https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/suzanne-somers-star-of-three-s-company-dies-at-76/ar-AA1ifJIH?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=1be4abd6f597427a9fc3be1434b9e10f&ei=5



Suzanne Somers is dead at 76, according to her longtime publicist R. Couri Hay.

The “Three’s Company” actress died in her home while surrounded by her family in the early hours of Sunday, which was the eve of her 77th birthday.

“Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly,” Hay said in a statement on behalf of Somers’ family.

Suzanne Somers with Jack Ritter in an episode of
Suzanne Somers with Jack Ritter in an episode of
© Jim Britt
It wasn't immediately clear how Somers passed, but Hay said the actress "survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years."

Somers will be buried in a private ceremony sometime this week and a memorial will follow next month, according to Hay.

Very sad.

She passed away the day before her birthday, I am probably in the minitory but I never liked when Three's Company made her dumb, I liked her when she was serious

Rest in peace Suzanne

Ah, this is sad. RIP Suzanne.

R.I.P Suzanne

Probably the best-looking woman over 40 to headline a sitcom. RIP

So sad but we can celebrate her life. Logo TV has a Threes Company marathon on now in her honor.

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/threes-company-actress-suzanne-somers-dies-76/story?id=102538674

“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th," R. Couri Hay said in a statement. "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 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly."

A private family burial will take place this week, Hay said, and a memorial will be held next month.

Born Suzanne Marie Mahoney on Oct. 16, 1946, in San Bruno, California, Somers got her acting start in the late '60s and early '70s with small roles and bit parts in films like the 1968 Steve McQueen action classic "Bullitt," and Clint Eastwood's "Magnum Force" in 1973. That same year, she also had a brief but memorable appearance in the George Lucas-directed "American Graffiti," credited as "Blonde in T-Bird" who silently mouths the words "I love you" to star Richard Dreyfuss before driving away.

Somers also appeared throughout the 1970s on hit TV shows including "The Rockford Files," "One Day at a Time," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "The Love Boat" and "Starsky & Hutch." However, her big break came when she was cast as the ditzy Chrissy Snow on the ABC sitcom "Three's Company" opposite Joyce DeWitt and the late John Ritter. The series, based on the British sitcom "Man About the House," revolved around the antics of three single roommates – Somers' Chrissy, Ritter's Jack Tripper and DeWitt's Janet Wood – living together platonically.

"Three's Company" was a hit, running for eight seasons between 1977 and 1984 and spawning several spinoff series. It also made Somers a sex symbol and household name. Before the show's fifth season, Somers famously demanded a raise from $30,000 an episode to $150,000, equal to what male co-star John Ritter reportedly was making then. When producers refused, Somers claimed health issues and declined to appear in two show episodes. Despite her popularity, her role was drastically reduced for the remainder of the season and she was fired when the season ended in 1981. Somers sued the show's producers for $2 million in response but received only a small fraction of what she asked.

Widely criticized in the popular press for her "Three's Company" demands, Somers found it difficult for several years to secure acting, other than an occasional TV movie. She also starred on the short-lived, critically drubbed syndicated sitcom "She's the Sheriff" from 1987 to 1989. Somers also headlined a series of one-woman shows on the Las Vegas strip in the 1980s, which she reprised in 2015.

To further help make ends meet, in 1990, Somers became the commercial spokesperson for the Thighmaster, a piece of personal exercise equipment meant to be squeezed between one's thighs to develop leg and hip strength. While the ubiquitous infomercials, featuring Somers in heels and a leotard, were widely lampooned, the product was a success, selling millions of units and earning Somers induction into the Direct Marketing Response Alliance Hall of Fame. Under her own business shingle, Somers ultimately began selling her own successful lines of personal products, including skin care, makeup, hair care and health products.


Ten years after she was fired from "Three's Company," Somers scored her next big television role, when she was cast on ABC's "Step by Step" alongside "Dallas" alum Patrick Duffy. Similar to the plot of "The Brady Bunch," the sitcom starred Somers and Duffy as Frank and Carol, two single parents who married and blended their families, which consisted of three children each. Somers remained on this show, which was part of ABC's TGIF lineup until it changed networks for its final season, for its entire seven-season run, which ended in 1998.

Somers worked sporadically in television in the years after "Step by Step" ended, including brief forays into talk. She gave Broadway a shot in 2005 with her one-woman show "The Blonde in the Thunderbird"– a reference to her cameo in "American Graffiti" more than 30 years earlier – featuring a collection of stories about her life and Hollywood career, but it closed after less than a week of performances due to poor ticket sales and bad notices. She also competed on season 20 of "Dancing with the Stars" in 2015 alongside her professional partner, Tony Dovolani, placing ninth.


