- 7 months ago
What Actually Became of Suzanne Somers Following Her Termination from "Three's Company"
Suzanne Somers was fired from Three's Company in 1981 for demanding equal pay. What followed was worse. Police led her to a little room. She recorded one-minute calls alone. Her co-stars avoided her with color-coded scripts. Her Hollywood ban was total. She then did something unexpected. She left for Vegas and changed her life. The lady they tried to ruin grew richer than them.
Suzanne Somers was fired from Three's Company in 1981 for demanding equal pay. What followed was worse. Police led her to a little room. She recorded one-minute calls alone. Her co-stars avoided her with color-coded scripts. Her Hollywood ban was total. She then did something unexpected. She left for Vegas and changed her life. The lady they tried to ruin grew richer than them.
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00:00I had this great lead-up of Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and then Three's Company, just because it was a little naughty.
00:07Suzanne Somers was fired from Three's Company in 1981 for demanding equal pay.
00:13What followed was worse.
00:15Police led her to a little room.
00:17She recorded one-minute calls alone.
00:20Her co-stars avoided her with color-coded scripts.
00:24Her Hollywood ban was total.
00:26She then did something unexpected.
00:28She left for Vegas and changed her life.
00:32Ultimately, the lady they tried to ruin became wealthier than them.
00:37Suzanne Somers was born October 16, 1946, in San Bruno, California.
00:43Her childhood household was poor and chaotic.
00:47Her father, a beer truckloader, barely supported the family.
00:51They were Irish Catholic and taught not to talk about problems.
00:55Being raised by an alcoholic father made Suzanne feel frightened and humiliated.
01:01Besides drinking, he was violent.
01:04His wrath frightened everyone.
01:07Suzanne remembers nights when seeing his car pull into the driveway made her and her siblings hide.
01:14Even as teens, they were afraid and wet the bed.
01:17This happened repeatedly.
01:19It happened nightly.
01:21It left permanent scars.
01:23Things weren't better at school.
01:26In the 1950s, no one knew how to address Suzanne's dyslexia.
01:30Without sleep, she couldn't concentrate, and her teachers considered her sluggish.
01:36She couldn't understand home life because no one talked about it.
01:40She felt that the world had rejected her before she could prove herself.
01:43When she was 14, everything fell apart.
01:47Her strict Catholic school unearthed notes she made but never mailed to a boy.
01:53Described as inappropriate.
01:55That earned her expulsion.
01:57More shame, no questioning, no second chances.
02:01She felt unwanted again.
02:03Something allowed her to breathe.
02:05She found the stage in the darkness.
02:08Her HMS pinafore roll was lead.
02:11That altered everything.
02:12Her guys' and dolls' role earned her an award.
02:16She wasn't hiding from her father on stage.
02:19She was alert and seen.
02:22Her first sense of worth came then.
02:24Theater saved her and gave her a cause.
02:27She was permanently changed that night.
02:30She was 17 and prom-bound.
02:32Her mother handmade her clothes, but her father arrived home intoxicated.
02:37Angry and tore it off, yelling she was nothing.
02:41That moment broke Suzanne.
02:44She whacked him in the head with a tennis racket in shock and wrath.
02:48First time standing up for herself.
02:50Years later, she said that night ignited her.
02:54To survive and never be silenced again.
02:57She sought escape through study.
02:59She attended San Francisco College for Women on a music scholarship, being the first in her family to do so.
03:06But freedom was brief.
03:08Bruce Summers, her lover, got her pregnant after a few months.
03:12That meant marriage in the 1960s.
03:15She left school and married Bruce before 19.
03:18It was survival, not love.
03:21But regret persisted.
03:23Her independent ambitions dashed overnight.
03:26Instead of music and college, she had diapers and debts.
03:31Her son, Bruce Jr., was born November 1965.
03:35She was barely 19.
03:37She loved motherhood, yet felt lonely.
03:39The marriage ended.
03:42Suzanne was depressed and had an affair with her drama teacher.
03:46After Bruce learned, it was over.
03:49By 1967, she was divorced and struggling as a single mother.
03:54It grew worse.
03:55She struggled for money and work.
03:58Though helpful, modeling assignments were never enough.
04:01She couldn't afford rent by 1970.
04:04A $250 check, she wrote, bounced.
04:08This led to her March 1970 arrest.
