Suzanne White

Suzanne Somers, born October 16, 1946, was an American actress, author, and businesswoman. She gained significant 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 well-being. She was also widely associated with advertising the ThighMaster exercise device.

Her literary output included 14 best-selling books, primarily addressing health and wellness topics. However, her advocacy for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and alternative cancer treatments drew criticism from the medical community. Somers' personal life included a challenging early upbringing, a teenage pregnancy, and early career struggles before achieving widespread fame. She passed away on October 15, 2023.

Born Suzanne Marie Mahoney in San Bruno, California, Somers grew up in a working-class Irish-American Catholic household. Her father's struggles with alcoholism and abusive behavior significantly impacted her childhood, creating an environment of fear and instability. These early experiences, coupled with dyslexia, presented challenges in her schooling. Despite these obstacles, she participated in school theater productions. A difficult incident at age 17, involving her father, marked a turning point. She later attended college but withdrew upon discovering she was pregnant at 19, leading to her marriage and subsequent feelings of low self-esteem, along with legal troubles.

Somers began her professional journey with small acting roles in the late 1960s and early 1970s, also working as a model. She appeared in various television shows, including "Anniversary Game," "Mantrap," "American Graffiti," "Magnum Force," and "The Rockford Files." Her breakthrough role came as Chrissy Snow in the popular sitcom "Three's Company," which aired from 1977 to 1981. Following her departure from "Three's Company" due to contract disputes, she continued her acting career, notably starring as Carol Foster Lambert in "Step by Step" from 1991 to 1998. She also had a role in "She's the Sheriff" in the late 1980s.

Suzanne Somers was a prolific author, penning more than 25 books. Her literary works spanned genres, including two autobiographies, a book of poetry titled "Touch Me," and numerous volumes dedicated to health, diet, and wellness. Fourteen of her books achieved best-seller status. While many of her writings focused on promoting healthy lifestyles and self-improvement, she also became a prominent advocate for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and explored alternative approaches to cancer treatment. This advocacy, however, led to criticism from medical professionals who questioned the scientific basis of some of her promoted therapies.

Beyond her acting and writing, Somers cultivated a career as a businesswoman. She became widely recognized for her role as a spokesperson for the ThighMaster, an exercise device that gained significant popularity through infomercials in the early 1990s. Her public image was also shaped by her appearances in "Playboy" magazine, with two nude pictorials in 1980 and 1984. These decisions were influenced by personal circumstances, including medical bills for her son and an attempt to regain her public profile after leaving "Three's Company." Somers also worked as an entertainer in Las Vegas, earning "Female Entertainer of the Year" accolades.

“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.”