https://www.cracked.com/article_39874_suzanne-somers-was-a-pioneer-in-demanding-equal-pay-with-male-comedy-costars.html#:~:text=Suzanne%20Somers%20Was%20a%20Pioneer%20in%20Demanding%20Equal%20Pay%20With%20Male%20Comedy%20Costars,-By%3A%20Matt%20Solomon&text=Two%20women%20in%201977%20%E2%80%94%20living,the%20beginning%20of%20that%20decade.)

Suzanne Somers (https://people.com/celebrities-pay-tribute-suzanne-somers-8358252) Was a Pioneer (https://www.instyle.com/news/suzanne-somers-book-equal-pay-threes-company) in Demanding Equal Pay (https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/suzanne-somers-equal-pay-threes-company-death-215440298.html) With Male Comedy Costars. Two women in 1977 — living with a man? On the heels of the Sexual Revolution, you'd think this wouldn't be a big deal. (A 1978 study found that cohabitation had increased 117% since the beginning of that decade.)

She was. But she went about it all the wrong way. Penny Marshal sort of ruined it for Suzanne. Penny made the same request as Suzanne and was successful. ABC got hurt because Laverne and Shirley tanked in the ratings right after that.
Suzanne was going after equal pay but she also was saying it was justified because she was the star of the show. This is what her husband told her and the network. It just was so arrogant especially when she was faking illness and not showing up.

Yet, another false article that states John Ritter was making $150,000 per episode when in fact he was only making $50,000 per episode. As per Chris Mann's book.

Suzanne didn't want "equal" pay she wanted way more than John and considered herself the star of the show.

Yet, another false article that states John Ritter was making $150,000 per episode when in fact he was only making $50,000 per episode. As per Chris Mann's book.

Suzanne didn't want "equal" pay she wanted way more than John and considered herself the star of the show.

She wasn’t asking for equal pay. She was asking for triple John Ritter’s pay plus 10% of the profits.

Suzanne and her husband were smart business people, both realized the show was turning quickly from Three's Company to The John Ritter Show. She wasn't interested in becoming the sitcom equivalent to the round girl at a boxing match. The situation that developed on the series could have been resolved with Suzanne staying but that was not the desire of the series star (Ritter), and the producers went along with it to keep him happy (and he was making them money).

Yet, another false article that states John Ritter was making $150,000 per episode when in fact he was only making $50,000 per episode. As per Chris Mann's book.

Suzanne didn't want "equal" pay she wanted way more than John and considered herself the star of the show.

Suzanne was if I'm mistaken, making $30,000 per episode circa 1977. In today's money, that would be about $152,988 per week.

She wasn’t asking for equal pay. She was asking for triple John Ritter’s pay plus 10% of the profits.

It's been explained that the Three's Company contracts were for John Ritter (the star and central focus) to make the most. The two actress roommates (Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers) made half of his salary (but the same amount level) and the Ropers (Norman Fell and Audra Lindley) made half of the female roommates (but the same amount level).


Ropers = $20,000 each episode.

Girl roommates = $40,000 each episode.

Jack = $80,000 each episode.


The contracts had clauses in them that John would be paid double what anyone else made in the cast. Suzanne wanted $200,000 each episode (so they'd have to pay Joyce the exact same amount) and John would end up with $400,000 an episode. The Ropers would've been entitled to $100,000 each as a result. ABC and the powers that be at Three's Company spun the Ropers off into their own show to save money. And they had a good excuse as the UK Ropers were given their own show (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_and_Mildred) prior to the US show.

In effect, if ABC gave into Suzanne's demands, then the cast cost per episode would've gone up five times to $1,000,000 per episode without adding up guest stars, writers, and the remaining wardrobe & crew paychecks. 22 episodes would've been well over $33 million a season when you added up everything including the print ads and commercials for publicity.

I did not realize John was making THAT much more money than the girls. Suzanne should have focused on her own show to make her point instead of comparing herself to Alan Alda on another network. She had a point that women on top rated shows were paid substantially less. But she should have bonded with Joyce to make that point about her own show. John and Joyce hated when commentators made Suzanne as the star of TC and they were supporting cast. She should have flipped that script on her own show. Her main claim was she was the star of the show and the show would not be successful without her. The equality claim was second fiddle.

