Suzanne Somers Dies: Celebrities Pay Tribute to ‘Three’s Company’ Star

Dan Clarendon October 15, 2023, 5:59 pm

Suzanne Sommers, star of the classic ABC sitcom Three’s Company, has died. She was 76 years old.

Somers died on Sunday at home in Palm Springs, California, passing away one day shy of her 77th birthday, according to The New York Times.

“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,” publicist R. Couri Hay said in a statement to Page Six.

Suzanne Somers on rollerblades in Three's Company

Everett Collection

“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband, Alan [Hamel], her son, Bruce [Somers Jr.], and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “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.”

Remembering John Ritter & Some of His Best Roles

On Three’s Company — which aired from 1977 to 1984 — Somers starred in the first five seasons as Chrissy Snow (pictured above), who shares an apartment with Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) and Jack Tripper (John Ritter), all of whom pretend that Jack is gay to appease an otherwise-disapproving landlord.

Somers later returned to ABC for the sitcom Step by Step, playing Carol Foster-Lambert, the matriarch of a blended family. That series aired from 1991 to 1998.

Other celebrities are mourning Somers’ loss on social media. “Suzanne Sommers has passed away, which is such tragic news,” Bethenny Frankel said in an Instagram Stories update. “I had the pleasure of getting to know her. She is a force, she is groundbreaking, she is love. She was married to her soulmate [and] best friend. They were inseparable. She’s a family person. She’s about research and fighting for what she believes in when that takes tremendous courage and it’s not popular. Wow. I really, really, really had so much respect for her. … What a wonderful person. I’m so, so sorry. Sorry to Suzanne’s family. What a tremendous loss on such a week of tremendous loss.”

In Instagram comments, Goldie Hawn wrote, “Sad. So sad,” and Olivia Munn wrote, “Oh no,” with a broken-heart emoji.

“This one hurts my heart,” Khloé Kardashian said on Instagram. “I’ll never forget your positive looking outlook on life. Your sweet heart and gentle spirit! Rest, dance, smile in paradise…”

See more tributes to Somers below.

Suzanne Somers, ‘Three’s Company’ and ‘Step by Step’ Star, Dies at 76 https://t.co/qiTHyk6kVE via @variety So saddened to hear this. She was a friend & supportive when I was diagnosed with black mold. When we ran into each other, she would lean over & whisper, “We’re survivors!”

— Morgan Fairchild (@morgfair) October 15, 2023

Suzanne Somers was a brilliant comic actor, who also was one of the first to speak up for equal pay.

One of my first jobs in PR was to work with her on her book.

We talked and talked about Threes Company which is like a dream to me.

This scene, always. pic.twitter.com/5qSpk2W44b

— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) October 15, 2023

Many people don’t know what sacrifices Suzanne Somers made for equal pay.

By 1980, she had already won a People’s Choice Award for “favorite female performer,” and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her work on Three’s Company.

But her male counterparts made more money – a… pic.twitter.com/iwzY4ZbqQc

— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) October 15, 2023

How sad to hear that actress and Uber businesswoman, Suzanne Somers, has died. She was going to turn 77 tomorrow. She had fought breast cancer for more than 2 decades. Will never forget her “Chrissy” in the hit show Three’s Company. pic.twitter.com/3enR0EaXTu

— Deborah Roberts (@DebRobertsABC) October 15, 2023

I watched Suzanne Somers on tv so much growing up I feel like the woman practically raised me… rest in peace to my favorite tv mother ❤️ pic.twitter.com/NAheA2cI6I

— Tom Zohar (@TomZohar) October 15, 2023