Suzanne Somers died of breast cancer on October 15, 2023. She is survived by her husband Alan Hamel, son Bruce Somers Jr., stepchildren Stephen and Leslie Hamel, and six grandchildren. Beyond her family, she leaves behind her acting, fitness, and wellness legacy.
Suzanne was born on October 16, 1946, in San Bruno, California. She was the third of four siblings in a working class family. Her childhood was traumatic because of her abusive alcoholic father. Suzanne would rise to fame despite her difficult start in life. Here are eight times she made our jaws drop.
One of Suzanne’s first roles was in George Lucas’ 1973 coming-of-age film, American Graffiti. Suzanne played Blonde in T-Bird. She almost didn’t go to the audition. “I only had three words in the entire film: ‘I love you,’” she recalled. “I practiced all day in the mirror.” Her character left a big impression on both audiences and Curt Henderson, played by Richard Dreyfuss.
One of the roles Suzanne was best known for is Chrissy Snow in the hit ABC sitcom Three's Company, which ran from 1974 to 1983. Chrissy was the blonde bombshell of the trio and worked as a secretary. The premise of the plot and comedic jinx centered around the fact that two women lived with a straight man who pretended to be gay so their landlord would allow them to live together as unmarried single people.
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Three’s Company was a huge hit. In the fifth season, Suzanne asked for a raise so she would make the same amount of money as her male counterpart John Ritter. ABC refused and punished her by cutting down her role to 60 seconds an episode for the remainder of her contract. She was eventually fired. She attempted to sue but lost the case.
When Suzanne was a struggling model and actress she posed for Playboy magazine in 1970. The magazine published the photos shot by Stan Malinowski without her consent in 1980 after she denied their existence. In 1984, she took back her power by posing nude again for the publication.
Suzanne faced backlash for standing up for herself and asking for her worth with Three’s Company. She struggled to find work after. Ever the resilient creative, she took her act to Las Vegas. She headlined at the MGM Grand for two years.
In the '90s Suzanne turned to the fitness world. She was the spokesmodel for Thighmaster. This exercise equipment was placed between one’s legs and squeezed to tone the thighs. It could also be used on the arms.
Another role Suzanne will be forever remembered for is Carol Foster on the hit TGIF series Step by Step. The show followed the story of a blended family going through life’s ups and downs in Port Washington, Wisconsin. Suzanne was the perfect television mom alongside Patrick Duffy as Frank Lambert.
Suzanne was a physically stunning woman who was able to create a long-lasting career in the entertainment industry. At the end of her life, she was surrounded by family.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” her publicist, R. Couri Hay, stated.
