Suzanne Selfors

Suzanne Somers, born October 16, 1946, was an American actress, author, and businesswoman. She gained widespread recognition for her roles as Chrissy Snow on "Three's Company" and Carol Foster Lambert on "Step by Step." Beyond her acting career, Somers authored over 25 books, including autobiographies, poetry, and numerous works focused on health and wellness. She was also famously associated with the ThighMaster exercise device. While many of her books achieved bestseller status and focused on health and well-being, her advocacy for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and alternative cancer treatments drew criticism from the medical community. Somers passed away on October 15, 2023.

Suzanne Marie Mahoney was born in San Bruno, California, to a working-class Irish-American Catholic family. Her early life was marked by challenges, including dyslexia and an abusive, alcoholic father. After attending Mercy High School, she was expelled at 14. She later graduated from Capuchino High School, where she participated in the senior musical. She briefly attended San Francisco College for Women before withdrawing due to pregnancy. At 19, she married Bruce Somers, the father of her child, an event that contributed to her low self-esteem. Early in her career, she supported herself by making and selling desserts and children's dresses. She also worked as a prize model on the game show "Anniversary Game" and was a panelist on the show "Mantrap."

Somers began her acting career with small roles in the late 1960s and early 1970s, appearing in films like "American Graffiti" and "Magnum Force." She also had guest spots on television shows such as "The Rockford Files" and "The Six Million Dollar Man." Her breakthrough role came in 1977 when she was cast as Chrissy Snow in the ABC sitcom "Three's Company." The show was a significant success, but her tenure ended in 1981 when she was fired by ABC after demanding a substantial salary increase. Somers stated she was let go for seeking pay comparable to her male co-stars, while the network suggested her role was reduced due to contract disputes and missed episodes.

Following her departure from "Three's Company," Somers continued her acting career, starring in the sitcom "She's the Sheriff" and making guest appearances on various shows. She also returned to series television in the 1990s with "Step by Step." Somers became a prominent figure in health and wellness, authoring numerous books on the subject and widely promoting the ThighMaster exercise device. Her advocacy for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and alternative cancer treatments, detailed in her books, led to criticism from some medical professionals. She also appeared in Playboy magazine in 1980 and 1984, with the latter appearance intended to help revive her public profile.

“I made my living by making chocolate desserts and selling them to restaurants in Sausalito, California, and by making children’s dresses and selling them on consignment to little children’s stores.”

“The night before we went in to renegotiate, I got a call from a friend who had connections high up at ABC, and he said, 'They’re going to hang a nun in the marketplace, and the nun is Suzanne,' The network was willing to do this because, earlier that year, the women on Laverne & Shirley had gotten what they asked for, and they wanted to put a stop to it. They’d destroy the chemistry on Company to make a point.”