Suzanne deserved a big raise. Along with Laverne and Shirley she was the most popular woman on TV. Her mistake was getting her husband to negotiate for her. And then the producers decided to make a example out of her. Even Richard Kline admitted that what they did to Suzanne in that last season was ridiculous. It was a old boys network so its no surprise.

Threes Company producer on her contract negotiations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ynDbJlOtXE

Why wouldn't they offer Suzanne Somers a spin off series?

Suzanne Somers was one of the most famous women on television at the time. The producer said in the interview the network wouldn't let them fire her during season 5.

The Ropers spin off was just cancelled before Three's Company started season 5 in 1980.

They could have offered her $100,000 an episode to star in her own show and aired it after Three's Company. That seems like a good compromise. John and Joyce wouldn't have to deal with her, and the producers could have used her to make money.

She loved the character of Chrissy Snow, so I'm sure she would have been happy with that.

I wouldn't believe a lot of the producer's side of the story. They were a bunch of sexist old men.

I did not realize John was making THAT much more money than the girls. Suzanne should have focused on her own show to make her point instead of comparing herself to Alan Alda on another network. She had a point that women on top rated shows were paid substantially less. But she should have bonded with Joyce to make that point about her own show. John and Joyce hated when commentators made Suzanne as the star of TC and they were supporting cast. She should have flipped that script on her own show. Her main claim was she was the star of the show and the show would not be successful without her. The equality claim was second fiddle.

It wouldn't have mattered if she bonded with Joyce - Joyce didn't have the leverage and could have quickly been replaced.

It was crazy to give that contract to Ritter for an unknown. 'He could have easily discarded it and asked equal pay. Didn't happen.

I think the reason DeWitt sided with Ritter was because she knew if she went with Suzanne, they could have easily discarded her, gave Suzanne her salary and hire someone to replace her on the cheap.

Worked out the best for Suzanne in the end money-wise.

Suzanne's contract dispute was a blessing.
By that point Chrissy was ruining the show.

Why wouldn't they offer Suzanne Somers a spin off series?

Suzanne Somers was one of the most famous women on television at the time. The producer said in the interview the network wouldn't let them fire her during season 5.

The Ropers spin off was just cancelled before Three's Company started season 5 in 1980.

They could have offered her $100,000 an episode to star in her own show and aired it after Three's Company. That seems like a good compromise. John and Joyce wouldn't have to deal with her, and the producers could have used her to make money.

She loved the character of Chrissy Snow, so I'm sure she would have been happy with that.
After the stunts she pulled with ABC? If you watch the clip I posted with the producer she ran into him at the courthouse when she was suing them. She wanted to forget everything and come back to the show. His response. NEVER.
She would practice all week and then call in sick and the episode could not be recorded. Worse still is that she would not allow the network doctor to examine her so ABC's insurance policy could not be enacted. They ate so much freaking money because of her stunts. She was acting like a spoiled child. ABC was done with her and they also made sure no other network would hire her as the Chrissy character which she made famous. Her behavior also spooked other networks almost like when Farah Fawcett got blacklisted for her demand to be paid more and trying to void her contract.

After the stunts she pulled with ABC? If you watch the clip I posted with the producer she ran into him at the courthouse when she was suing them. She wanted to forget everything and come back to the show. His response. NEVER.
She would practice all week and then call in sick and the episode could not be recorded. Worse still is that she would not allow the network doctor to examine her so ABC's insurance policy could not be enacted. They ate so much freaking money because of her stunts. She was acting like a spoiled child. ABC was done with her and they also made sure no other network would hire her as the Chrissy character which she made famous. Her behavior also spooked other networks almost like when Farah Fawcett got blacklisted for her demand to be paid more and trying to void her contract.

I was saying why didn't they offer her a spin off show before it got nasty with the missed shows and lawsuits. John and Joyce was already feeling a type of way with her way before the contract dispute and lawsuits. By season 4, she was already thinking she was the star of the show.

The Ropers got cancelled before they filmed Three's Company season 5. They could have offered her a show to replace The Ropers. They could have aired it after Three's Company to keep the fans happy and John and Joyce didn't have to deal with her anymore and she could have received a big salary increase.

It's wild that she ended up back on ABC as the star of a sitcom with Step by Step.

I was saying why didn't they offer her a spin off show before it got nasty with the missed shows and lawsuits. John and Joyce was already feeling a type of way with her way before the contract dispute and lawsuits. By season 4, she was already thinking she was the star of the show.

