Priscilla Barnes unhappy during and after TC - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JackJanetChrissy · 11-29-2014, 01:52 AM

Priscilla Barnes said she was glad TC ended because she wanted to be more than a "third banana on a situation comedy." She also said that after the series ended people in the industry ignored her work before TC. Since the show type cast her she was only considered for certain parts after the show ended.

But I looked up her IMDB page and it doesn't look like she did anything too groundbreaking before Three's Company beyond blink-and-you-miss-her guest spots on television shows, which she then continued to do after Three's Company. Am I missing something?

She also said that she did nude scenes and horror movies in the 90's to erase the TC typecasting. But to me it seems like she sort of sabotaged her own career by doing that; after "Erotique" (where she played a misandrist lesbian) she was reduced to playing bit parts showing off her, well, bits when necessary.

I understand an artist wanting to go in a different direction to avoid typecasting, but she had to have known when she was hired for TC that typecasting was guaranteed. It's one thing to start a show and have no idea where it will end up, but Barnes came in during its heyday. I think she should have embraced it, in my opinion.

Mace Dolex · 11-29-2014, 03:42 AM

Today most TV actors when a show their currently on is on hiatus they tend to find work doing small bits in movies to branch out and not play one character that makes them typecast, this is something that Priscilla could have looked into during the 3 years she was on TC when the show took breaks from filming.

TVFactFan · 11-29-2014, 04:59 AM

How was she going to be more than a 3rd banana and was added to the show? lol

What was it about her character that she thought was more than Janet's and jack's? Did she want the Terri character to get her own apt like Larry and have eps revolve around her in her new place because she was a nurse?

JSP · 11-29-2014, 08:38 AM

Oh, to me Priscilla can't blame Three's Company for typecasting her as an actress. John was the freakin' star of the show, there the whole time, and he avoided typecasting. Keep in mind John played psychopaths in TV movies in the 90s. About as far from Three's Company as you can get. John of all people could have been typecast like Bob Denver for Gilligan, but he managed to work steadily and break away from Jack Tripper because his talent showed through.

There are no small parts, only small actors.

JSP · 11-29-2014, 08:54 AM

JackJanetChrissy's comment about Erotique prompted me to do a Google Images search for "Priscilla Barnes Erotique". It turned up some stunning pictures of Priscilla. She looked far more beautiful in those images than she ever looked on Three's Company, especially in Season 8.

Maybe she should have blamed the wardrobe and hairstylists for any negative impact Three's might have had on her career. They certainly didn't make her as sexy as they could have.

She definitely had leading lady looks.

JackJanetChrissy · 11-29-2014, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSP

Maybe she should have blamed the wardrobe and hairstylists for any negative impact Three's might have had on her career. They certainly didn't make her as sexy as they could have.

She definitely had leading lady looks.

She should have blamed the 80s for the wardrobe and hairstyling, lol. Everyone looked dowdy by the end of the show.

I agree with everyone here; I think Priscilla should have known that she was 1) an interloper 2) playing a broad character on a farce 3) Three's Company was a hit show and therefore something everyone would remember for the then-near future. I don't understand why actors seem unsatisfied or ungrateful with the fame and fortune they get because it's not the "right" kind of fame or fortune.

Also Mace Dolex said something about doing work during the show's breaks to keep the career fresh. Barnes did guest-star on Love Boat during her TC time, but again, that wasn't too far off from TC.

Mace Dolex · 11-30-2014, 04:42 AM

Love Boat?

man talk about career suicide.

JSP · 11-30-2014, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mace Dolex

Love Boat?

man talk about career suicide.

Either Priscilla just didn't work hard enough or she had a really bad agent. No reason an actress in her 20s should be on the Love Boat. I know lots of famous young folks were on that show, but I still look at it as where has-beens made appearances.

I can't picture Priscilla being the star of any films, but she could have been the romantic interest of the male lead in a film. Strange this didn't happen much when she was in her 20s.

isiahthomas · 03-20-2015, 04:33 PM

Why should Priscilla be mad at the people who did her hair and picked out her clothes on Three's Company? She always wore nice clothes and her hair was always looking good. She shouldn't be mad that she was the 3rd wheel on the show because the show was successful with her. She was the hottest woman on there to me. She does have a right to be mad about not getting that many roles after the show but she should've chosen a different job if she was frustrated with acting. I get tired of hearing about actors complaining about not getting that many roles when they need to get a regular job if they're unhappy with their acting career. Unfortunately most tv actors don't move on to doing movies and becoming stars. That only happens to a few actors. I think it's sad that Priscilla hasn't aged well because she should've taken care of herself. It's sad that a lot of hot white actresses when they get older don't age well. Kim Basinger is one of the few hot white actresses that has aged well and she's 61. Diane Lane is also still hot and I think she's 57.

gopyle · 04-06-2015, 08:24 PM

I do not care for Miss Barnes. I never watch those episodes anymore. I suppose there are those who like her on the show, and that is fine for them. I personally can't imagine she would have been in much demand for anything else or that she should be of the opinion she was deserving of a better career.

JackJanetChrissy · 04-06-2015, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopyle

I do not care for Miss Barnes. I never watch those episodes anymore. I suppose there are those who like her on the show, and that is fine for them. I personally can't imagine she would have been in much demand for anything else or that she should be of the opinion she was deserving of a better career.

I prefer the earlier episodes, too, but I don't think Priscilla did a terrible job. I think the writing really did all of them in toward the end of the series. I do think Suzanne Somers did a better job.

