Why Did Suzanne Somers Leave ‘Three’s Company’?
Suzanne Somers became a household name in the late 1970s when she starred as Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company. With her bright personality and impeccable comedic timing, she was a major part of why the show soared to the top of the ratings. But by 1981, Somers’ run on the sitcom came to an abrupt end, and fans were puzzled when she was replaced by Jenilee Harrison, who played Somers’ character’s cousin, Cindy Snow.
From the start, Somers’ pay did not match the popularity she brought to the series. John Ritter, who played Jack Tripper, was considered the lead and earned considerably more money per episode. Somers believed that as the show grew into a hit, her contributions deserved to be valued at the same level. Encouraged by her husband and manager, Alan Hamel, she asked the network for a raise that would bring her closer to Ritter’s salary and requested a share of the show’s profits.
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Her demands were bold for the time period. Reports indicate that Somers was earning around $30,000 an episode, while Ritter was making roughly five times that amount. She wanted to be paid fairly in relation to her costar, but the network pushed back. ABC was already under pressure after granting raises to the women of Laverne & Shirley, and executives were determined to prevent another precedent-setting increase.
Unfortunately, after she asked for more, suddenly Somers’ screen time was cut back dramatically. Viewers began to notice that Chrissy often appeared only briefly, sometimes relegated to quick phone call scenes. Soon after, ABC terminated her contract altogether. Somers filed a lawsuit over damages, but the ruling ultimately awarded her only a fraction of what she sought.
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Her departure left a gap in the show that was filled by new characters, yet none fully recaptured the spark Chrissy had brought. Behind the scenes, the fallout also strained relationships with her fellow cast members. Still, as years passed, Somers came to be seen as a trailblazer. Her decision to stand up for equal pay highlighted the inequality in the television industry for women.
She once said to Entertainment Tonight about the fallout, “Oh, it was so sad. It was so sad. It was like being shunned from your family, and whatever those producers said to them when they went back to the rehearsal hall, they painted me as greedy. They painted me as she’s trying to ruin the show, and so the whole show — cast and crew — shunned me. … So, I never talked to anybody on that show ever again. Ever again.” Ultimately, she said she did reconcile with John Ritter before his sudden death in 2003. Somers died on October 15, 2023.
Remind 
1970s Fall TV
September 2023
Take a trip back to the ’70s by looking at the TV Guide Magazine Fall Preview primetime lineups.
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