The Ropers got cancelled before they filmed Three's Company season 5. They could have offered her a show to replace The Ropers. They could have aired it after Three's Company to keep the fans happy and John and Joyce didn't have to deal with her anymore and she could have received a big salary increase.

It's wild that she ended up back on ABC as the star of a sitcom with Step by Step.
Offering her a spin off at the height of Threes Company would have been a risk. While she was not the star of the show, she was a major part of its success. By doing so, ABC would have admitted she was the star of Threes Company and deserved her own show. That would have stabbed Joyce and John in the back.
Having her husband as her agent was ridiculous. She definitely deserved more money but she could have waited till she had more power to do so. Paying Ritter so much more than the girls was ridiculous.

Offering her a spin off at the height of Threes Company would have been a risk. While she was not the star of the show, she was a major part of its success. By doing so, ABC would have admitted she was the star of Threes Company and deserved her own show. That would have stabbed Joyce and John in the back.
Having her husband as her agent was ridiculous. She definitely deserved more money but she could have waited till she had more power to do so. Paying Ritter so much more than the girls was ridiculous.

They gave The Ropers a show and they were clearly not the stars of Three's Company. If they gave her a spin off show, I think John and Joyce would have been happy to be rid of her.

I agree that having her husband as her manager was ridiculous. Jay Bernstein is the one who made her a star, so she should have stuck with him.

They gave The Ropers a show and they were clearly not the stars of Three's Company. If they gave her a spin off show, I think John and Joyce would have been happy to be rid of her.

I agree that having her husband as her manager was ridiculous. Jay Bernstein is the one who made her a star, so she should have stuck with him.

I think that the simple fact is that Jay Bernstein unlike Alan Hamel, understood the value of Suzanne being on TV and perhaps most importantly, knew how to play the game. In other words, Bernstein unlike Alan, had a clear idea about how to negotiate.

When Alan went in to negotiate a raise for his wife, he said what they wanted and then walked out when they said it was too much - next, Suzanne pretended to be sick and did not show up for the first day of the new season.

Suzanne deserved a big raise. Along with Laverne and Shirley she was the most popular woman on TV. Her mistake was getting her husband to negotiate for her. And then the producers decided to make a example out of her. Even Richard Kline admitted that what they did to Suzanne in that last season was ridiculous. It was a old boys network so its no surprise.

Suzanne Somers said that the reason she couldn't get the money she wanted was that contractually John Ritter had to be the highest paid so if they paid Suzanne X amount, John would have to make more and they couldn't afford it.

It turns out that Suzanne was actually asking for MORE than him, and he wasn’t making six figures yet. At the time, the only American TV actor who was making six figures was Larry Hagman. He was paid $100k per episode, which was a first at the time. When Suzanne learned of this, she demanded to be paid $125k-$150k per episode.

Suzanne Somers said that the reason she couldn't get the money she wanted was that contractually John Ritter had to be the highest paid so if they paid Suzanne X amount, John would have to make more and they couldn't afford it.

It turns out that Suzanne was actually asking for MORE than him, and he wasn’t making six figures yet. At the time, the only American TV actor who was making six figures was Larry Hagman. He was paid $100k per episode, which was a first at the time. When Suzanne learned of this, she demanded to be paid $125k-$150k per episode.
I also saw in interviews she compared herself to Alan Alda who was on CBS's top rated show MASH. I don't know how much he was making but it was far more what she was making. She had great points but as you said she was fighting a battle within her own show where the male was being paid twice as much.
Joyce Dewitt also had a sick out when she was promised a raise that she did not get. She had a personal meeting with the executive of ABC who got her the raise back. This is why she does not appear in Stanley's Hotline. She came back but it was too late and filming had begun.
I think her equality issue should have been framed within the context of her own show. Why does the man make twice as much as the women? It was normal back then and it took a long time to change things. John was extremely talented and deserved the money. But so did Joyce and Suzanne. Suzanne tried to use the fact she was on record number of magazine covers that she was the most famous thus should be paid more. I saw them as a 3 legged stool. They were all equal roommates and deserved the same pay. Whoever negotiated John's contract to say he gets paid twice as much as the girls was ridiculous. ABC should have never agreed to that.