04:12She was jailed in San Francisco on $1,250 bail, five times her debt.
04:19Her boyfriend saved her, but it shattered her.
04:22She had no method to feed her small son.
04:26Desperation drove her to act unexpectedly.
04:29San Francisco hosted her nude photo shoot.
04:32She needed cash.
04:34At 23, she told the photographer she feared how her kid would feel seeing the photos.
04:40The photographs from the Playboy shoot weren't released right away.
04:44Playboy published them after she got renowned from three.
04:48She was shamed.
04:49Though it hurt, she did what she had to survive.
04:52Never were those photos about fame.
04:55They concerned feeding her child.
04:57Young single mother Suzanne Somers struggled in San Francisco in 1968.
05:03To survive, she modeled and acted in modest roles.
05:08She became a prize model on the anniversary game that year.
05:12Not a big break, but it paid the bills and changed everything.
05:16Canadian TV host Alan Hamill was married.
05:19The chemistry between them was evident from their first set meeting.
05:23A professional relationship became personal.
05:26After Hollywood rejected her, Alan became her husband and business partner, helping her restore
05:32her career.
05:33All of that was far off in 1968.
05:37They were merely two people whose bond had kindled in front of studio lights and behind
05:42the scenes.
05:43Their affair started discreetly.
05:46Alan remained married.
05:48Mom Suzanne was broke and raised her son alone.
05:51They couldn't distance themselves.
05:54Soon, she was pregnant.
05:56They made a difficult choice because society was less forgiving and Alan was still with another
06:02family.
06:03Suzanne aborted.
06:05It was risky and emotionally heartbreaking.
06:08Her severe bleeding and illness kept her bedridden for days.
06:11That encounter stayed with her.
06:14She opened up about her pain, shame, and survival lies years later.
06:19She said she was always hiding, manipulating, and blaming herself.
06:23That time hardened her, not broke her.
06:26She gained strength and vowed to be more honest about herself and her past.
06:31She grinded before fame arrived.
06:34Suzanne offered handcrafted pastries to restaurants.
06:38She handcrafted and consigned small outfits.
06:40When hired, she modeled.
06:43A burst of screen time opened unanticipated doors.
06:47In 1973, she briefly appeared in American Graffiti.
06:51She had no lines.
06:53Richard Dreyfuss noticed the blonde Thunderbird woman.
06:56The end.
06:57However, her face and mystery captivated people.
07:02That small role caught her eye.
07:04Casting agents called.
07:06Then came little roles in the Rockford files.
07:08Soon after, she played Chrissy Snow on Three's Company, which made her famous.
07:14A few seconds of screen time and a creepy vehicle window smile did it.
07:19Even as fame rose, life still hit hard.
07:22Bruce, her six-year-old son, was hit by a car in 1971.
07:28He survived, although trauma was severe.
07:31Suzanne could not afford pricey treatment.
07:33So she found a $1 a week therapist.
07:37That therapist saw Bruce, then Suzanne.
07:40They slowly recovered week by week.
07:43Suzanne didn't only heal from the accident.
07:46It was about overcoming her chaotic and abusive childhood and moving forward.
07:51A dollar a week therapy changed her.
07:54She found her voice, regained her confidence, and became an advocate for people in agony.
07:59She created a family addiction non-profit years later.
08:04She understood living through it.
08:07Suzanne and Alan had endured nearly 10 years of ups and downs by 1977.
08:13They'd endured secret meetings, difficult decisions, and public scrutiny.
08:19November 19th was their wedding.
08:22The Catholic Jewish ceremony symbolized their diverse backgrounds and future.
08:26That wedding started a lifelong love-business partnership.
08:30Not only did Alan love Suzanne, he trusted her.
08:34He helped her rebuild her career after Three's Company fired her.
08:39And he supported her while she launched health products, published books, and hit Las Vegas.
08:46They made the Thighmaster famous worldwide.
08:49More than money or celebrity, they had each other.
08:53For 46 years, they were together.
08:55ABC was desperate in 1977.
08:59Two of Three's Company's pilots failed.
09:02The right Chrissy Snow actress hadn't been located.
09:05At the end, ABC Entertainment president Fred Silverman watched a tape.
09:10Saw Suzanne Somers.
09:13He recognized her from a quick Tonight Show appearance.
09:16Within 24 hours, she got on set.
