Three’s Company star Suzanne Somers dead at 76
The sitcom star and Thighmaster spokesman died at home following a battle with breast cancer. She was one day shy of her 77th birthday.
Suzanne Somers, the American actor known for her role on the sitcom Three’s Company, died on Sunday at her home in Palm Springs, California, after a battle with breast cancer.
She was one day shy from turning 77.
The news was confirmed by Somers‘ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay, who issued a statement on behalf of the actor’s family. “She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years. Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement read.
“Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on Oct. 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
Somers first rose to prominence as the endearing and skittish Chrissy Snow in Three‘s Company, which ran on ABC from 1977 to 1984.
By its fifth season, the show had become one of the most popular sitcoms in the United States. However, in 1980, Somers was dismissed from the series amid contract negotiations with ABC. She had requested a raise, seeking parity with her male co-star John Ritter, who was earning US$150,000 per episode, while her initial pay stood at US$30,000 per episode.
In the years that followed, Somers made frequent appearances in films, television, and talk shows before securing her next significant role in the 1990s sitcom Step By Step. The show ran for six seasons.
Alongside her husband, Alan Hamel, she achieved considerable success in the 1990s by popularising the exercise device known as the ThighMaster through infomercial advertising.
She revealed that the product had generated nearly US$300 million in earnings for her and her husband.
Somers also authored more than 25 books, including several bestsellers, mostly in the health and wellness space.
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