Suzanne and her husband were smart business people, both realized the show was turning quickly from Three's Company to The John Ritter Show. She wasn't interested in becoming the sitcom equivalent to the round girl at a boxing match. The situation that developed on the series could have been resolved with Suzanne staying but that was not the desire of the series star (Ritter), and the producers went along with it to keep him happy (and he was making them money).

Suzanne Somers and her husband were not smart business people at all. I always viewed John Ritter as the star of the show, with Somers playing second fiddle. Somers demanding so much money ruined her career. Her husband was an idiot for filling her head with lies, and making her believe she was the start of the show.

Somers was relegated to a short closing segment to fulfil her contractual obligations. The for over a decade, she was best known for her Thighmaster commercials. SHe did bounce back somewhat with the comedy show "Step By Step" but the show itself was nowhere near as popular as Three's Company, and as a woman pushing 50, she no longer had the star power to drive the show like she did in Three's Company.

It's a shame. If Somers and her husband had not been so greedy, she technically could have perhaps launched a successful career off her role, and even starred in movies. Unfortunately, it took her nearly over a decade to bounce back from the drama in 1980.

I also saw in interviews she compared herself to Alan Alda who was on CBS's top rated show MASH. I don't know how much he was making but it was far more what she was making. She had great points but as you said she was fighting a battle within her own show where the male was being paid twice as much.
Joyce Dewitt also had a sick out when she was promised a raise that she did not get. She had a personal meeting with the executive of ABC who got her the raise back. This is why she does not appear in Stanley's Hotline. She came back but it was too late and filming had begun.
I think her equality issue should have been framed within the context of her own show. Why does the man make twice as much as the women? It was normal back then and it took a long time to change things. John was extremely talented and deserved the money. But so did Joyce and Suzanne. Suzanne tried to use the fact she was on record number of magazine covers that she was the most famous thus should be paid more. I saw them as a 3 legged stool. They were all equal roommates and deserved the same pay. Whoever negotiated John's contract to say he gets paid twice as much as the girls was ridiculous. ABC should have never agreed to that.

Joyce DeWitt was widely considered the "third wheel" of the show, and easily the most replaceable. Losing John Ritter would have killed the show. Losing Suzanne Somers hurt the ratings, and it never was as successful without Somers, but it still survived for three more years. Like it or not, DeWitt was the least popular of the three. She performed her role well, but it was clear from early on, that she was the least talented actor of the main characters.

Joyce DeWitt was widely considered the "third wheel" of the show, and easily the most replaceable. Losing John Ritter would have killed the show. Losing Suzanne Somers hurt the ratings, and it never was as successful without Somers, but it still survived for three more years. Like it or not, DeWitt was the least popular of the three. She performed her role well, but it was clear from early on, that she was the least talented actor of the main characters.
I disagree. I agree she was probably the least popular but they were 3 roommates together that shared scripts and scenes equally. Just because Janet was not the blonde bombshell nor the slapstick guy, she was needed as the serious one to set up the other 2. Without her character the scenes would not be the same. Imagine the sitcom Friends and they paid the guy's double the girls. The guys were not the star of the show. ABC tried to make Jack the star of the show post Chrissy but the first 3 seasons he was not the star. More people watched the show or knew Suzanne Somers than John Ritter. They should have all been paid equally. No way Janet was a third wheel. Many say Bea Arthur was the star of the Golden Girls and give that excuse for why Golden Palace failed. But both Rue and Betty were equal roommates. It all worked perfectly. They all should be paid equally too. But it was another time. If they started a reboot of Threes Company it would not even be discussed, the roommates would all get paid the same. In 1977 women made substantially less in movies, sitcoms, and corporate America for doing the same work as men. There is a great early episode of Alice where Mel hires a male waiter and pays him more than the girls. It was the norm back then but it started to get called out. Sadly it took over 30 years for women to get close to equal pay.

Suzanne Somers and her husband were not smart business people at all. I always viewed John Ritter as the star of the show, with Somers playing second fiddle. Somers demanding so much money ruined her career. Her husband was an idiot for filling her head with lies, and making her believe she was the start of the show.

Somers was relegated to a short closing segment to fulfil her contractual obligations. The for over a decade, she was best known for her Thighmaster commercials. SHe did bounce back somewhat with the comedy show "Step By Step" but the show itself was nowhere near as popular as Three's Company, and as a woman pushing 50, she no longer had the star power to drive the show like she did in Three's Company.