Somers battled breast cancer multiple times throughout her life. She was first diagnosed with the disease in 2000 during a routine mammogram and subsequently underwent a lumpectomy and radiation therapy for treatment, as well as seeking out alternative therapies. The actress opened up about additional bouts with breast cancer in 2023, telling ABC's "Good Morning America," "every now and then it pops up again, and I continue to bat it down."

"This is not new territory for me. I know how to put on my battle gear and I'm a fighter," she continued at the time, adding that her husband had "been by my side every step of the way."

Somers wrote numerous books, including memoirs, ones focused on health and wellness, cookbooks and even a collection of poetry. Her most recent was "Two's Company: A Fifty-Year Romance with Lessons Learned in Love, Life & Business," published in 2017.

Somers was married twice. Her first marriage, to Bruce Somers, produced her only child, Bruce Jr., and ended in divorce in 1968 after three years. She met her future husband, Alan Hamel, in 1969 when she was a prize model on "Anniversary Game," the short-lived game show he was hosting. The two married in 1977 and remained together until her death.

One of my all-time favorite funny scenes with Suzanne:

https://youtu.be/sDdf5not9ns?si=QAfIHlBdgdUGZNj5

wow rip

Very sad indeed................

How very sad. May she rest in peace.

RIP Suzanne. She brought so much laughter to this show. They were never able to replace her no matter how much they tried. When Suzanne was fired from the show it lost some magic. People forget how popular Chrissy was. The actress’s who came after did not have anywhere near her comedic talent and timing .It’s a shame things ended so badly. But she rebounded big time and had a great career . I met her twice and she was such a nice lady. She took a picture with me and was happy to chat. Cancer sucks. :(:(:(

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/actress-suzanne-somers-dead-76 :eek:

A friend of mine told me and I was shocked. R.I.P. Suzanne. She is now in heaven with John Ritter and I'm sure they made up.

Chrissy Snow and Carol Foster-Lambert were Suzanne's most iconic roles. She was wonderful and we were so lucky to have her. RIP Suzanne!

So very sad. R.I.P. Suzanne. You're out of pain now.. Thanks for all the memories. :(

A friend of mine told me and I was shocked. R.I.P. Suzanne. She is now in heaven with John Ritter and I'm sure they made up.

Suzanne did claim (https://dailycollegian.com/2003/09/john-ritter-suddenly-passes-away-at-the-age-of-54/) that she and John reconciled (https://nypost.com/2003/09/13/tripper-troupers-legacy-of-laughs/) just prior to John's death in September 2003.

In hindsight, knowing what we know now, did Suzanne seem frail recently? Here is a video on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/suzannesomers/videos/546296610692456/) from back in April 2023. Did she seem very mobile and active even six months prior to that? Here's another video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjfHsuG_3qM&ab_channel=AccessHollywood) from that same time frame. Does her voice on there, sound different than it used to be?

In hindsight, knowing what we know now, did Suzanne seem frail recently? Here is a video on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/suzannesomers/videos/546296610692456/) from back in April 2023. Did she seem very mobile and active even six months prior to that? Here's another video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjfHsuG_3qM&ab_channel=AccessHollywood) from that same time frame. Does her voice on there, sound different than it used to be?

I noticed the change too and then it was reported in the summer that the cancer came back, I figured it didn't look good. I knew she was almost 80.

The news wasn't shocking, but it's still sad.

Even though Suzanne Somers was almost 77 and she publicly announced she had cancer, it is still a shock to learn she had died.

She is a decade younger than her husband.

https://ew.com/tv/suzanne-somers-remembered-patrick-duffy-joyce-dewitt/


Suzanne Somers' costars Joyce DeWitt and Patrick Duffy remember their 'dear and deep friend'
Duffy, a co-star on Step By Step, said he'll miss the "phone calls, the emails, the visits, and the meals and laughter."
By Dustin Nelson October 16, 2023 at 01:14 PM EDT


Former costars and friends of Suzanne Somers are mourning the passing of the Three's Company and Step By Step star, who died on Oct. 15 at age 76.

"As with everyone who knew her, I was stunned yesterday by the news that my dear and deep friend Suzanne had passed," Patrick Duffy, who starred alongside Somers on Step By Step from 1991 to 1998, told PEOPLE on Monday. "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."

Duffy also said he'll miss "the phone calls, the emails, the visits, and the meals and laughter." His statement continued: "But the dialogue of deep and thoughtful, and silly and frivolous continues. My conversations with her now will be held solely through my daily Buddhist practice."


"I am not alone in wishing I had one more face-to-face with her and [her husband] Alan, but had we had that meeting last Friday I would still be yearning for just one more today," Duffy added. "It is the painful beauty of our present human reality. What strength and support I can muster I send to Alan and [her son] Bruce and her family and to her I say; When the stone of your life dropped in this pond you made quite a ripple my friend. Thank you."

