Sylvester Ritter
Known for: Acting
Born: December 13, 1952
Died: June 2, 1998
Place of birth: 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.
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Filmography
63 movies · 11 TV shows, newest first
6.0
Biography: Wrestlemania I
2022
8.3
Dark Side of the Ring
2019
7.3
Andre the Giant
2018
9.3
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
2013
8.2
The True Story of WrestleMania
2011
8.3
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
2010
NR
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Jerry the King Lawler and Junkyard Dog
2010
7.5
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
2009
NR
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
2008
NR
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
2007
8.3
WWE: The Ladder Match
2007
8.5
Heroes of World Class
2006
7.9
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006
7.8
The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s
2005
8.3
WWE Hall of Fame 2004
2004
7.0
ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998
1998
10.0
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
1994
8.0
WCW WrestleWar 1991
1991
6.0
WCW Halloween Havoc 1990
1990
7.7
WCW The Great American Bash 1990
1990
NR
NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush
1990
NR
NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun
1989
4.0
NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre
1989
7.0
NWA Starrcade 1988
1988
NR
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings
1988NR
WWE U.K. Rampage 1988
1988
7.3
WWE SummerSlam 1988
1988
NR
Hulkamania 3
1988
NR
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
1988
7.2
WWE WrestleMania IV
1988
NR
Clash of the Champions
1988
6.6
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
1988
NR
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
1987
NR
George "The Animal" Steele
1987
10.0
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
1987NR
WWE Houston Wrestling: December '87
1987NR
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '87
1987NR
WWE Houston Wrestling: The Paul Boesch Retirement Show
1987
NR
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
1987
NR
The Best of the WWF: volume 11
1987
7.4
WWE WrestleMania III
1987
NR
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
1987
NR
The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches
1987NR
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87
1987
NR
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
1987NR
WWE Houston Wrestling: November '86
1986
NR
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
1986
6.8
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986
7.2
WWF Superstars
1986
8.0
WWE The Big Event
1986
NR
The Best of the WWF: volume 8
1986NR
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86
1986
6.4
WrestleMania II
1986
NR
WWE Grudge Match
1986NR
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86
1986
NR
The WWF's Amazing Managers
1985
6.2
The Wrestling Classic
1985
NR
NWA World Championship Wrestling
1985
8.3
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
1985
6.7
WrestleMania
1985
NR
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
1985
9.0
Most Unusual Matches
1985
6.0
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
1985NR
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84
1984NR
WWE St. Louis Wrestling: September '84
1984
NR
NWA Lords of The Ring
1984
9.0
Tuesday Night Titans
1984NR
WCCW Parade of Champions
1984
NR
NWA Boogie Jam
19849.5
WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '83
1983
NR
WCW Arena Shows
1983
NR
World Class Championship Wrestling
1982
NR
Mid-South Wrestling
1981
NR
WWE Old School
1973