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Suzanne Somers

️Mon Oct 16 2023

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In her two-hour interview, Suzanne Somers (1946-2023) discusses her early years as a single mother and struggling model/actress. She talks about landing a small but memorable role in the feature film American Graffiti, which led to appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and her casting on Three's Company. Somers describes being mentored by Three's Company producer Michael Ross and star John Ritter, and how she came to grasp the essence of comedy acting. Somers speaks frankly about the pitfalls of her meteoric rise to stardom, which eventually resulted in her exit from Three's Company. She then speaks about her subsequent work as a Vegas headliner, author, and star of the 1990s sitcom Step by Step. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on July 15, 2009 in Malibu, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I knew what 'Chrissy Snow' would and would not do. She'd never tell a lie. She'd never steal anybody's boyfriend. Everything was always absolutely honest with her. And I think that's what endeared her to the public."

Highlights

Suzanne Somers on her audition with George Lucas for the movie "American Graffiti"

02:35

Suzanne Somers on how she first came to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in her early career

03:12

Suzanne Somers on the initial atmosphere on the set of Three's Company, and on ABC's reaction to the show

01:17

Suzanne Somers on how the hairstyle and trademark laugh for her Three's Company character "Chrissy Snow" came about

02:02

Suzanne Somers on how her contract was not renewed for Three's Company

06:41

Suzanne Somers on then-current projects

05:04

Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On her parents; on her desire to become a performer; on early television she watched, including The Ed Sullivan Show; on playing the female lead in "Guys and Dolls"; on her father's alcoholism

On becoming a teenage mother/wife; on her early modeling and acting career; on her son's childhood accident and its aftermath (the counseling she received)

On her appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in her early career; on appearing on the syndicated game show The Anniversary Game, hosted by her future husband Alan Hamel; on her audition for the movie "American Graffiti"

On how she was cast on Three's Company by ABC exec Fred Silverman, who had seen her on The Tonight Show; on how she nearly declined auditioning for Three's Company after she had a near-death plane experience; on the resentment she felt from others when she won acting awards having never studied acting; on learning comedy from John Ritter and being mentored by producer Mickey Ross (and their eventual falling out)

On her Three's Company character, "Chrissy Snow"; on how she missed out on several movie opportunities during Three's Company; on her inexperience at the start of Three's Company; on her audition (with Joyce DeWitt); on Three's Company as part of ABC's successful Tuesday night lineup; on her working relationship with John Ritter

On her similarities to her character, "Chrissy Snow"; on the popularity of Three's Company; on her initial fame; on actor Norman Fell ("Mr. Roper"); on the atmosphere on the set of Three's Company

Chapter 2

On how the hairstyle and trademark laugh for her Three's Company character, "Chrissy Snow," came about; on her character's innocence; on performing physical comedy with John Ritter

On the beginning of her stardom (and conflicts on Three's Company) during a Newsweek cover photo shoot; on angering ABC when she "sold" her hiatus to CBS; on how her contract was not renewed for Three's Company

On headling in Las Vegas; on how her contract was not renewed for Three's Company; on how her bad departure from Three's Company affected her

On deciding to take sitcom Step By Step over a Broadway role; on working on Step By Step; on career advice to actors

Shows

Anniversary Game, The

Suzanne Somers on appearing as a prize model on The Anniversary Game, hosted by future husband Alan Hamel

01:05

Step By Step

Suzanne Somers on deciding to take sitcom Step By Step over a Broadway role

02:31

Suzanne Somers on comparing her approach to playing a mom on Step By Step versus playing Chrissy on Three's Company

00:42

Suzanne Somers on her lifestyle during the shooting of Step by Step (and how the series handled breakout star Sasha Mitchell)

02:41

Suzanne Somers on working with the ensemble of child actors on Step By Step

01:04

Three's Company

Suzanne Somers on how she was cast on Three's Company by ABC exec Fred Silverman, who had seen her on The Tonight Show

03:02

Suzanne Somers on how she nearly declined auditioning for Three's Company after she had a near-death plane experience

02:43

Suzanne Somers on the resentment she felt from others when she won acting awards for Three's Company having never studied acting

01:13

Suzanne Somers on learning comedy from John Ritter on the set of Three's Company and being mentored by producer Mickey Ross

02:26

Suzanne Somers on her Three's Company character, "Chrissy Snow"

01:14

Suzanne Somers on how she missed out on several movie opportunities during Three's Company

02:43

Suzanne Somers on her experiences at the beginning of Three's Company, and learning to play "Chrissy Snow" as she went

02:32

Suzanne Somers on her similarities to her Three's Company character, "Chrissy Snow" and on the instant popularity of the show

02:47

Suzanne Somers on Three's Company as part of ABC's successful Tuesday night lineup

00:34

Suzanne Somers on her working relationship with John Ritter on Three's Company

02:31

Suzanne Somers on her initial fame (from Three's Company)

01:50

Suzanne Somers on working with Norman Fell and Audra Lindley as "Stanley Roper" and "Helen Roper" on Three's Company

01:08

Suzanne Somers on the initial atmosphere on the set of Three's Company, and on ABC's reaction to the show

