In this comedy, two contemporary young single girls found themselves in need of a roommate for their Santa Monica apartment so they decided to settle for the man they found sleeping in their bathtub--after a going-away party for their last roommate. Jack was harmless enough, but the problem was in convincing everyone else of that.

Parents objected and humorous misunderstandings abounded, but Jack stayed. In addition to his other virtues, he was the only one of the three roommates who could cook. His favorite ploy was to intimate that he was a homosexual, and therefore uninterested in the two sexy girls (in fact, nothing did go on between them). The landlady, Mrs. Roper who lived downstairs, worried less about what was going on upstairs than about the fact that nothing was going on in her love life with her husband, Stanley. Away from their confused home life, Jack was studying for (and eventually got) his chef's diploma; Janet, the brunette, worked in a florist shop; and Chrissy, the frivolous blonde, was a typist.

After a short run in the spring of 1977 Three's Company was picked up as a regular series on ABC's fall 1977 schedule. The comedy was based almost entirely on sexual double-entendres, and religious leaders and critics found the program almost as objectionable as Soap, which followed it on the Tuesday night schedule. Nevertheless viewers made it one of the major hits of the 1977-1978 season, especially after it was featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine in February 1978. The cover photo was a staged shot of Chrissy with her undergarment seemingly falling off, and Jack leering over her shoulder--something that never happened on the show.

Norman Fell and Audra Lindley left the series in 1979 for their own show (The Ropers, and were replaced by Don Knotts as the new landlord. Then, in 1980, Suzanne Somers, who had become a media celebrity as a result of this series, demanded a huge increased in salary plus a piece of the profits in recognition of her new importance. The producers adamantly refused, and her role was reduced to an occasional brief scene in which she was seen phoning her roommates long distance (she was supposed to be in Fresno caring for her sick mother). Eventually Somers was written out of the show altogether, and her career went into decline (although it has rebounded in more recent years).

Jack and Janet promptly found a new roommate in Cindy, who was introduced as Chrissy's cute but clumsy cousin. She moved out in 1981 in order to study veterinary medicine at UCLA, though she continued to visit for another season. Her replacement was a smart, vivacious nurse named Terri.

Meanwhile Jack pursued his career as a chef, first at Angelino's Restaurant (whose owner, Frank Angelino, played by Jordan Charney, was seen occasionally). In 1982 Mr. Angelino and landlord Ralph Furley put up the money to open Jack's own place, called Jack's Bistro, specializing in French cuisine. When not at the restaurant or the apartment, the gang hung out at the Regal Beagle, a neighborhood pub.

When he lost his roommate (Janet got married and Terri moved to Hawaii) Jack moved in with his new girlfriend and a new series began in the fall of 1984, called Three's a Crowd.

Three's a Company was based on the British series Man about the House.

ABC aired reruns on weekdays mornings from June to Setpember 1981.

Series summary from The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows: 1946-Present

Did You Know?:

The final episode of the series didn't air until the beginning of the 1984-1985 season when it served as the lead in to its spin-off "Three's a Crowd" (1984).

Jack lived at the Y.M.C.A. before moving in with Janet and Chrissy.

Janet and Chrissy had another roommate named Eleanor before Jack moved in.

John Ritter, Norman Fell, and Audra Lindley are the only cast members from the original pilot to make it onto the show.

Three different addresses were given for the apartment throughout the seasons (none of them was real).

Billy Crystal auditioned for the role of Jack Tripper.

During the pilot episode, Jack says: "Well, you know you have to learn to trot before you can gallop... who said that?" and the audience laughs. This was John Ritter's way of paying homage to his late father, Tex Ritter.

At the end of the second episode, first season, Jack says: "Goodnight, John Boy." This was a direct wink at John Ritter's former performance on "The Walton's" as Reverend Fordwick.

'Suzanne Sommers' was fired midway through the show's run due to salary disputes, amid a very public lawsuit and loads of publicity.

Did You Know Facts from The Internet Movie Database

The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows: 1946-Present by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh

“This is the Guinness Book of World Records . . . The Encyclopedia Britannica of television!” –TV Guide

AMERICA’S #1 BESTSELLING TELEVISION BOOK WITH MORE THAN HALF A MILLION COPIES IN PRINT– NOW REVISED AND UPDATED!

PROGRAMS FROM ALL SEVEN COMMERCIAL BROADCAST NETWORKS, MORE THAN SIXTY CABLE NETWORKS, PLUS ALL MAJOR SYNDICATED SHOWS!

