Even though Three’s Company is no longer on television, its laughter can still be heard in our hearts decades later.
With its enduring characters and hilarious miscommunications, this iconic sitcom transformed the genre. Joyce DeWitt now divulges the true reason the program become a timeless gem.
Three’s Company is still a popular mainstay of American television, from the humorous antics of three unmarried roommates to the iconic performances of Suzanne Somers and John Ritter. It’s amazing to think that the ABC series finale aired forty years ago, yet its wit and charm still hold true today.
I just watched the opening credits to give you an idea of how long ago Three’s Company became popular. It reminds me of how much has changed since they filmed there when I see the photos from Santa Monica Pier during the peak of the show.
Unfortunately, John Ritter and Suzanne Somers are no longer with us; they both passed away far too young. However, 75-year-old Joyce DeWitt is preserving the spirit of Three’s Company by sharing her colorful anecdotes and priceless recollections from the adored program.
The many, many adults who have told me that “Three’s Company” was a safe haven they could count on during their teen years—for some, the only safe haven—are the most dear, precious, tender, and completely unexpected experiences that have come from working in “Three’s Company,” Joyce DeWitt told US Weekly.
Alongside John Ritter and Suzanne Somers in the role of Janet Wood, DeWitt rose to fame on television and cheered up millions of people’s days.
Between 1976 and 1984, she made appearances in 171 episodes of the program.
It truly was a gift. It was, after all, iconic. Who, though, would have imagined it? As Joyce DeWitt stated to The Spec. “Making people laugh was our only goal. Upon reflection, the act was essentially an attempt to perform a modernized rendition of a farce from the 16th century. It has to do with foolishness gone awry. Even while we occasionally discussed important topics, they were always submerged.
She continued, “John Ritter once said, ‘We want people to fall over their sofa laughing,’ not just laugh. The depth of those folks’ love and friendship for one another was always the true problem. It is what attracted people to them.
DeWitt took a more than ten-year hiatus from the public eye following the conclusion of Three’s Company before returning to acting.
Nevertheless, the great majority will always associate her with that legendary show, regardless of what she has achieved or intends to do going forward. According to DeWitt, there’s a very straightforward explanation for that.
“It served as a ‘vacation’ from the restrictive, demanding, and tough situations they were handling in their early years,” DeWitt continues.
Oh, and they also claim that the characters laughed at other foolish and crazy things they did. However, what bonded them as lifelong fans was the characters’ mutual love, trust, and support for one another.
The friendship between the cast members of Three’s Company is evident in uncut pictures from the set, particularly in those featuring Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers, who portrayed the adored Chrissy Snow.
Both actresses gave outstanding performances as young ladies attempting to make their way in a field that is dominated by males. They were equally as important to the success of the program as John Ritter was, and their early-day smiles in pictures convey a sense of camaraderie and cooperation.
However, tensions were simmering behind the laughter. Even though Somers was hailed as “the dumbest blonde in America,” her struggle for equal compensation led to rifts that widened over time. Her relationship with DeWitt soured as she wanted a 500% pay raise, from $30,000 to $150,000. The set, which had been happy before, was now tense with tension.
Somers understood that her approach irritated her co-stars, since she had always seen the program as a business among serious performers.
Somers had to endure an unusual end to the fifth season despite being fired in the end. Separated from her co-stars, she recorded her parts using strange phone conversations while being accompanied by security. Heartbreakingly, Somers and DeWitt parted ways as the animosity between them grew.
When you looked back at their early years together, it was difficult to understand their quiet for more than 30 years.
In 2020, Somers stated, “They painted me as she’s trying to ruin the show.” I never spoke to anyone on that show again after that. never more.
Somers’ departure was attributed by some to DeWitt’s rivalry, although in the end, their differences about money were what caused them to drift apart.
Their different situations—DeWitt concentrating on her art, while Somers was a single mother in need of financial stability—complicated their relationship even more.
After the episode, DeWitt stated of her relationship with Somers, “We had very different approaches to our careers.” We required totally different things. I was not providing sole support for a child. I didn’t understand someone who had a business head because I didn’t have one.
But in a lovely turn of events, the two got back together on Somers’ talk show Breaking Through in February 2012. They had obviously buried the hatchet.
A touching embrace was exchanged between the former co-stars, and a healing glimpse was provided by their candid discussion about the past.
DeWitt said, “You went up against ruthlessness, and it came down, but what you’ve gone on to do is immeasurable,” expressing her profound respect for Somers’s achievements. This particular instance demonstrated the resilience of their path and the efficacy of forgiveness. Up to Somers’s untimely death in 2023, the two actresses stayed friends.
In the US Weekly interview, DeWitt paid homage to her late co-stars’ enduring influence and spoke warmly of them. DeWitt thought back on Somers, who died of breast cancer, and called her “absolutely wonderful.”
Ritter, who passed away in 2003 following heart surgery, was also remembered by her, who described him as “a true gift.”
Looking at the pictures from Three’s Company takes us back to a more carefree and joyful period of time, full of camaraderie, laughter, and special moments. These set photos honor the cast’s joyous arrival on screen while also showcasing the lasting legacy they have left behind.
