Suzanne Somers Dies

Suzanne Somers was an American actress, author, and businesswoman who gained fame for her roles in television shows, her fitness and wellness books, and her business ventures. Born on October 16, 1946, in San Bruno, California, as Suzanne Marie Mahoney, she had a diverse and successful career in the entertainment industry. Her mother, Marion Elizabeth, was a medical secretary, and her father, Francis Mahoney, was a laborer and gardener.

Suzanne has described how her father was physically abusive towards her mother. The physical abuse included violent confrontations and altercations within their household, which had a deeply unsettling impact on her early life. Her father’s abusive behavior was often linked to his struggles with alcoholism. She has mentioned that her father’s drinking problem exacerbated the violent episodes and created an unstable and turbulent family environment.

The abusive atmosphere in her home during her childhood left a lasting emotional impact on Suzanne Somers. She has spoken about the fear, trauma, and distress she experienced as a result of witnessing and enduring her father’s abusive behavior. She faced several challenges in her early life, including living in a rough neighborhood and dropping out of high school at the age of 16. She worked various jobs to support herself, including as a model and a cocktail waitress.

She then attended Lone Mountain College, a college run by the Catholic Society of the Sacred Heart order, but dropped out in 1965 when she found out she was pregnant. Suzanne married the father, Bruce Somers in 1965, and the couple had a son named Bruce Jr. in 1966. Her situation led to low self-esteem. She was arrested for check fraud and had her car impounded. They later divorced in 1968. After divorcing in 1968, to support herself, Somers worked as a prize model on “The Anniversary Game”, a game show hosted by Alan Hamel.

Although he was already married, they began dating and she had an affair with him that led to an abortion. They married in 1977. In 1969 and 1970 Suzanne appeared on Alan’s show, Anniversary Game.

She was in other shows like Mantrap (1971–1973), Lotsa Luck (1974), The Rockford Files (1974), Sky Heist (1975), The Six Million Dollar Man (1977), Starsky & Hutch (1975–79, 3 appearances), Match Game (1977),

The Love Boat (1977), One Day at a Time (1977), and Tattletales (1977). She also appeared in several films including Bullitt (1968), Daddy’s Gone A-Hunting (1969), Fools (1970), American Graffiti (1973), Magnum Force (1973), Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977), and It Happened at Lakewood Manor (1977, TV movie).

She had made appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson which led to her being chosen to play Chrissy Snow, who exemplified many blonde stereotypes and was employed as an office secretary, on the ABC sitcom Three’s Company. The series co-starred John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, and Norman Fell (replaced later by Don Knotts).

The comedy is about two single women living with a single man who pretended to be gay in order to bypass the landlord’s policy of prohibiting single men from sharing an apartment with single women. The program was an instant success in the Nielsen ratings. Somers entered into a contract dispute with the producers of “Three’s Company.”

She sought a substantial salary increase to match her co-star John Ritter’s earnings, as she believed that her role was integral to the show’s success. The dispute over her contract and salary demands became a significant point of contention. Her role as Chrissy Snow was significantly reduced during the fifth season of “Three’s Company.” This reduction in her screen time was a response to the ongoing negotiations, and it impacted the dynamics of the show.

The contract negotiations ultimately broke down, leading to Suzanne Somers’ departure from “Three’s Company.” After leaving the series, her character, Chrissy, was written out of the show, and she was replaced by actress Priscilla Barnes. She rebounded from all this by appearing in other shows including Happily Ever After (1978), Zuma Beach (1978), Hollywood Wives (1985), Goodbye Charlie (1985), starring role in She’s the Sheriff (1987–1989),