Suzanne Somers would have turned 80 on October 16. She died on October 15, 2023, one day shy of her 77th birthday, after living with breast cancer for more than 23 years. Born in 1946, she was far more than the sunny blonde America first fell for, though that is where the love story started.
Before landing her breakthrough television role, Somers caught moviegoers’ attention with a brief but memorable appearance in George Lucas’ 1973 film American Graffiti. She played the mysterious blonde driving a white Thunderbird who catches Richard Dreyfuss’ eye throughout the movie. Although she had no spoken dialogue in the role, it helped introduce her to Hollywood audiences. Four years later, she joined John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt on Three’s Company, a sitcom about three roommates whose living arrangement leads to one misunderstanding after another. Her birthday is a fitting moment to remember how many lives she packed into one.
Suzanne Somers Became A Household Name As Chrissy Snow
As Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company in the late 1970s, Somers was the breakout of one of television’s biggest hits, a comic performance that made her a star overnight. She returned to series television years later as the mom on Step by Step, running from 1991 to 1998, proving the warmth was no accident.
But her departure from Three’s Company was anything but happy. In 1980, Somers was earning approximately $30,000 per episode while John Ritter was reportedly making $150,000. When she requested a raise to match his salary, along with a share of the show’s profits, producers refused. Her role was dramatically reduced, with Chrissy appearing in brief telephone conversations filmed separately from the rest of the cast. Somers was eventually fired, ending her run on the sitcom that had made her famous. She later described the experience as devastating, but maintained that her fight for equal compensation was justified.
The fallout also damaged her relationship with former co-star Joyce DeWitt, who played Janet Wood. The two women went more than 30 years without speaking before finally reuniting on Somers’ online talk show in February 2012. Their emotional conversation included memories of John Ritter, who had died in 2003, and reflections on the dispute that had divided them. Somers acknowledged that she had approached the sitcom as a business opportunity, while DeWitt admitted she hadn’t understood that perspective at the time. Their reconciliation brought a welcome resolution to one of television’s longest-running backstage feuds.
A Second Act All Her Own
Somers built an entire second career as a health-and-fitness entrepreneur, the face of the ThighMaster, and a bestselling author, outworking nearly everyone in Hollywood.
The ThighMaster became one of the most recognizable products of the 1990s, thanks in large part to Somers’ enthusiastic television commercials. She later revealed that the idea for the famous advertisement came after she showed her husband, Alan Hamel, an expensive pair of high heels. When he complimented her legs, she realized they had the perfect pitch. Somers said more than 10 million ThighMasters were sold, generating approximately $300 million in sales over the years. She and Hamel eventually acquired full ownership of the business, turning what began as an infomercial opportunity into a lasting commercial success.
Beyond the ThighMaster, Somers published more than two dozen books, performed in Las Vegas, and continued finding opportunities on television. She starred in She’s the Sheriff from 1987 to 1989 before returning to sitcom success alongside Patrick Duffy on Step by Step. She also wrote candidly about her childhood, marriage, aging, and health struggles, developing a devoted audience far beyond her acting career. Although some of her alternative health recommendations attracted medical criticism, Somers remained outspoken about her personal experiences and determined to make her own decisions.
Somers died just one day before her 77th birthday, but her legacy extends far beyond the television character who first made her famous. From fighting for equal pay in Hollywood to building a multimillion-dollar business, she repeatedly found ways to begin again. On what would have been her 80th birthday, fans remember not just Chrissy Snow, but the determined woman who brought her to life.