09:19Without second chances or screen tests.
09:22Just instinct.
09:23That instinct was gold.
09:25When Suzanne took the job, something clicked.
09:29Chrissy was hilarious and electrifying.
09:32The show's risque premise was charming and lovable because to her blonde hair, cheery laugh, and innocence.
09:39One man pretending to be gay to stay in the apartment.
09:43Three roommates.
09:44Bold for the time, it worked.
09:46Because of Chrissy and Suzanne, ratings soared.
09:51Three's mid-season premiere was TV's highest rated.
09:55Suzanne Somers became famous overnight.
09:59Her visage graced magazine covers, and her character ruled the program, but there was a sinister side.
10:05Suzanne made only $30,000 per episode, while her male co-star, John Ritter, made $150,000.
10:15One-fifth.
10:17We're both leading.
10:18Chrissy may have broken out.
10:20However, the difference was huge and expanding.
10:23Suzanne abounded.
10:25People's Choice Awards, red carpets, talk shows.
10:29Yet she got compensated insignificantly.
10:33She spoke up.
10:34She spoke.
10:35She wanted Ritter's pay.
10:37Nothing more, just equal.
10:39When she did, she was faced with chilly shoulders and stone walls.
10:44Her request generated national coverage.
10:47News headlines were harsh.
10:49Many called her greedy, as if asking for fairness was a crime.
10:53But she persisted.
10:55Suzanne did more than perform for Three's firm.
10:58It was made, built Chrissy from scratch.
11:02A shallow stereotype became delightful, insightful, and amusing.
11:07Her fans adored it.
11:09Critics noted, she won Favorite Female Performer at the 1979 People's Choice Awards and was nominated for a Golden Globe.
11:19Chrissy's shriek, physical comedy, and wide-eyed reactions weren't written down.
11:24After Suzanne left, the program lost its charm.
11:28Her successors never matched her.
11:31She was about to face reality anyhow.
11:34Suzanne requested a raise in Season 5.
11:38She sought $150,000 each episode, Ritter's salary, and a share of the show's revenues.
11:45Network promised her $5,000 more.
11:48It cost $5,000.
11:50Her husband and manager, Alan Hamill, sought to negotiate, but ABC refused.
11:57They wanted to communicate.
11:59After tough negotiations with Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams on Laverne and Shirley, they didn't want another conflict.
12:06This time, they demonstrate.
12:09Alan got a scary call.
12:11A nun will be hung in the market.
12:14The voice said, and Suzanne Somers will be it.
12:17ABC was preparing to damage her career by denying her raise.
12:21One of the worst TV star takedowns ever occurred.
12:25Suzanne wasn't fired yet.
12:28Instead, they shamed her.
12:30She couldn't attend rehearsals or talk to co-stars.
12:33Pretending Chrissy was away caring for her ailing mother was escorted by cops to a modest set to tape one-minute phone calls.
12:41The set comprised a light, phone, and chair.
12:45The end.
12:46A comedy queen has one line per episode, alone and silent.
12:51Even worse, John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt had color-coded scripts to avoid her.
12:57The tribute episode, Farewell, and Hugs were absent.
13:01Chrissy Snow vanished silently.
13:04Nobody repeated her name.
13:06She vanished.
13:08The seclusion went beyond set.
13:10It followed her around.
13:12Co-stars stopped talking to her.
13:14She felt abandoned and betrayed.
13:17She subsequently stated it was like familial exclusion.
13:21She endured that discomfort for years because she wanted to get rewarded like the man on film.
13:27In 1981, Suzanne Somers was dismissed, but punishment continued.
13:33She was shunned as unpleasant and unappreciative.
13:36Hollywood dropped and obliterated her.
13:39Friends vanished.
13:41Unanswered calls.
13:42Like a scandal, producers avoided her.
13:46She once admitted public appearance embarrassed her.
13:49She lost her identification and her work.
13:52She lost her identity without Chrissy Snow.
13:56Her husband, Alan Hamill, subsequently said it felt like they were hanging a nun in the market to deter other women from demanding equal pay.
14:04She did nothing wrong.
14:05She did nothing wrong, except talk.
14:08But back then, that was enough to wreck you.
14:11She packed and left town without work.
14:14In the mid-1980s, she went to Vegas.
14:18Most believed she'd quit.
