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Jason Ritter has a very specific impression of his late father’s iconic Three’s Company character in his repertoire.

Three’s Company premiered on ABC in March 1977, and ran a total of eight seasons. The sitcom’s original cast was comprised of John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, Joyce DeWitt, Norman Fell, Audra Lindley and Richard Kline, with Don Knotts, Jenilee Harrison and Priscilla Barnes joining the mix in later years.

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The premise of the 1977 sitcom "Three's Company" -- adapted from the 1973 British series "Man About the House" -- would likely never fly in 2024. Roommates Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy (Suzanne Somers) require a third roommate to pay rent in their expensive Santa Monica apartment. They stumble across Jack Tripper (John Ritter), an aspiring culinary student whom they get along with. It so happens, though, that the building's landlord, Mr. Roper (Normal Fell), is ultra-conservative and refuses to let unmarried men and women share his apartments. To get around this contrived contingency, Janet and Chrissy tell Mr. Roper that Jack is gay. This satisfies the landlord but opens Jack up to homophobic jibes.

Fell eventually left the series and was replaced by the high-strung Mr. Furley, played by Don Knotts. Mr. Furley, it seems, required the charade to continue. Somers also left the show in its last two seasons and was...

Particularly in the age of streaming, it's hard to imagine another show living a life like the one that "Three's Company" did throughout the late '70s and early '80s. Spanning eight seasons and more than 170 episodes, it's the kind of run that relatively few scripted TV shows can ever claim, but especially now. It also made absolute stars of its cast, perhaps most notably Suzanne Somers, who recently passed away at the age of 76. She played the lovable Chrissy Snow alongside John Ritter's Jack Tripper and Joyce DeWitt's Janet Wood. But it turns out that Somers' life-changing casting happened essentially by accident.

Former President of ABC Entertainment Fred Silverman, speaking in an archival interview shared by the FoundationINTERVIEWS YouTube channel, discussed his lengthy career in television. When the subject of "Three's Company" came up, the executive explained that he "was very involved in the casting of Suzanne Somers.

Name a classic show and, for all its success, you're likely to find a mess of behind-the-scenes drama between the network and its star actor(s). The acclaimed hit series "Three's Company" was no different, although the reason for why late star Suzanne Somers was ultimately fired from the production more than halfway through the show's acclaimed run is certain to raise eyebrows. In fact, it remains every bit as insidious now as it was at the time.

Somers sadly passed away this week at the age of 76, leaving behind a wide-ranging legacy that largely stems from giving one of television's most famous performances. As the "dumb blonde" Chrissy Snow, Somers made up the all-important third leg of the trio that also included co-stars John Ritter as Jack Tripper and Joyce DeWitt as Janet Wood. Together, the three formed the backbone for "Three's Company" and its premise of three singles...

Patrick Duffy is paying tribute to his former Step By Step costar Suzanne Somers following the news of her death on Sunday.

“As with everyone who knew her, I was stunned yesterday by the news that my dear and deep friend Suzanne had passed,” began Duffy in a statement to People. “For that brief moment it was unbelievable. But indeed she has passed. She beautifully passed through my life on this leg of her endless journey. My task now is to remain on the roadside as she continues on.”

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Suzanne Somers, who became a star in the 1970s on the hit ABC comedy “Three’s Company” and later parlayed her fame into significant wealth as a health and fitness fitness guru and author, is dead. She passed away Sunday at 76.

In a statement, Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay said, “Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years. Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce and her immediate family. Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”

SEECelebrity Deaths 2023: In Memoriam Gallery

Somers first gained public attention as they hot blonde in the white Thunderbird in George Lucas’ hit “American Graffiti” in 1973. After a series of small roles,...

Suzanne Somers, known for her role on Three's Company, has passed away at the age of 76. Somers died of breast cancer, which she had been living with for 23 years. She is survived by her husband of over 40 years, Alan Hamel, and leaves behind a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry.

