Suzanne Somers, Three's Company Star, Dead At 76
Actress Suzanne Somers, best known for sitcoms like "Three's Company," has died at the age of 76 on October 15, 2023 — a day before her 77th birthday. The news of the "Step by Step" star's passing was confirmed by her publicist, R. Couri Hay, who shared with Page Six, "She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years." According to Hay's statement, Somers peacefully passed Sunday morning in her home, "surrounded by her loving husband, Alan [Hamel], her son, Bruce [Somers Jr.], and her immediate family."
Somers had her family by her side, because there were plans to celebrate the actor and author's birthday on Monday. "Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly," Hay shared with Page Six. There will be a "private family burial" in October, followed by a memorial in November.
Suzanne Somers was a savvy businesswoman
While most people may know her as her "dumb blonde" character, Chrissy Snow, in "Three's Company," Suzanne Somers was a smart and savvy businesswoman who knew how to sell a product. In the 1990s, infomercials for the ThighMaster were almost everywhere starring Somers, and those ads really paid off. In 2022, Somers appeared on "Hollywood Raw" and it was revealed that she made almost $300 million from the ThighMaster. "Yeah, but I spent a lot," she joked.
Somers always knew her worth, even if that resulted in a few enemies. Aware of how popular Chrissy was on "Three's Company," Somers asked for a salary increase at the end of Season 5 that equated to "$150,000 per episode and a 10% cut of the show's profits," according to Variety. The financial demands resulted in some tension on set, with Somers' role being cut significantly. However, she made a triumphant return to television in 1991 with another successful show as Carol Foster Lambert in "Step by Step."
Somers took a break from acting, with no credits after 2001, but she did return to ABC in 2015 as a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars." With her passing, fans are fondly remembering the TV star. One fan even wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "At the height of 'Three's Company' in 1980, Suzanne Somers *dared* to ask for pay equity with her male co-star... and was promptly fired by the network. RIP to a true legend."