It's a shame. If Somers and her husband had not been so greedy, she technically could have perhaps launched a successful career off her role, and even starred in movies. Unfortunately, it took her nearly over a decade to bounce back from the drama in 1980.

After Suzanne was denied a raise and part ownership of the show, she would show up late to work or not show up at all. Producers put up with it until Joyce and John had enough and refused to film with her. They wouldn’t even be in the same room as her, that is when the character was given those added tag-ons to the end of each episode that were filmed early in the day, before John and Joyce were on set. By the end of the season, she was fired and Chrissy was never heard from again.

Suzanne later claimed she asked for a raise in the light of feminism, but it goes without saying that it sounds like her rewriting history. At the time, she was asking for more money than any actor on television was making and like I said, she demanded part ownership of the series.

In 1977 women made substantially less in movies, sitcoms, and corporate America for doing the same work as men. There is a great early episode of Alice where Mel hires a male waiter and pays him more than the girls. It was the norm back then but it started to get called out. Sadly it took over 30 years for women to get close to equal pay.

1974 was the first year women could get a credit card or bank loan on their own. Before that, banks made them have their husband or a man co-sign for them.

It was a different time back in the 70's.

I did not realize John was making THAT much more money than the girls. Suzanne should have focused on her own show to make her point instead of comparing herself to Alan Alda on another network. She had a point that women on top rated shows were paid substantially less. But she should have bonded with Joyce to make that point about her own show. John and Joyce hated when commentators made Suzanne as the star of TC and they were supporting cast. She should have flipped that script on her own show. Her main claim was she was the star of the show and the show would not be successful without her. The equality claim was second fiddle.

Suzanne and Joyce had a “favored nation” (https://medium.com/heroes-of-history/suzanne-somers-fight-for-equal-pay-2545cccfd7bc) clause (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/threes-company-1977-to-1984.993241/page-2) that guarantees that one actor won’t be paid more than another and the two of them would be paid equally. Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams also had that (https://books.google.com/books?id=18SzZTIf_F0C&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=%E2%80%9Cfavored+nation%E2%80%9D+clause+laverne+shirley&source=bl&ots=Hw_MC1I4Ue&sig=ACfU3U2xIm3FJKVDNNLekRHGEqFAftqVhA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi99Lzsq9eCAxWYj2oFHQ_JDUo4ChDoAXoECAIQAw#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9Cfavored%20nation%E2%80%9D%20clause%20laverne%20shirley&f=false) for Laverne and Shirley. The simple reason why John was paid more was because not only was he the top billed actor, but Three's Company was developed with him in mind (he did earlier versions of the pilot without Suzanne and Joyce), and he had a stronger TV resume than his costars.

Somewhere Suzanne did mention she got greedy. I couldn't tell you where I heard or read that. You know how you hear or read something and it stays with you, but you can't remember the source.

But that was the only time I hear or read that. After that Suzanne changed the narrative. Anyone old enough to remember when this was happening knows this wasn't the case. Also, if it was for equal pay it would have been both Suzanne and Joyce against TC.

Normally I would side with equal pay, but on TC John Ritter deserved to be paid more. John had done acting during the 70's while both Suzanne & Joyce were unknowns. John could act, but both Suzanne & Joyce weren't that great actresses.

Suzanne and Joyce had a “favored nation” (https://medium.com/heroes-of-history/suzanne-somers-fight-for-equal-pay-2545cccfd7bc) clause (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/threes-company-1977-to-1984.993241/page-2) that guarantees that one actor won’t be paid more than another and the two of them would be paid equally. Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams also had that (https://books.google.com/books?id=18SzZTIf_F0C&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=%E2%80%9Cfavored+nation%E2%80%9D+clause+laverne+shirley&source=bl&ots=Hw_MC1I4Ue&sig=ACfU3U2xIm3FJKVDNNLekRHGEqFAftqVhA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi99Lzsq9eCAxWYj2oFHQ_JDUo4ChDoAXoECAIQAw#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9Cfavored%20nation%E2%80%9D%20clause%20laverne%20shirley&f=false) for Laverne and Shirley. The simple reason why John was paid more was because not only was he the top billed actor, but Three's Company was developed with him in mind (he did earlier versions of the pilot without Suzanne and Joyce), and he had a stronger TV resume than his costars.
Cindy Williams, because of her movie credentials thought she should get top billing for Laverne and Shirley. Because Penny's family was involved with the show made it difficult for her to take top billing