Acting credits
61
Established
Large and steady acting portfolio.
Actor
Sylvester Ritter
Acting
Career Snapshot
ExplainedThese indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.
TMDB popularity
1.4
Low visibility
TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.
Movies: 51Series: 10
TMDB ID: 1108052
IMDb ID: nm0728810
Known for: Acting
Born: December 13, 1952
Died: June 2, 1998
Age: 45
Place of birth: Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA
Gender: Male
Adult content flag: No
Career span: 1973 - 2022
Years active: 50
Average TMDB rating: 7.5
Wikidata: Q598243
Also known as
Junkyard Dog • The Junkyard Dog • Big Daddy Ritter • JYD
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.
Movies
Movies
Movie credits linked with Sylvester Ritter.
6.0
Biography: Wrestlemania I
as Self (archival footage) - The Junkyard Dog
2022 Movie
7.3
Andre the Giant
as Self (archive footage)
2018 Movie
9.3
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
as Junkyard Dog / Stagger Lee
2013 Movie
8.3
The True Story of WrestleMania
as Junkyard Dog
2011 Movie
8.3
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
as Junkyard Dog
2010 Movie
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Jerry the King Lawler and Junkyard Dog
2010 Movie
10.0
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
as Junkyard Dog
2009 Movie
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
as The Junkyard Dog
2008 Movie
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
as The Junkyard Dog
2007 Movie
8.3
WWE: The Ladder Match
as Big Daddy Ritter
2007 Movie
8.5
Heroes of World Class
as Junkyard Dog
2006 Movie
7.9
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
as Junkyard Dog
2006 Movie
8.0
The Greatest Stars of the 80's
as Junkyard Dog (Archive Footage)
2005 Movie
8.3
WWE Hall of Fame 2004
as Self
2004 Movie
ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998
as Junkyard Dog (Honoree)
1998 Movie
10.0
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
as Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
1994 Movie
10.0
WCW WrestleWar 1991
as The Junkyard Dog
1991 Movie
4.5
WCW Halloween Havoc 1990
as Junkyard Dog
1990 Movie
10.0
WCW The Great American Bash 1990
as The Junkyard Dog
1990 Movie
NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush
as The Junkyard Dog
1990 Movie
NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun
as The Junkyard Dog
1989 Movie
4.0
NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre
as The Junkyard Dog
1989 Movie
7.0
NWA Starrcade 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
1988 Movie
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings
as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)
1988 Movie
Series
Series
Series credits linked with Sylvester Ritter.
8.3
Dark Side of the Ring
as Self (Archival Footage) • 1 eps
2019 Series
Clash of the Champions
as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance) • 1 eps
1988 Series
6.8
WWF Wrestling Challenge
as The Junkyard Dog • 24 eps
1986 Series
NWA World Championship Wrestling
as Junkyard Dog • 3 eps
1985 Series
8.4
Saturday Night's Main Event
as Junkyard Dog • 9 eps
1985 Series
10.0
Tuesday Night Titans
as The Junkyard Dog • 10 eps
1984 Series
WCW Arena Shows
as The Junkyard Dog • 1 eps
1983 Series
World Class Championship Wrestling
as Junkyard Dog • 3 eps
1982 Series
Mid-South Wrestling
as Junkyard Dog (Archive footage) • 37 eps
1981 Series
WWE Old School
as Junkyard Dog • 7 eps
1973 Series