Suzanne Somers has passed away. The actor is perhaps best known for her role on the iconic sitcom Three's Company, which ran for eight seasons between 1977 and 1984. She played Christmas "Chrissy" Snow for the first five seasons before being fired amid backstage drama after she was refused a raise by producers. Although she was replaced by Jenilee Harrison as Cindy Snow, who was then replaced by Priscilla Barnes as Terri Alden, of those three her name is still the one that is most synonymous with the show, which also starred John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt as her roommates.

Per The Hollywood Reporter,...

Suzanne Somers, best known for her TV work in Three’s Company and Step by Step, died Sunday following a lengthy battle with breast cancer. She was 76.

“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Oct. 15,” Somers’ publicist confirmed Sunday. “She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years.

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“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan,...

The late, great John Ritter would have turned 72 years old today, and fans across the world are remembering the legendary performer with tribute posts on social media. From Three's Company to 8 Simple Rules and everything in between, Ritter was among Hollywood's most beloved actors. Sadly, the veteran actor passed away suddenly at just 54 years old due to an aortic dissection in 2003, but it's clear from a quick look online that Ritter is still very loved and missed by his many, many fans.

"Happy birthday, John Ritter. I'm stopping at the Regal Beagle on the way home to honor your memory," one fan quips.

"Happy Birthday to John Ritter (1948-2003)! Best known to Three's Company fans as the lovable Jack Tripper, he was a gift to the world. We love and miss you, John," a Three's Company fan account tweeted.

"Wow, John Ritter would have been 72 today," another fan writes with an emotional Twitter post.

Starring the legendary Christopher Lee as Dr. Pearson, Curse III (aka Curse III: Blood Sacrifice aka Panga) is coming to Blu-ray from Scorpion Releasing.

The Curse III Blu-ray announcement was recently made by Scorpion Releasing on their Facebook page:

"Get ready for some South African horror action when Scorpion Releasing brings you Panga (aka Curse 3) on Blu-ray! Starring the legendary Sir Christopher Lee. This will be available for sale at Ronin.

More information to come. Keep watching ours and Ronin’s Facebook page."

The third entry in the four-film Curse franchise that kicked off with the David Keith-directed first entry in 1987, Curse III was directed by Sean Barton and stars the aforementioned Lee, Jenilee Harrison, Andre Jacobs, and Henry Cele. We'll keep Daily Dead readers updated on future announcements, and in the meantime, we have a look at the cover art below.

Synopsis (via Blu-ray.com): "An African witch...

1981: General Hospital's Luke had a calling.

1984: Jack Boyd arrived in Edge of Night's Monticello.

1990: A topless Carly impressed Justin on Days of our Lives.

2000: Bold and the Beautiful's Brooke played footsie with Thorne."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1936: Popular serial Just Plain Bill aired on CBS Radio for the final time. The show returned in September on NBC, where it remained until 1954.

1941: On The Guiding Light,...

Previous | Image 1 of 23 | NextMariel Hemingway of ‘Manhattan’ and ‘Star 80.’

Chicago – “The Hollywood Show” is an exciting gathering of celebrities and memorabilia for movies, TV and pop culture fans. The latest edition is coming up – March 24th-26th, 2017 – at the Hyatt Rosemont/Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel in Rosemont, Ill. Among the TV and film stars scheduled to appear is Ed Asner (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”), Stefanie Powers (“Hart to Hart”), Angie Dickinson (“Police Woman,” original “Ocean’s 11’), Dawn Wells (“Gilligan’s Island”), Charlene Tilton (“Dallas”) and Richard Chamberlain (“Dr. Kildare,” “Slipper and the Rose”). Detail link below the Slideshow.

To give you an example of the celebrities that appear at The Hollywood Show, photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com took Exclusive Portraits at last year’s Fall show in September. Click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through the slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below.

Previous | Image 1 of 6 | NextREUNION: Priscilla Barnes, Joyce DeWitt, Richard Kline and Jenilee Harrison of ‘Three’s Company.’