14:20Somers was far from done.
14:21At the MGM Grand, she headlined.
14:25She continued performing at the Las Vegas Hilton after the venue burned down.
14:30Every night she sang, danced, and joked on stage for two and a half years.
14:35One show she wore a chicken costume and made fun of herself.
14:40Her fans adored her.
14:41She won Female Entertainer of the Year in 1986 in Vegas.
14:46She and her husband worked hard behind the scenes.
14:50Hamill distributed flyers on the strip to fill seats.
14:54Every chuckle or applause was a minor success for her comeback.
14:58Her salvation was Las Vegas, a location where being blacklisted didn't matter as long as you could perform.
15:06Around then, she began writing.
15:08Keeping Secrets was her 1988 debut.
15:12It was harsh and real.
15:14She discussed her alcoholic father, growing up in a silent, fearful house, raising a child alone, and her guilt after being kicked out of Hollywood.
15:25A former sitcom star's vulnerability surprised people.
15:29But they related with it.
15:31It was a number one New York Times bestseller.
15:34It was even made into a film.
15:36Most significantly, Summers had a voice again.
15:40She went from dismissed girl to writer, speaker, and influencer.
15:46She founded a non-profit to support addicted families.
15:49Her story was more than entertaining.
15:52It gave others the confidence to share their pain.
15:55That didn't ease things.
15:57Summers struggled with sadness and self-doubt.
16:01She once commented,
16:01I didn't fit in without Chrissy to define me.
16:05Her therapist said she had the lowest self-esteem ever.
16:09That was harsh, from someone who owned every room she entered.
16:14Her father, siblings, and family history of alcoholism showed her where her pain may go.
16:21She didn't follow that path.
16:22She wasn't drunk.
16:24She didn't spiral.
16:25So she went to therapy.
16:27She forced herself to understand the sorrow.
16:29And she rebuilt something stronger from that suffering.
16:34One of her most unexpected turns followed.
16:38Summers spent $500 on Manolo Blahnik's in the early 1990s.
16:44She entered the room in underpants and waited for her husband's reaction.
16:48He ignored the shoes.
16:50Just said,
16:51Great legs.
16:52One comment prompted a million-dollar idea.
16:55She remembered a bizarre exercise device called the V-toner.
17:00What it did, and how to promote it, were unknown.
17:04Summers noticed something else.
17:06She knew how to sell the Thighmaster after renaming it.
17:10First Thighmaster infomercial broadcast, 1991.
17:14Sitting in neon spandex,
17:17Suzanne joyfully squeezed the device between her legs.
17:20We may not have had terrific legs, but we can appear like it, she said.
17:25Not just a product pitch.
17:27Cultural moment.
17:29Women everywhere discussed it.
17:31Thighmaster can be used at home while doing laundry or watching TV.
17:36Gym unnecessary.
17:38Summers made it easy and fun by being herself.
17:41Authenticity made all the difference.
17:43The findings were ridiculous.
17:45They sold 10 million 1995 Thighmasters in two years.
17:50Exactly $200 million.
17:53Sales exceeded 15 million units, earning nearly $300 million.
17:59It continued.
18:01Khloe Kardashian later shared about her signed Thighmaster.
18:05It still dominated pop culture decades later.
18:09The twist.
18:10Summers didn't just grin for photos.
18:13It was her business.
18:14She and her spouse initially partnered 50-50 with another group.
18:19Once those partners started spending irresponsibly, the business collapsed.
18:24Summers and Hamill acted immediately.
18:27Full control was gained by buying out the other half.
18:30It was brave and paid off.
18:33They created a health empire with Thighmaster funds.
18:36Her name is on supplements, skin care, publications, and over 1,000 goods.
18:42Summers later estimated her Thighmaster earnings at $300 million, more than a successful shift, rewriting the rules.
18:52Hollywood expelled her, but she developed something bigger.
18:56She avoided scripts and studios.
18:58She made her own light.
18:59Suzanne Somers' 1991 step-by-step portrayal as Carole Foster Lambert was more than a TV stint.
19:08She returned to an industry that had expelled her.
19:12Three's company sacked her a decade earlier for demanding equal pay with her male co-star, John Ritter.
19:18The ABC show premiered September 20, 1991.
19:24She and Patrick Duffy played newlyweds blending their families.
