Three's Company star Suzanne Somers dies, aged 76
Somers played Chrissy Snow in the hit TV series.
Suzanne Somers, who was best known for her comedy turn in the hit television series Three’s Company, has died at the age of 76, her family have confirmed.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” Somers’s longtime publicist R Couri Hay wrote in a statement shared on behalf of her family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued.
“Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
Somers acting debut came with a small role as an unnamed character in a white Thunderbird in George Lucas’s ‘60s comedy-drama American Graffiti in 1973.
Her breakout role came in 1977, when she was cast as one of the two female leads in the third pilot for a new ABC comedy based on the British show, Man About the House.
Somers played Chrissy Snow, a “dumb blonde” stereotypical of the era, in Three’s Company and starred alongside Joyce DeWitt and John Ritter.
She also portrayed Sheriff Hildy Granger in She’s the Sheriff for two years from 1987, as well as Carol Foster Lambert on Step by Step in the 1990s.
Other film credits include Magnum Force (1973) and Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977).
Alongside her acting career, Somers was also a published author of over 25 books, covering topics such as sex, weight loss and wellness. Her 1988 memoir, Keeping Secrets, was later turned into an ABC TV movie.
The actress also embraced show business ventures, and was cohost of Candid Camera in 1977 as well as host of the Lifetime talk show The Suzanne Show in 2012.
In 2015, she appeared on Dancing with the Stars.
Tributes have been flooding in for Somers following the tragic news of her passing.
Belinda Carlisle wrote on Twitter, which was recently re-branded as X: "This woman absolutely changed my life. Devastated to hear of her passing. RIP @SuzanneSomers.
"You brought so much love, joy and wisdom to this world. You must be feeling all the love..."
Meanwhile, Viola Davis shared a photo of young Somers on social media, writing alongside: “RIP Suzanne Somers. I grew up watching Three’s Company. You were a joy and forever young.”
Khloe Kardashian also took to Instagram to pay tribute to the late actress, writing: “This one hurts my heart. I love you @suzannesomers. I’ll never forget your positive loving outlook on life. Your sweet heart and gentle spirit!”
Somers is survived by her husband and son.
Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
