Suzanne Somers, dead at 76

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I've always blamed her husband Alan for his miscalculation and temper tantrum walk out during the negotiation that led to her being fired. They likely offered her a very reasonable raise, not as much as she wanted, but still really good money that would have kept her employed. Had Alan not blown her chance to consider their offer, my sense is that she would have accepted the offer, I doubt that she ever wanted to it to reach the point of her being fired. I've never understood why she didn't divorce him over that, he ruined her professional reputation. Joyce DeWitt was smart enough to advise Suzanne that they should stick together in their negotiations, but Suzanne wouldn't listen to her, and that's why John Ritter was so angry that Suzanne betrayed Joyce. When Suzanne sees that period of time again during her life review, she will finally understand the ripple effects.

That was my understanding - that her husband was the one who engineered the contract demands.

I never heard that the two ladies had intended to bargain together - that would explain Joyce DeWitt's reaction.

In any case the show wasn't as good without Suzanne Somers. She my have had a stronger bargaining position in an earlier season, but by this
time, the producers knew that they had enough or almost enough episodes to be profitable in reruns.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

And there was Suzanne's great miscalculation. She presumably thought of herself as akin to Henry Winkler -- the indispensable breakout star -- but she was closer to Polly Holiday, a well-loved character but hardly essential.

That said, the oddity of the scenario isn't that Suzanne thought she was worth more but why Ritter and DeWitt didn't. Joyce was, one assumes, smart enough to know no one was watching THREE's COMPANY because of her, and Ritter seems to have been paid just enough to keep him placated. They all shot themselves in the foot by not being united. The show might have survived with the loss of any of them, even any two of them, but not all three.

The comparison to Polly Holliday is a good one. Both were good characters but not essential. However, both shows were never as good after those ladies left the casts.

I do think Suzanne Somers may have been right about network execs being more inflexible. It wasn't that long after Farrah Fawcett-Majors
left Charlies Angels after one season, and negotiating to negate her contract. Network execs may have not wanted repeats of such
events. When Suzanne Somers demands became so overwhelming, it probably united the network(s) in making such decisions.

I think that after Suzanne Somers came back, she was only in the final scene on a telephone in a room alone.
I noticed that when watching the reruns of that final season, that final scene seems to be missing.

All in all, sympathies to Suzanne Somers loved ones.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

That was my understanding - that her husband was the one who engineered the contract demands.

Always blame the man. Especially the super agent husband.

She knew what she was doing. And hubby didn't make her lie about it for the next 40 years.

In any case the show wasn't as good without Suzanne Somers

Priscilla Barnes was funnier than Suzanne Somers.

She my have had a stronger bargaining position in an earlier season, but by this
time, the producers knew that they had enough or almost enough episodes to be profitable in reruns.

The show had only been on for 3 years, despite her changing versions of that.

 

[ClassyCo]

She was orange and face lifted and looked rather "mannish" (dont know if i can say that now but i will!)

I might be in the minority here, but I honestly thought she was more attractive in the '90s on STEP BY STEP than she was during heyday in the '70s in THREE'S COMPANY.

To my taste, Joyce DeWitt was far more attractive, especially when she darkened her hair and had it bobbed at the start of the fourth season.

Priscilla Barnes was funnier than Suzanne Somers.

Priscilla was funnier and prettier than Suzanne, but Jenilee Harrison -- the middle, temporary replacement -- was prettier than them both.

I do think Suzanne Somers may have been right about network execs being more inflexible. It wasn't that long after Farrah Fawcett-Majors
left Charlies Angels after one season, and negotiating to negate her contract.

ABC was ticked that Farrah bailed on CHARLIE'S ANGELS after a single season. She said she had an "out" because she hadn't signed her contract because she and the producers couldn't come to terms about merchandising royalties.

Aside from that, ABC ran into trouble when Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams demanded higher salaries on LAVERNE & SHIRLEY (then the #1 show on TV), not to mention their off-camera squabbles that appeared to be endless.