01:17

Suzanne Somers on what she feels the producers of Three's Company saw in her portrayal of "Chrissy Snow" that got her cast on the show

01:10

Suzanne Somers on creating her Three's Company character, "Chrissy Snow"

02:42

Suzanne Somers on how her hairstyle and trademark laugh came about for Three's Company character, "Chrissy Snow"

02:18

Suzanne Somers on her relationship with the producers of Three's Company and on working with John Ritter in the classic episode "Handcuffed"

01:51

Suzanne Somers on performing physical comedy with John Ritter on Three's Company

02:00

Suzanne Somers on tensions between her, John Ritter, and Joyce DeWitt on the set of Three's Company

04:27

Suzanne Somers on how her contract was not renewed for Three's Company

06:31

Suzanne Somers on how her bad departure from Three's Company affected her

02:30

Suzanne Somers on what the fans loved about Three's Company and her character "Chrissy Snow"

03:44

Suzanne Somers on how Jay Bernstein mismanaged her career during the run of Three's Company

03:35

Suzanne Somers on Don Knotts joining the cast of Three's Company as "Ralph Furley" and on working with the cast of the show

01:27

Suzanne Somers on the guest-stars of Three's Company

00:48

Suzanne Somers on the legacy of Three's Company

01:07

Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The

Suzanne Somers on how she first came to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in her early career

03:12

Suzanne Somers on how she was cast on Three's Company by ABC exec Fred Silverman, who had seen her on The Tonight Show

03:02

Topics

Characters & Catchphrases

Suzanne Somers on her Three's Company character, "Chrissy Snow"

01:14

Suzanne Somers on how her hairstyle and trademark laugh came about for Three's Company character "Chrissy Snow"

02:02

Classic TV Series Episodes

Suzanne Somers on working with John Ritter in the classic Three's Company episode "Handcuffed"

01:23

Comedy

Suzanne Somers on working with John Ritter in the classic Three's Company episode "Handcuffed"

01:23

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Suzanne Somers on learning comedy from John Ritter on the set of Three's Company and being mentored by producer Mickey Ross

02:26

Fame and Celebrity

Suzanne Somers on dealing with fame and celebrity, and on her writing

03:33

First Big Break

Suzanne Somers on her audition with George Lucas for the movie "American Graffiti"

02:35

Historic Events and Social Change

Suzanne Somers on how things have changed for women in television since she started

Pivotal Career Moments

Suzanne Somers on learning comedy from John Ritter on the set of Three's Company and being mentored by producer Mickey Ross

02:26

Suzanne Somers on her audition with George Lucas for the movie "American Graffiti"

02:35

Pop Culture

Suzanne Somers on her Three's Company character, "Chrissy Snow"

01:14

Suzanne Somers on working with John Ritter in the classic Three's Company episode "Handcuffed"

01:23

Suzanne Somers on how her hairstyle and trademark laugh came about for Three's Company character "Chrissy Snow"

02:02

Suzanne Somers on dealing with fame and celebrity, and on her writing

03:33

Representation on Television

Suzanne Somers on how things have changed for women in television since she started

01:46

Women

Suzanne Somers on how things have changed for women in television since she started

01:46

Professions

Actress

View Profession

Suzanne Somers on her experiences at the beginning of Three's Company, and learning to play "Chrissy Snow" as she went

02:32

Suzanne Somers on advice for aspiring actresses

00:42

Performers

View Profession

Suzanne Somers on her experiences at the beginning of Three's Company, and learning to play "Chrissy Snow" as she went

02:32

Suzanne Somers on advice for aspiring actresses

00:42

Genres

Comedy Series

Suzanne Somers on playing "Chrissy Snow" in Three's Company

27:09

Suzanne Somers on playing "Chrissy Snow" on Three's Company

45:56

Suzanne Somers on starring in Step by Step

06:58

People

Audra Lindley

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Suzanne Somers on working with Norman Fell and Audra Lindley as "Stanley Roper" and "Helen Roper" on Three's Company

01:08

Frank Sinatra

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Suzanne Somers on singing advice she received from Frank Sinatra when she headlined in Las Vegas

00:49

Fred Silverman

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Suzanne Somers on how she was cast on Three's Company by ABC exec Fred Silverman, who had seen her on The Tonight Show

03:02

George Lucas

View Person Page

Suzanne Somers on her audition with George Lucas for the movie "American Graffiti"

02:35

John Ritter

View Person Page

Suzanne Somers on learning comedy from John Ritter on the set of Three's Company and being mentored by producer Mickey Ross

02:26

Suzanne Somers on performing physical comedy with John Ritter on Three's Company

01:23

Johnny Carson

View Person Page

Suzanne Somers on how she first came to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in her early career

03:12

Michael Ross

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Suzanne Somers on learning comedy from John Ritter on the set of Three's Company and being mentored by producer Mickey Ross

02:26

Norman Fell

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Suzanne Somers on working with Norman Fell and Audra Lindley as "Stanley Roper" and "Helen Roper" on Three's Company

01:08

Ted Bergmann

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Suzanne Somers on Three's Company's Executive in Charge of Production, Ted Bergmann

00:53