19:28People enjoyed its modern Brady Bunch feel.
19:31Redemption, not just a part.
19:34She returned to American Living Rooms as the leader of a new TV family, not Chrissy Snow.
19:39The audience warmly greeted her.
19:42Once a problem, network executives couldn't ignore her.
19:47The ABC TGIF show Step by Step became a hit rapidly.
19:52Seven seasons, six on ABC and one on CBS, produced 160 episodes before concluding in 1998.
20:02Television rarely lasts that long, but especially for a counted out.
20:06The show held its own against Family Matters and Boy Meets World.
20:11Summer showed she still had millions of viewers.
20:14She thrived after returning.
20:17Suzanne continued with her revived television career.
20:20Her triumph launched her into greater things.
20:23She co-hosted Candid Camera from 1997 to 2000.
20:28She entertained new viewers with her charm and humor.
20:31Turning fame into business set her apart from other celebs.
20:37She represented the Thighmaster.
20:39Over 10 million units sold.
20:42She wrote 25-plus books.
20:4414 were bestsellers.
20:47She created fitness, beauty, and health products.
20:51Suzanne built a brand that kept rising in the 1990s when most actresses her age were declining.
20:57Life gave her another curveball in 2000.
21:01Cancer was found in her breast.
21:04What followed?
21:05Public and doctors.
21:07Suzanne refused chemo.
21:09She tried alternative remedies, including mistletoe extract Iskador.
21:13Her doctors advised against it, but she persisted.
21:17She thought American health care was too chemical dependent.
21:21She stated excessive chemicalization makes U.S. women the sickest in the world.
21:26A vigorous national debate followed the bold statement.
21:29Some praised her for speaking up.
21:33Others said she promoted hazardous beliefs.
21:36But controversy didn't faze her.
21:38Only fueled her.
21:40She spoke more about health and aging.
21:43She explained her daily hormone treatment on Oprah, which included vaginal injections and 60 pills.
21:5040 in the morning, 20 at night.
21:53Fans were shocked.
21:54Medical experts raged.
21:57Hormone-sensitive cancer patients were at risk from the therapy.
22:01Suzanne persisted.
22:03It made her feel young, alert, and alive.
22:06Despite the reaction, bioidentical hormones gained popularity.
22:11Books flew off her shelves.
22:13People listened.
22:15Eat great.
22:16Lose weight.
22:17Breakthrough.
22:18Eight steps to wellness were her books.
22:20Her diet allowed people to eat rich foods without counting calories if they followed her food-combining principles.
22:29Critics dubbed it garbage science.
22:32Doctors said her counsel could damage, but readers liked it.
22:36She sold more than books.
22:37She sold optimism, vigor, and a new aging.
22:42Suzanne publicly supported questionable medical personalities.
22:46Defended Houston doctor Stanislaw Borzynski, who was fined $380,000 for misrepresenting unapproved cancer treatments.
22:56Summers was unfazed.
22:58She publicized his work in Knockout.
23:00Medical boards warned.
23:02Cancer groups criticized her.
23:04However, her fans saw her as a daring system critic.
23:09Her health brand, Suzanne Organics, sells skin care, vitamins, and chemical-free beauty items in 2019.
23:17Her mark was on everything she sold.
23:20She stated cancer impacted her life.
23:23No more toxins or shortcuts.
23:25Her home, body, and business were clean, organic, and intentional.
23:30Her brand promised eternal youth, and millions believed.
23:35She had everything from anti-aging serums to self-tanning sprays that claimed to promote melanin without sun exposure.
23:44There was a tale behind everything.
23:46An unlikely woman who defied authority and built an empire.
23:51Suzanne met with Joyce DeWitt on her Breaking Through talk show in 2012 after almost 30 years.
23:58Their breakup began in 1981 when Suzanne was sacked from 3's company for demanding equal pay.
24:06He stayed on the show.
24:08No friendship recovered until then.
24:10On air, they hugged, apologized, and discussed the incident.
24:15They faced cruelty.
24:17But what you've done is incalculable, DeWitt said.
24:20Suzanne said she was too focused on business to recognize how much sorrow she had inflicted.
24:26Fans were moved by the event, which showed that Hollywood scars can heal.
24:32Alan Hamill, Suzanne's husband, supported her through everything.
24:36And this was an essential thing.
24:36Let's continue.
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