This is the must-have book for TV viewers in the new millennium–the entire history of prime-time programs in one convenient volume. It’s a guide you’ll turn to again and again for information on every series ever telecast. There are entries for all the great shows, from evergreens like I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and Happy Days, to modern classics like Will & Grace, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Friends; all the gripping sci-fi series, from Captain Video and The X-Files to all versions of Star Trek; the popular serials, from Peyton Place to Dallas to Dawson’s Creek; and the runaway hits on cable, including CNN, The Real World, The Osbournes, and Sponge Bob Square Pants. This comprehensive guide lists every program alphabetically and includes a complete broadcast history, cast, and engaging plot summary– along with exciting behind-the-scenes stories about the shows and the stars.

MORE THAN 500 ALL-NEW LISTINGS, from Survivor and The Bachelor to C.S.I. and The West Wing.
UPDATES ON CONTINUING SHOWS, such as ER, Frasier, 7th Heaven, and The Simpsons.
EXTENSIVE CABLE COVERAGE of more than 800 entries, including a description of the programming on each major cable network.
BRAND-NEW IN THIS EDITION–an exclusive “Ph.D. Trivia Quiz” of two hundred questions to challenge even the most ardent TV fan; plus a streamlined guide to TV-related Web sites for all those who want to be constantly up-to-date.

SPECIAL FEATURES!
• Annual program schedules at a glance for the past fifty-seven years • Top-rated shows of each season • Emmy Award winners • Longest running series • Spin-off series • Theme songs • A fascinating history of TV

For more information and to purchase, click below:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345497732/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Books:

COME AND KNOCK ON OUR DOOR delivers the complete backstage story of Three's Company -- from the fun and friendships to the feuds and falling-outs -- as told through 60 exclusive interviews with the show's cast and crew, including stars John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, and Suzanne Somers.

On screen, the trio's dilemmas were almost always just zany misunderstandings rife with pratfalls and double entendres and resolved with hugs and kisses -- classic moments fondly recalled in this memoir on the breakthrough comedy. But behind the scenes, the real-life tensions of fame, boycotts, and personal, creative, and financial conflicts threatened to end the laughter.

For the first time ever, John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt talk about the bitter break-up with their onetime-pal and original co-star, and Suzanne Somers and the show's producers tell their sides of the story behind Somers' big money demands, missed work, and eventual firing. Joyce DeWitt also reveals her secret struggles with the show's producers, and explains why she turned her back on Hollywood when the show ended.

Also for the first time, Jenilee Harrison says what it was like to replace TV's reigning sex symbol during Somers' contract dispute. Norman Fell, Don Knotts, Richard Kline, and Ann Wedgeworth disclose the ups and downs of playing TV's looniest landlords and most amorous tenants. And the late Audra Lindley, in her final interview, describes why The Ropers and a free-flowing muu-muu made her smile.

Book includes over 300 pages and 140 photos

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312168039/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Collectors Guide to TV Toys and Memorabilia : 1960s & 1970s (2nd Ed)

Classic TV fans, collectors, and lovers of nostalgia will experience a blast from the past when they flip to this new second edition. With hundreds of new photos and updated values, this guide includes information on collectibles from over 50 of the most beloved shows from the 1960s and 1970s. 1,300 color photos.

The following shows are included: Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, Bionic Woman, Brady Bunch, Bugaloos, Charlie's Angels, CHiPs, Donny & Marie, Eight is Enough, Family, Family Affair, Fantasy Island, Flipper, The Flying Nun, Gidget, Gilligan's Island, Good Times, Green Acres, H.R. Pufnstuf, Happy Days, Hardy Boys Mysteries, I Dream of Jeannie, Josie & the Pussycats, Julia, The Krofft Supershow, Kung Fu, Land of the Lost, Laverne & Shirley, Lidsville, Life & Times of Grizzly Adams, Little House on the Prairie, The Love Boat, Mod Squad, Mork & Mindy, Nancy Drew Mysteries, Nanny & the Professor, New Zoo Revue, Partridge Family, Patty Duke Show, Sigmund & the Sea Monsters, Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky & Hutch, That Girl, Three's Company, The Waltons, Welcome Back Kotter, Wonder Woman.

