Three’s Company: The Sitcom That Got Away With Everything

Suzanne Somers was originally paid far less than her male co-star, despite Chrissy Snow being central to the show’s appeal. As ratings soared, Somers pushed for a massive raise and profit participation, asking to be paid on par with John Ritter. It was a bold move in late-1970s television.

ABC flatly refused. What followed was one of the most famous contract standoffs in sitcom history. Somers was sidelined creatively, appearing mostly alone and off-set, and the power struggle became public. The dispute didn’t just reshape Three’s Company, it became a cautionary tale about leverage, gender, and timing in Hollywood.