Post-Chrissy episodes

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by Smartboy

That is all very interesting. I remember how they built Shirley out of the story by having her marry a military doctor and go overseas with him. Was there ever an episode explaining what happened to Lenny?

,

I don't remember.

I didn't watch the show much that last season and it was so long ago that I didn't know Michael McKean had left mid-season until I read it somewhere.

[visaman666]

There was one episode with Furly and The Ropers. It was vert awkward, but it worked.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by visaman666

There was one episode with Furly and The Ropers. It was vert awkward, but it worked.

Norman Fell did not want to be spun off to The Ropers.

He should have insisted there be a clause in the contract that would have guaranteed he could return to Three's Company if the show got cancelled, no matter how the long the show ran.

[JackJanetChrissy]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

Norman Fell did not want to be spun off to The Ropers.

He should have insisted there be a clause in the contract that would have guaranteed he could return to Three's Company if the show got cancelled, no matter how the long the show ran.

Yeah, he should've smelled a rat when they put the condition in that the spinoff would have to last less than a year in order to be guaranteed a return to Three's Company. He'd been around a while so I'm surprised he trusted that they meant well. Even if The Ropers had been a bomb from the beginning you know the execs would've made sure it ran out the clock to prevent Lindley and Fell from returning to TC.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by JackJanetChrissy

Yeah, he should've smelled a rat when they put the condition in that the spinoff would have to last less than a year in order to be guaranteed a return to Three's Company. He'd been around a while so I'm surprised he trusted that they meant well. Even if The Ropers had been a bomb from the beginning you know the execs would've made sure it ran out the clock to prevent Lindley and Fell from returning to TC.

As I understand it, the clause stipulated that if the show was cancelled within one year, Norman Fell and Audra Lindley could return to the show. The show was cancelled five days after the deadline.

When Fell asked the producers about returning, they said the deadline had passed and shrugged their shoulders. Now, was the fact that it happened five days after the deadline a coincidence or did one of the producers have an inside track with someone at the network and ask them to wait to make the announcement five days after the stipulated date on the contract?

We'll never know.

[JackJanetChrissy]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

As I understand it, the clause stipulated that if the show was cancelled within one year, Norman Fell and Audra Lindley could return to the show. The show was cancelled five days after the deadline.

When Fell asked the producers about returning, they said the deadline had passed and shrugged their shoulders. Now, was the fact that it happened five days after the deadline a coincidence or did one of the producers have an inside track with someone at the network and ask them to wait to make the announcement five days after the stipulated date on the contract?

We'll never know.

Odds are good that this was a calculated announcement by the network and producers. Three's Company had Don Knotts and he was holding down the fort for less money than both Lindley and Fell. Ratings were still solid. If the landlord replacement had tanked ratings then I'm sure the producers would have renegotiated with Lindley and Fell before their contract deadline, and Fell would've figured the producers were honoring their promise. But it was all about money. You can bet that when there is money involved that honor and goodwill go right out the window in Hollywood. That contract (and choosing to announce five days after the deadline) just gave the producers an easy excuse to send Fell on his way.

I bet that kind of thing probably happens a lot in Hollywood---give an actor a contract to quiet his doubts in the moment, but the conditions of the contract are structured to give the "powers that be" the ability to manipulate the actor later on.