Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers’ Feud Behind the Scenes of ‘Three’s Company’

THREE'S COMPANY, Suzanne Somers, John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, 1978 — ABC/Everett Collection

ABC/Everett Collection

Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers played Janet and Chrissy on Three’s Company, and their chemistry helped make the sitcom one of the biggest hits of the late ’70s. However, off-screen, a bitter feud changed their friendship and their working relationship for decades. And it all started when Somers asked for a raise.

In 1980, after four seasons, Somers requested a raise from ABC. At the time, she was making $30,000 per episode, while her costar John Ritter was earning a lot more. Somers requested $150,000 per episode, to match his salary. “The show’s response was, ‘Who do you think you are?’ They said, ‘John Ritter is the star,’” Somers later recalled. Instead of giving her a raise, the network decided to make an example of her and cut her role down to a handful of appearances before writing her off entirely.

THREE'S COMPANY, 1977-84, Suzanne Somers, John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, second season graphic heart background

Everett Collection

The fallout did not just end her run on the show; it fractured her friendship with DeWitt. For years, the two women did not speak. DeWitt said she saw Somers’ demands as divisive and cut her off. However, 30 years later, they finally broke the ice after Somers invited DeWitt onto her talk show, Suzanne Somers Breaking Through. It was the first time the pair had seen each other since their time on the set of Three’s Company. “It’s been over 30 years since Joyce and I have seen each other, so I have to admit I’m a little nervous,” Somers confessed at the start of their reunion.

Somers apologized for ruffling feathers on the series, and the two reconciled. DeWitt explained why she agreed to meet up after so many years and said, according to PEOPLE, “It’s time. I think that you gave me the opportunity to make sure that I walk my talk for the last 30 odd years. Whenever something about Three’s Company comes up, I have relentlessly said that it is my opinion that the only reason Three’s Company is worth remembering is that it created an opportunity for all of us to laugh together, to celebrate joy. Even if we hadn’t seen each other in a very long time, you are giving me that opportunity to walk my talk.”

Somers ultimately passed away on October 15, 2023 after a battle with cancer.