Casting Beau Bridges and Jason Ritter as father-and-son attorneys on “ Matlock ” was a stroke of genius — and perhaps an inevitability. Both were born into performing families; Bridges is the son of Lloyd and brother to Jeff Bridges. Ritter is the grandson of Tex Ritter and son of the late John Ritter, who, ironically, was often mistaken for Beau Bridges during his early career, even to the point where people asked him to sign the wrong headshot.

The two actors have even shared a role: Ritter participated in a 2007 reading of the play “The Trial of the Catonsville Nine,” taking on the part that Beau had originated in 1971. While Bridges had a different part at the reading, it was there that the two actors first met in person.

Now, the legacy actors are sharing scenes in the CBS hit

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