Chicago – The first invitation to “c’mon knock on our door…” happened 40 years ago Today as “Three’s Company” premiered on ABC-tv on March 15th, 1977. The misadventures of three roommates – two girls and a guy – featured John Ritter as Jack Tripper, Joyce DeWitt as Janet Wood and Suzanne Somers as Chrissy Snow. Joining them was wacky best friend Richard Kline as Larry Dallas, and when Suzanne Somers left the show after Season 5, her role in the threesome was taken by Jenilee Harrison as Cindy Snow and then Priscilla Barnes as Terri Alden. DeWitt, Kline, Harrison and Barnes reunited last September at “The Hollywood Show,” and photographer Joe Arce captured their reunion Exclusively for HollywoodChicago.com.

“Three’s Company” was a silly-but-popular show, and escalated the careers of John Ritter and Suzanne Somers initially,...

Three's Company is turning 40. In honor of the classic sitcom's upcoming anniversary, Antenna TV is hosting a cast reunion and marathon.The comedy starred John Ritter as Jack Tripper, a young man who ends up moving in with two female roommates. The cast also included Joyce DeWitt, Suzanne Somers, Jenilee Harrison, Priscilla Barnes, and Richard Kline. The series ran on ABC for eight seasons before ending in 1984.Read More…...

The Regal Beagle is back in business, baby! Yes, New Line Cinema has come knocking on the door of an ancient sitcom, hoping to revive it to box office success. The studio is ready to bring Three's Company to the big screen. And this TV-to-movie adaptation will be set in the original's 1970s timeline. New Line is currently in negotiations to pick up the rights to the slapstick feature film, which originally aired on ABC.

Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein are writing the screenplay for Three's Company. The duo is best known for their work on the 2009 hit romantic comedy, He's Just Not That Into You. According to THR, Veteran producer Robert Cort is shepherding the project forward. He's known for such blockbuster comedy hits as Tom Cruise's Cocktail and Julia Roberts' Runaway Bride.

Three's Company first debuted in 1977 and was an instant hit, staying in the top...

June 10: Singer Shirley Alston Reeves of The Shirelles is 71. Actor Andrew Stevens is 57. Bassist Kim Deal of The Pixies and The Breeders is 51. Singer Maxi Priest is 51. Actress Gina Gershon is 50. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn is 49. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins, Zwan) is 48. Actress Kate Flannery ("The Office") is 48. Model-actress Elizabeth Hurley is 47. Guitarist Joey Santiago of The Pixies is 47. Guitarist Emma Anderson (Lush) is 45. Country guitarist Brian Hofeldt of The Derailers is 45. Singer Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing) is 42. Singer JoJo of K-Ci and JoJo is 41. Singer Faith Evans is 39. Singer Lemisha Grinstead of 702 is 34. Actor DJ Qualls ("Hustle & Flow") is 34. Actor Shane West ("ER," "Now and Again") is 34. Singer Hoku is 31. Actress Leelee Sobieski is 30.

June 11: Actor Gene Wilder is 79. Actor Chad Everett is 75. Comedian Johnny Brown ("Laugh-In") is 75. Singer Joey Dee is 72. Actress Adrienne Barbeau ("Maude") is 67. Drummer Frank Beard of Zz Top is 63. Singer Donnie Van...

On this date in...

1920: Future actress Barbara Berjer, known for her memorable roles on soaps including Bridget on Another World, Barbara on Guiding Light and Claire on As The World Turns, was born. She died on October 20, 2002.

1984: Nancy wanted to do a story on Geraldine on The Edge Of Night (watch it below).

1990: The character of Carly Manning debuted on Days Of Our Lives. Watch her first scene here.