Similarly, Joyce DeWitt, a costar of Somers on Three's Company, offered a statement to PEOPLE. "My heart goes out to Suzanne's family," DeWitt said. "They are a very close family — deeply connected and caring one to the other. I can only imagine how difficult this time is for all of them."

She continued, "I'm sure Suzanne was greeted by Angels into the loving wisdom waiting for all of us on the other side, and I hope that will assist her family's hearts in healing as they travel through this difficult time."

https://nz.finance.yahoo.com/news/suzanne-somers-honored-threes-company-175304933.html

Actor Richard Kline, who played Larry Dallas on the series, extended his sympathies to Somers’ husband, Alan Hamel, telling People: “Suzanne was a joy to work with. She totally owned and created the character of Chrissy. My condolences to Alan and her family.”

For some reason, I'm sort of shocked to learn that Suzanne Somers was actually in real life, older than both John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt. Suzanne was born in 1946 whereas John and Joyce were born in 1948 and 1949 respectively. On Three's Company, Chrissy always seemed to come across like Jack and Janet's naïve, unsophisticated little sister.

For some reason, I'm sort of shocked to learn that Suzanne Somers was actually in real life, older than both John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt. Suzanne was born in 1946 whereas John and Joyce were born in 1948 and 1949 respectively. On Three's Company, Chrissy always seemed to come across like Jack and Janet's naïve, unsophisticated little sister.

She was older than John and Joyce? I never knew that. I thought she was the youngest.

Suzanne Somers' Cause of Death Revealed
by Bruce Haring
October 26, 2023


Suzanne Somers’ cause of death was breast cancer with metastasis to the brain, according to her death certificate.

News site The Blast reported a biopsy was done to confirm the finding, but no autopsy was carried out. Other underlying conditions found included hypertension and hydrocephalus.



The actress died Sunday, Oct. 15 after her breast cancer spread throughout her body, according to a death certificate obtained by The Blast. Somers had been battling the disease for more than 20 years and was about to have her 77th birthday.

Somers’ death certificate indicated that the actress suffered from hydrocephalus for over a year. She was buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, Calif. during a ceremony handled by a funeral home in Palm Springs, California.

https://deadline.com/2023/10/suzanne-somers-cause-of-death-revealed-official-certificate-multiple-issues-cited-1235584844/

Suzanne Somers' Cause of Death Revealed
by Bruce Haring
October 26, 2023


Suzanne Somers’ cause of death was breast cancer with metastasis to the brain, according to her death certificate.

News site The Blast reported a biopsy was done to confirm the finding, but no autopsy was carried out. Other underlying conditions found included hypertension and hydrocephalus.



The actress died Sunday, Oct. 15 after her breast cancer spread throughout her body, according to a death certificate obtained by The Blast. Somers had been battling the disease for more than 20 years and was about to have her 77th birthday.

Somers’ death certificate indicated that the actress suffered from hydrocephalus for over a year. She was buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, Calif. during a ceremony handled by a funeral home in Palm Springs, California.

https://deadline.com/2023/10/suzanne-somers-cause-of-death-revealed-official-certificate-multiple-issues-cited-1235584844/

Sad!! :(

Suzanne Somers was shown singing at her own memorial (https://people.com/suzanne-somers-sang-at-her-own-memorial-video-exclusive-8415606)

"There wasn't a dry eye in the room," Somers' husband Alan Hamel says of playing a video of Somers singing a touching rendition of Leon Russell's 1970 classic, "A Song for You," which was "our song." The late Three’s Company star died in October at age 76.

Its very sad......

I don't mean to sound morbid, but it just hit me (https://www.reddit.com/r/sitcoms/comments/1cyry9m/i_saw_this_on_threads_only_one_person_is_still/) that with Suzanne's passing, Joyce DeWitt is now the sole surviving original cast member from Three's Company. Richard Kline was around in the first season, but he was technically, a recurring character until about the fourth season, when he was officially promoted to the main cast alongside an incoming Don Knotts.

Well God bless Joyce!!!!! (I thought she had passed also)

I love Janet so much!!

Suzanne Somers' husband has conversation with an A.I. replica of her two years after her death (https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/suzanne-somers-ai-replica-speaks-to-late-stars-husband-alan-hamel/)

“Meeting you was like a breath of fresh air,” the replica told Alan Hamel in video footage of a public demonstration provided to Us Weekly. Hamel worked with robotics company Realbotix Corp to create a “digital twin” of the late Three’s Company star capable of recalling events from her career and special memories from her 55-year relationship with Hamel. Somers died in October 2023.

Suzanne Somers' husband has conversation with an A.I. replica of her two years after her death (https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/suzanne-somers-ai-replica-speaks-to-late-stars-husband-alan-hamel/)

“Meeting you was like a breath of fresh air,” the replica told Alan Hamel in video footage of a public demonstration provided to Us Weekly. Hamel worked with robotics company Realbotix Corp to create a “digital twin” of the late Three’s Company star capable of recalling events from her career and special memories from her 55-year relationship with Hamel. Somers died in October 2023.

