Sylvester Ritter

🎂 13th December 1952 (73 yrs) 📍 Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA

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 Featuring Sylvester Ritter

Biography: Wrestlemania I

Biography: Wrestlemania I (2022)

as Self (archival footage) - The Junkyard Dog
Andre the Giant

Andre the Giant (2018)

as Self (archive footage)
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling

Legends of Mid-South Wrestling (2013)

as Junkyard Dog / Stagger Lee
The True Story of WrestleMania

The True Story of WrestleMania (2011)

as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time

WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time (2010)

as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Jerry the King Lawler and Junkyard Dog

WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Jerry the King Lawler and Junkyard Dog (2010)

WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event

WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event (2009)

as Junkyard Dog
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II

Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II (2008)

as The Junkyard Dog
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1

Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1 (2007)

as The Junkyard Dog
WWE: The Ladder Match

WWE: The Ladder Match (2007)

as Big Daddy Ritter
Heroes of World Class

Heroes of World Class (2006)

as Junkyard Dog
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology (2006)

as Junkyard Dog
The Greatest Stars of the 80's

The Greatest Stars of the 80's (2005)

as Junkyard Dog (Archive Footage)
WWE Hall of Fame 2004

WWE Hall of Fame 2004 (2004)

as Self
ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998

ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998 (1998)

as Junkyard Dog (Honoree)
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch

The Life And Times of Paul Boesch (1994)

as Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
WCW WrestleWar 1991

WCW WrestleWar 1991 (1991)

as The Junkyard Dog
WCW Halloween Havoc 1990

WCW Halloween Havoc 1990 (1990)

as Junkyard Dog
WCW The Great American Bash 1990

WCW The Great American Bash 1990 (1990)

as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush

NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush (1990)

as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun

NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun (1989)

as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre

NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre (1989)

as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Starrcade 1988

NWA Starrcade 1988 (1988)

as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings

NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings (1988)

as The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)
No Image

WWE U.K. Rampage 1988 (1988)

as The Junkyard Dog
WWE SummerSlam 1988

WWE SummerSlam 1988 (1988)

as The Junkyard Dog
Hulkamania 3

Hulkamania 3 (1988)

as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World

The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World (1988)

as The Junkyard Dog
WWE WrestleMania IV

WWE WrestleMania IV (1988)

as The Junkyard Dog
WrestleMania IV (Duplicated)

WrestleMania IV (Duplicated) (1988)

as Junkyard Dog
WWE Royal Rumble 1988

WWE Royal Rumble 1988 (1988)

as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 14

The Best of the WWF: volume 14 (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
George "The Animal" Steele

George "The Animal" Steele (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments

Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments (1987)

as Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE Houston Wrestling: December '87 (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '87 (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE Houston Wrestling: The Paul Boesch Retirement Show (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
Jake "The Snake" Roberts

Jake "The Snake" Roberts (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 11

The Best of the WWF: volume 11 (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
WWE WrestleMania III

WWE WrestleMania III (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
WrestleMania III (Duplicated)

WrestleMania III (Duplicated) (1987)

as Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 10

The Best of the WWF: volume 10 (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches

The WWF's Even More Unusual Matches (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87 (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports

Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports (1987)

as The Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE Houston Wrestling: November '86 (1986)

as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 9

The Best of the WWF: volume 9 (1986)

as The Junkyard Dog
WWE The Big Event

WWE The Big Event (1986)

as The Junkyard Dog
The Best of the WWF: volume 8

The Best of the WWF: volume 8 (1986)

as The Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86 (1986)

as The Junkyard Dog
WrestleMania II

WrestleMania II (1986)

as The Junkyard Dog
WrestleMania 2 (Duplicated)

WrestleMania 2 (Duplicated) (1986)

as Junkyard Dog
WWE Grudge Match

WWE Grudge Match (1986)

as Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86 (1986)

as The Junkyard Dog
The WWF's Amazing Managers

The WWF's Amazing Managers (1985)

as The Junkyard Dog
The Wrestling Classic

The Wrestling Classic (1985)

as The Junkyard Dog
WrestleMania

WrestleMania (1985)

as The Junkyard Dog
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports

Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports (1985)

as The Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
Most Unusual Matches

Most Unusual Matches (1985)

as The Junkyard Dog
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!

Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest! (1985)

as Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84 (1984)

as The Junkyard Dog
No Image

WWE St. Louis Wrestling: September '84 (1984)

as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Lords of The Ring

NWA Lords of The Ring (1984)

as The Junkyard Dog
No Image

WCCW Parade of Champions (1984)

as The Junkyard Dog
NWA Boogie Jam

NWA Boogie Jam (1984)

as The Junkyard Dog
No Image

WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '83 (1983)

as The Junkyard Dog