Celebrating a birthday today are:

Timothy Busfield (ex-Danny, The West Wing; ex-Elliot, Thirtysomething) - 54

Jenilee Harrison (ex-Jamie, Dallas) - 52

John Enos III (ex-Newscaster, Days Of Our Lives; ex-Bobby, The Young And The Restless; ex-Bobby, Melrose Place) - 49

Nadine Stenovitch (ex-Josie, Another World)

Frances O'Connor (ex-Zoe, Cashmere Mafia) - 44

Michael Muhney (Adam, The Young And The Restless) - 36

Dave Franco (ex-Zachary, Privileged; ex-Gonzo, Greek) - 26...

Chicago – At the recent Hollywood Celebrities Show in Rosemont, Illinois, Jonathan Frakes of “Star Trek,” Tia Carrere of “Wayne’s World,” Julie McCullough of “Growing Pains” and Jenilee Harrison of “Three’s Company” were attendees.

HollywoodChicago.com was there and scored interviews with all of these popular TV and film stars, as well as putting them through the lens of Starstuck Foto’s Joe Arce.

Throughout this holiday week, we will be posting the interviews and pictures from the October 17th Hollywood Celebrities & Memorabilia Show, starting with today’s overview of these candid celebs.

Jonathan Frakes, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

Jonathan Frakes starred as the intrepid Commander William T. Riker in the first TV spin-off of the Star Trek universe from 1987-1994. He also directed a couple of the film versions, “Star Trek: First Contact” and “Star Trek: Insurrection.”

Number One: Jonathan Frakes at the Hollywood Celebrities Show, October 17th,...

In ''Prime Target, '' writer-director-producer-actor David Heavener runs the gauntlet, or rather, drives it in this clunky rip-off-homage to the Clint Eastwood starrer. While Heavener wears virtually every hat in this movie, the only one he truly fills is the dusty cowboy hat his pea-brained character wears.

While coon hunters and those whose pickups can make it as far as the far end of that rundown multiplex off the trunk road may find this dusty roader almost as satisfying as a bar fight, it pales in comparison to higher forms of entertainment -- female mud wrestling, for instance. ''Target's'' best shot may be as a video, a suitable backdrop for those sleeping one off or whose rifle rack is empty.

While Heavener is to be commended for having the good sense to copy Eastwood rather than one of the current ponytailed dweebs, his big toe barely reaches the middle of Eastwood's boots: chomping on a cigar, delivering monotonic dialogue, toting psychological baggage, snarling at higher-ups and carrying a Magnum do not necessarily add up to a high-plains hero.

Essentially, there is only one major difference between ''Target'' and ''The Gauntlet'' -- quality -- and one minor variation: Tony Curtis plays the Sondra Locke role.

In this shooter, Heavener plays John Bloodstone, a boozy, boondock lawman who's assigned by his chief and the FBI to transport a big-time Mafioso (Curtis) to the courthouse to give testimony.

Since everyone who's read this far undoubtedly remembers ''The Gauntlet, '' we'll Knock Off the plot prattle and jump ahead to the discouraging words: Haevener's dialogue is flatheaded; the gropy, panny camerawork is sub-film school and the cuts are choppy. The plot itself has more holes than all the trendy jeans on Melrose Avenue.

Chalk one up for Curtis, who not only manages to emerge unscathed from this lowroader but spiffs up the production with his dapper, John Gotti-like delivery. Heavener, when not bushwacked by his dialogue and direction, packs some macho charisma into his parched part, while Jenilee Harrison pumps some sympathetic shots into her stock role as the hero's neglected, devoted wife.

Tech contributions are opposite of the first word in the title.

PRIME TARGET

Hero Films Inc.

Writer-director-producer David Heavener

Executive producer Gerald Milton

Executives in charge of production Leon Bluestone, Sheldon A. Rosenthal

Director of photography Peter Wolf

Editor Christoper Roth

Music Robert Garrett

Associate producer Karen Kelly

Color/Stereo

Cast:

John Bloodstone David Heavener

Thompkins Isaac Hayes

Cappella Tony Curtis

Kathy Bloodstone Jenilee Harrison

Harrington Robert Reed

Running time -- 85 minutes

MPAA Rating: R

(c) The Hollywood Reporter...