Why Suzanne Somers And Joyce Dewitt Refused To Speak For Three Decades
Suzanne Somers and Joyce DeWitt both found their big break in Hollywood with the sitcom "Three's Company." The show, which premiered in 1976, starred the two actors alongside John Ritter, and was based on their three single characters all living together. Somers' Chrissy Snow was more of a comical "dumb blonde," while DeWitt played the more mature Janet Wood. Since Ritter was more famous at the time, he was billed as the star of the show, but audiences soon learned to love the chemistry between all three leads.
It was this fame that had Somers requesting equal compensation after Season 5, which ultimately led to her being fired from the show and replaced. Somers' apparent greed also created tension between the cast. Most fans are familiar with the drama between Somers and Ritter, but the actor and DeWitt refused to speak to each other as well for almost three decades.
Suzanne and Joyce saw the show as two different opportunities
After Suzanne Somers' request to be paid the same as John Ritter, producers of the show started to write her off "Three's Company." This caused tension on set, and after Somers officially left "Three's Company," she and Joyce DeWitt didn't speak again for over three decades. It wasn't until DeWitt was asked to be on Somers' talk show, "Suzanne Somers Breaking Through," in 2012 that the two finally got to talk about what happened in 1980.
After an emotional embrace, the two began talking about how they felt about the reunion. Somers shared she was "overwhelmed with emotion." Eventually the two discussed "Three's Company," and Somers shared that from her perspective, "I always saw this as a business venture [...] in a group of serious actors. I probably pissed you all off." When the sitcom started, Somers was a single mother who wanted to provide for her son, Bruce Somers Jr. DeWitt, on the other hand, was there for the experience. "I have relentlessly said that it is my opinion that the only reason 'Three's Company' is worth remembering is that it created an opportunity for all of us to laugh together, to celebrate joy. It's a profound gift," DeWitt admitted. While they may have drifted apart, DeWitt said to Somers, "What you've gone on to do is immeasurable."