LittleRickyII · 04-06-2015, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackJanetChrissy

I don't understand why actors seem unsatisfied or ungrateful with the fame and fortune they get because it's not the "right" kind of fame or fortune.

Yes, she got fame, but fortune? Celebritynetworth has her net worth at $1.5 million. I'm guessing those cheap Three's Company producers didn't pay her a great salary. Or if they did, she didn't invest well. But I'm guessing it's the former.

isiahthomas · 04-16-2015, 04:18 PM

Her networth is $1.5 million? If that's the case, she should be living good. So I don't know why she would be complaining.

LittleRickyII · 04-16-2015, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

Her networth is $1.5 million? If that's the case, she should be living good. So I don't know why she would be complaining.

This is California. The average cost of a home in LA is $600,000. She's approaching an age where most people are retiring and you need funds available to get by for the next 30 or 40 years or so. I live out here, too, and I can tell you that's a comfortable net worth only if you live fairly modestly. I'm about in her wealth bracket, and I certainly don't feel rich with my little 1,000 square foot home. For people our age, that's middle class. Suzanne Somers, on the other hand, is worth $100 million. Now that's rich! The vast majority of that Ms. Somers earned after Three's Company. The notoriety from the show certainly made it possible, but it's her salesmanship that enabled her to pivot off of that notoriety and make the most of it so she could rake in the big bucks. That fortune wasn't handed to her by the Three's Company producers.

JSP · 04-16-2015, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleRickyII

That fortune wasn't handed to her by the Three's Company producers.

Indeed.

11-29-2014, 01:52 AM	#1
JackJanetChrissy Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 18, 2014 Posts: 1,005	Priscilla Barnes unhappy during and after TC Priscilla Barnes said she was glad TC ended because she wanted to be more than a "third banana on a situation comedy." She also said that after the series ended people in the industry ignored her work before TC. Since the show type cast her she was only considered for certain parts after the show ended. But I looked up her IMDB page and it doesn't look like she did anything too groundbreaking before Three's Company beyond blink-and-you-miss-her guest spots on television shows, which she then continued to do after Three's Company. Am I missing something? She also said that she did nude scenes and horror movies in the 90's to erase the TC typecasting. But to me it seems like she sort of sabotaged her own career by doing that; after "Erotique" (where she played a misandrist lesbian) she was reduced to playing bit parts showing off her, well, bits when necessary. I understand an artist wanting to go in a different direction to avoid typecasting, but she had to have known when she was hired for TC that typecasting was guaranteed. It's one thing to start a show and have no idea where it will end up, but Barnes came in during its heyday. I think she should have embraced it, in my opinion.

11-29-2014, 08:54 AM	#5
JSP Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 19, 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,735	JackJanetChrissy's comment about Erotique prompted me to do a Google Images search for "Priscilla Barnes Erotique". It turned up some stunning pictures of Priscilla. She looked far more beautiful in those images than she ever looked on Three's Company, especially in Season 8. Maybe she should have blamed the wardrobe and hairstylists for any negative impact Three's might have had on her career. They certainly didn't make her as sexy as they could have. She definitely had leading lady looks.
	Last edited by JSP; 11-29-2014 at 12:23 PM.

11-29-2014, 03:42 AM	#2
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,670	Today most TV actors when a show their currently on is on hiatus they tend to find work doing small bits in movies to branch out and not play one character that makes them typecast, this is something that Priscilla could have looked into during the 3 years she was on TC when the show took breaks from filming.

11-29-2014, 04:59 AM	#3
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,101	How was she going to be more than a 3rd banana and was added to the show? lol What was it about her character that she thought was more than Janet's and jack's? Did she want the Terri character to get her own apt like Larry and have eps revolve around her in her new place because she was a nurse?

11-29-2014, 08:38 AM	#4
JSP Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 19, 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,735	Oh, to me Priscilla can't blame Three's Company for typecasting her as an actress. John was the freakin' star of the show, there the whole time, and he avoided typecasting. Keep in mind John played psychopaths in TV movies in the 90s. About as far from Three's Company as you can get. John of all people could have been typecast like Bob Denver for Gilligan, but he managed to work steadily and break away from Jack Tripper because his talent showed through. There are no small parts, only small actors.

11-30-2014, 04:42 AM	#7
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,670	Love Boat? man talk about career suicide.

03-20-2015, 04:33 PM	#9
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	Why should Priscilla be mad at the people who did her hair and picked out her clothes on Three's Company? She always wore nice clothes and her hair was always looking good. She shouldn't be mad that she was the 3rd wheel on the show because the show was successful with her. She was the hottest woman on there to me. She does have a right to be mad about not getting that many roles after the show but she should've chosen a different job if she was frustrated with acting. I get tired of hearing about actors complaining about not getting that many roles when they need to get a regular job if they're unhappy with their acting career. Unfortunately most tv actors don't move on to doing movies and becoming stars. That only happens to a few actors. I think it's sad that Priscilla hasn't aged well because she should've taken care of herself. It's sad that a lot of hot white actresses when they get older don't age well. Kim Basinger is one of the few hot white actresses that has aged well and she's 61. Diane Lane is also still hot and I think she's 57.

04-06-2015, 08:24 PM	#10
gopyle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2011 Posts: 235	I do not care for Miss Barnes. I never watch those episodes anymore. I suppose there are those who like her on the show, and that is fine for them. I personally can't imagine she would have been in much demand for anything else or that she should be of the opinion she was deserving of a better career.

04-16-2015, 04:18 PM	#13
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	Her networth is $1.5 million? If that's the case, she should be living good. So I don't know why she would be complaining.