Sylvester Ritter
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 13, 1952
- Died
- June 2, 1998
- Birthplace
- Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA
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
Biography: Wrestlemania I 2022
as Self (archival footage) - The Junkyard Dog
Andre the Giant 2018
as Self (archive footage)
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling 2013
as Junkyard Dog / Stagger Lee
The True Story of WrestleMania 2011
as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time 2010
as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Jerry the King Lawler and Junkyard Dog 2010
Actor
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event 2009
as Junkyard Dog
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II 2008
as The Junkyard Dog
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1 2007
as The Junkyard Dog
WWE: The Ladder Match 2007
as Big Daddy Ritter
Heroes of World Class 2006
as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology 2006
as Junkyard Dog
The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s 2005
as Junkyard Dog (Archive Footage)
WWE Hall of Fame 2004 2004
as Self
ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998 1998
as Junkyard Dog (Honoree)
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch 1994
as Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
WCW WrestleWar 1991 1991
as The Junkyard Dog
WCW Halloween Havoc 1990 1990
as Junkyard Dog
WCW The Great American Bash 1990 1990
as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush 1990
as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun 1989
as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre 1989
as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Starrcade 1988 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings 1988
as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)
- WWE U.K. Rampage 1988
WWE U.K. Rampage 1988 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
WWE SummerSlam 1988 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
Hulkamania 3 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
WWE WrestleMania IV 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Royal Rumble 1988 1988
as The Junkyard Dog
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments 1987
as Junkyard Dog
George "The Animal" Steele 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 14 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Houston Wrestling: December '87
WWE Houston Wrestling: December '87 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '87
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '87 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Houston Wrestling: The Paul Boesch Retirement Show
WWE Houston Wrestling: The Paul Boesch Retirement Show 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
Jake "The Snake" Roberts 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 11 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
WWE WrestleMania III 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 10 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports 1987
as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Houston Wrestling: November '86
WWE Houston Wrestling: November '86 1986
as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 9 1986
as The Junkyard Dog
WWE The Big Event 1986
as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 8 1986
as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86 1986
as The Junkyard Dog
WrestleMania II 1986
as The Junkyard Dog
WWE Grudge Match 1986
as Junkyard Dog
- WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86 1986
as The Junkyard Dog
The WWF's Amazing Managers 1985
as The Junkyard Dog
The Wrestling Classic 1985
as The Junkyard Dog
WrestleMania 1985
as The Junkyard Dog
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports 1985
as The Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest! 1985
as Junkyard Dog
Most Unusual Matches 1985
as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84 1984
as The Junkyard Dog
- WWE St. Louis Wrestling: September '84
WWE St. Louis Wrestling: September '84 1984
as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Lords of The Ring 1984
as The Junkyard Dog
- WCCW Parade of Champions
WCCW Parade of Champions 1984
as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Boogie Jam 1984
as The Junkyard Dog
- WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '83
WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '83 1983
as The Junkyard Dog
Credits from TMDB.