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1574320947/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

After the Fall : How I Picked Myself Up, Dusted Myself Off, and Started All over Again

In this moving and inspiring follow-up to her New York Times best-selling memoir, Keeping Secrets, Suzanne Somers revisits her years before and after Three's Company and reveals with fearless self-examination how the dizzying rise and fall of her television career mirrored the chaos and conflict in her personal life. With her usual candor and perspective, Suzanne takes readers inside the rehearsal hall of Three's Company and offers a never-before-seen look at the competition, jealousy, and greed that accompanies a hit TV show. As the lovable Chrissy Snow, Suzanne Somers became the toast of Hollywood, with all its glittery perks. Yet all was not perfect, she confesses. Simultaneously, her professional success and her relationship with her husband, the love of a lifetime, were being sorely tested as they attempted to blend their families together and were forced to deal with the anger and resentment of their mutual children. When she became the first female star to ask for the same pay as male television stars, Suzanne was fired from Three's Company and the once-welcoming doors to the most powerful offices in Hollywood slammed shut. For the better part of the next decade, she was unofficially blackballed from television because of this incident. In this insightful memoir, Suzanne tells all, from the heady days of stardom to her fall from grace and the grief that followed, to her eventual resurrection as an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and, once again, beloved TV star. Every reader who's ever experienced loss or felt a great opportunity slip through his or her fingers can relate to Suzanne's story of how she fought back, won control over her own destiny, and learned lessons along the journey.

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0609603124/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Suzanne Somers' 365 Ways to Change Your Life

TV personality Suzanne Somers offers a book of 365 daily affirmations, designed to create a "shift in thinking." "Holding onto old hurts and programmed ideals creates blockages that prevent change and growth," she writes. "Do you really desire happiness, peace of mind, and serenity? You can have it.... But you have to surrender the old hurts and self-serving thinking." By reading her day-by-day essays, readers will find support in being more honest with oneself, healing relationships, creating tranquility, committing to soul dreams, and listening to intuition. So often people put off bliss and peace, assuming they are gifts for the future, notes Somers. But why wait for our birthrights, when the present is here, right now, just waiting to be appreciated? Somers's heart is in the right place, and although she is more accurately described as a caring celebrity than a disciplined spiritual guru, her legion of fans will find this a tender and meaningful companion to guide them through years ahead.

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/060960161X/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Suzanne Somers' Eat Great, Lose Weight

The popular television actress presents a complete plan for healthy eating designed to help readers lose weight and keep the pounds off, offering a nutritional approach to eating designed to reprogram one's metabolism and promote fitness.

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0517708612/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Suzanne Somers' Get Skinny on Fabulous Food

One of the Three's Company costars has found her true metier: coming up with her own diet regimen. In the second volume of the series (the first being Eat Great, Lose Weight), the lessons on Somersizing continue, along with the testimonials. Essentially, it calls for a very specific combination of foods--fruit alone, protein and vegetables together--as well as the elimination of sugars and alcohols. Much of the text is taken up with justification; there's a comparison with other diets, with various medical facts and research, and even with ingredients in alternative foodstuffs. Tips for dining out and for menus complete the instruction--and lead into more than 130 recipes, designated either for losing (level one) or for maintaining (level two) weight. Selections range from fresh tomato juice to a 12-hour roast pork; all level one dishes follow the food-combination precepts.

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0609601628/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Barney Fife and Other Chracters I Have Known

The actor and comedian who played Mayberry's bumbling cop Barney Fife, as well as the landlord on Three's Company, shares his life in show biz, his various roles in film and television, and his relationships with such luminaries as Andy Griffith, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Orson Wells, Lou Costello, and Arthur Godfrey.

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0425171590/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Videos:

Somersize - 3 tape set

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6304278934/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Intimiate Portrait - Suzanne Somers

For more information and to purchase from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00003ETRY/ref=nosim/happydaysonline

Message Board:

Have a question about Three's Company, comment, trivia question, update on the cast members, etc.? Then post your message on the:

Three's Company Message Board

Links:

Three's Company Official Site and Fan Network

Three's Company (TV Land)

PB's Three's Company Page: Jack's Bistro

MadJohn's TC Site

The Regal Beagle

Tim's TV Showcase

Three's Company Episode Guide (TV.com)

Three's Company Complex

Three's Company (Retrobug.com)

Three's Company Sitcom

I Love Three's Company

Three's Company (ClassicTVHits.com)

Carla's Fan Page for John Ritter

The John Ritter Appreciation Website

Joyce DeWitt Picture Page

Suzanne Somers Official Site

Suzanne Somers Fan Site

Priscilla Barnes Pictures

Jenilee Harrison Official Site

WWWF Grudge Match: Jack Tripper vs. Edward Scissorhands

Yahoo links for Three's Company

Internet Movie Database entry for Three's Company

The Ropers page at Sitcoms Online.com

Three's a Crowd page at Sitcoms Online.com

Sitcoms Online.com - links to sitcoms of the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's

Please send any questions, comments, suggestions, sound files, pictures, or any additional information for this page.

Contact Form

© 1999-2023, Sitcoms Online

"THREE'S COMPANY" is a registered trademark. That mark and the content of the "Three's Company" television series are owned by Three's Company, a California joint venture, which is not connected to this site.

visitors since this page was established.

---

For links to over 1,000 sitcom pages, please visit:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com