1984)
NWA Boogie Jam
as The Junkyard Dog
(1984)
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84
as The Junkyard Dog
(1983)
WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '83
as The Junkyard Dog