I believe Loni Anderson -- the blonde cutie receptionist on WKRP IN CINCINNATI -- had caused trouble for CBS around 1980 by holding out for more money.

The executives at the networks were fed up with TV stars stomping their feet for more money, and the head-honchos at ABC decided to make Suzanne the example.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Always blame the man. Especially the super agent husband.

She knew what she was doing. And hubby didn't make her lie about it for the next 40 years.



Priscilla Barnes was funnier than Suzanne Somers.



The show had only been on for 3 years, despite her changing versions of that.

My goodness, so serious!

The show would have been starting it's 5th year, if you count the 6 episode replacement "season"
It has nothing to do with Suzanne's memory. More importantly,
78 episodes had been aired. The 22 new episodes would bring that count to 100.
Ratings took a slight dip in the next two seasons (3 if you count the final Suzanne Somers season)
but were still strong

Three's Company - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"blame the man"? Her husband was her agent. Surely they both formulated a strategy.
I don't know who was more influential

I don't know what the fully accurate story is, however at least part of her story seems credible

I am OK with Priscilla Barnes, but I don't think she was funny. If that is your liking, so be it,
however I can't agree with that statement. The most laughs that I remember from the female cast were generated by Suzanne Somers

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

The show would have been starting it's 5th year, if you count the 6 episode replacement "season"

My goodness, so selective!

The show started in Spring 1977 had been on for three years in 1980 when contract negotiations blew up. Four "seasons" if you count those first six episodes.

Her six years narrative is creaky as phukc. I'm sure she was muttering "eight years" on her death bed.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

My goodness, so selective!

The show started in Spring 1977 had been on for three years in 1980 when contract negotiations blew up. Four "seasons" if you count those first six episodes.

Her six years narrative is creaky as phukc. I'm sure she was muttering "eight years" on her death bed.

That is basically what I said - If you count the 6 episodes as a season, 4 seasons had been aired. The 5th season was the one in progress, with Jenilee Harrison joining the cast.

I don't know what her mathematical recollection is, but I have noticed that actors frequently don't remember details about their shows and the characters.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

That is basically what I said - If you count the 6 episodes as a season, 4 seasons had been aired. The 5th season was the one in progress, with Jenilee Harrison joining the cast.

I don't know what her mathematical recollection is, but I have noticed that actors frequently don't remember details about their shows and the characters.

It's a manipulation. As everything she ever said about everything always was.

And that was the only time she was ever funny.

 

[Crimson]

Jenilee Harrison -- the middle, temporary replacement

I've never understood why Jenniee apparently didn't click with audiences; personally I like her character more than Chrissy or Terri. I liked Chrissy well enough -- she had a boisterous kind of charm -- but I didn't miss her at all when she was gone. I thought the loss of the Ropers was more damaging to the series, even if Mr. Furley was a great addition. (They could have dumped all the female roommates and just had Jack living in a building with Furley and the Ropers, and I'd have been just fine with it.)

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I've never understood why Jenniee apparently didn't click with audiences; personally I like her character more than Chrissy or Terri. I liked Chrissy well enough -- she had a boisterous kind of charm -- but I didn't miss her at all when she was gone. I thought the loss of the Ropers was more damaging to the series, even if Mr. Furley was a great addition. (They could have dumped all the female roommates and just had Jack living in a building with Furley and the Ropers, and I'd have been just fine with it.)

FOUR'S A CROWD.

 

[Payton Cross]

I'm not really familiar with Suzanne Somer's career, but I do know her from the series Step By Step with Patrick Duffy, and I know that she also made many TV appearances in the late 70s and early 80s with other well-known artists such as the Carpenters in the TV-show "Space Encounters" in 1978.



She also sang song with Karen Carpenter called "Man Smart, Woman Smarter"



Rest in piece Suzanne Somers.