Alan Hamel Creates AI Clone of Late Wife Suzanne Somers 2 Years After Her Death: 'You Can't Tell the Difference' (Exclusive) (https://people.com/alan-hamel-suzanne-somers-ai-project-exclusive-11832986)

Suzanne Somers shared a unique bond with not just family and friends, but her fans as well

By Angela Andaloro Published on October 21, 2025 12:48PM EDT


The former talk show host, 89, tells PEOPLE about learning about AI alongside Somers over three decades ago
Alan Hamel is doing everything he can to keep Suzanne Somers' memory alive.


Two years after the unforgettable actress' death at 76, her husband and partner of 55 years, Hamel, has started putting plans into action that the two had discussed for decades, he tells PEOPLE.

"Obviously, Suzanne was greatly loved, not only by her family, but by millions of people. One of the projects that we have coming up is a really interesting project, the Suzanne AI Twin," Hamel shares.

Hamel shared a demo of the AI at a conference earlier this year. To Hamel, the project is "perfect."

"It was Suzanne. And I asked her a few questions and she answered them, and it blew me and everybody else away," he says. "When you look at the finished one next to the real Suzanne, you can't tell the difference. It's amazing. And I mean, I've been with Suzanne for 55 years, so I know what her face looks like, and when I just look at the two of them side by side, I really can't tell which one is the real and which one is the AI."

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To get the likeness and speech just right, the AI has been trained with "all of Suzanne's 27 books and a lot of interviews that she has done, hundreds of interviews, so that she's really ready to be able to be asked any question at all and be able to answer it, because the answer will be within her."

While AI is fairly new to most, Hamel revealed this had been an ongoing conversation between himself and Somers since the 1980s, when Ray Kurzweil first explained the concept to them.

"We have been friends with Ray Kurzweil. Bill Gates described Ray Kurzweil as the smartest man on the planet, which he is. And he became our friend 30-some years ago and we talked about this. We knew it was coming. It took decades to happen, but he knew it was going to happen, and he shared that information with us," Hamel explains.

"So it was Suzanne's idea. And she said, "I think we should do that. She said, I think it'll be very interesting and we'll provide a service to my fans and to people who have been reading my books who really want and need information about their health." She said, 'Let's do it.' So that's the reason we did it. And so I love being able to fulfill her wish."

Recalling his first experience with the Somers' AI, Hamel says, "The first time I spoke to Suzanne AI, for the first two or three minutes, it was a little strange. But after that, I forgot about the fact that I was talking to a robot and asking her questions and getting answers, and it happens that fast for me, getting used to the whole idea."

Hamel knew Somers' wishes, but was concerned their family might not be on board with the project.

"I feel really good about being able to deliver what Suzanne wanted and doing so that it'll be something that basically will, should, go on for generations. I think our family loves the idea, really loves the idea. We've talked about it a lot. And they said, 'We're going to get to the point where it's not going to seem weird, and it'll just be another way to communicate with people we cared about.' I'm glad to hear that from my family because I wasn't sure how they would take it, but they're all young and very successful, and they thought this would be a great tribute to Suzanne herself."

Still, Hamel is aware that not everyone is at the point of accepting AI, sharing an idea he shared with the Kennedy Center committee, of which he is a part.

"I was appointed to the committee at the Kennedy Center to choose the honorees for this year, and I suggested Suzanne Somers, and they said, 'Yeah, but we only do this for people who were alive,'" he shares.

"I said, 'I know that. I said, but Suzanne AI is the future and the future is now. And wouldn't it be really interesting to have her at the Kennedy Center to accept being honored?' And I couldn't get them to go for it, unfortunately. I thought it would be really a great addition and it would be a wonderful tune in. And I thought the audience would love seeing her there, but I just couldn't push it over the finish line."

Hamel thinks the AI will hold special value for Somers' fans, "who miss her terribly."

"Once I'm satisfied that we have everything, then we'll put her on SuzanneSomers.com and we'll invite all her fans and all our customers to come and talk to her. They can come and just hang out with her. They can ask her any questions they want. She'll be available 24/7, and I think it'll be really wonderful," he says.

"There'll be people who will ask her about their health issues, and Suzanne will be able to answer them. Not Suzanne's version of the answer, but it'll go directly to the doctor she interviewed for that very issue, so it'll be coming from an MD," he explains.

"Everything that Suzanne wrote in her books, because most of them were interviews with doctors, was cleared by Life Extension, which is a large health company that employs a lot of doctors and scientists. So every word of the interview and the claims that were being made were checked by them so that there'd be no issues, because the last thing we wanted was to have any issues about providing interviews about people's health issues that were incorrect, even one word incorrect."