I’m on my way to the tropics soon and will have an exciting blog update for you soon…I’m getting a bit of a makeover, stay tuned. While I’m gone, enjoy some fun trivia about my favorite tv shows of the 70’s and 80’s. For those of you who didn’t watch tv because you weren’t born then, go ahead and revisit the past with me and get a slice of Americana you’re lacking.
Today’s post features one of my favorites, “Three’s Company.” The cast didn’t get along but it was so much fun, the fashion was California classic, and Don Knotts was on the show!!! Take a look and when you get a chance, check it out, just one episode at least and meet me at the Regal Beagle!
–During the earlier seasons’ opening credits, the brunette walking by the beach that causes Jack to fall off his bike is Suzanne Somers in a wig.
–In the show’s opening (beginning with the sixth season), a toddler walks up to Joyce DeWitt as she is feeding a goat. The toddler is Jason Ritter (son of John Ritter). This is revealed by DeWitt in a bonus feature of the Season 4 DVD.
–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.
–Audra Lindley and Norman Fell left the show after the third season for a spin-off about their characters. They were promised by the ABC network that if their show didn’t make it past its first season, their spots were secure for a permanent return to “Three’s Company”. Their spin-off lasted a season and a half, so ABC was not obliged bring them back. They were permanently replaced by Don Knotts.
–Billy Crystal auditioned for the role of Jack Tripper.
–Suze Lanier-Bramlett, who played Chrissy on the second unaired pilot, is seen on the show’s ending for the first several seasons alongside Jack and Janet, where the three are tossing bread to seagulls at the beach. This ending was carried over from the pilot and wasn’t re-shot with with Suzanne Somers as Chrissy.
–Priscilla Barnes said her years on this show were the unhappiest in her professional career. She almost quit as soon as she was cast because she did not like the backstage atmosphere.
–Richard Kline’s role as Larry Dallas was originally meant to be a one-time guest appearance. But the producers enjoyed his chemistry with Ritter that he became a recurring character and eventually a cast member.
–John Ritter is the only cast member to appear in every episode.
–The 1980-1981 season was very difficult for the cast and crew. Suzanne Somers demanded a huge salary increase and part ownership of the show. When she was declined, she would often not show up to work. John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt refused to work with Somers any longer. So her character Chrissy was written out of the season except for a tag scene at the very end of the episodes. In these scenes, Chrissy was visiting her family and she would call Jack and Janet on the phone. These scenes were filmed early in the day so Somers would be off the set by the time Ritter and DeWitt arrived as they wanted no contact with her. Near the end of the season, Somers was fired and Chrissy was never mentioned again.
–Chrissy’s full name is “Christmas Noelle Snow”.
–The exterior shots of the Roper’s apartment was an actual corner apartment-house in Santa Monica. Permission was obtained by the owners for filming rights.
–Joyce DeWitt refused to ever be shown bare-legged and always wore pantyhose when her legs were visible. Her commitment to hosiery earned her an endorsement deal with L’eggs brand pantyhose.
–Don didn’t like the way the rest of the cast was shunning Suzanne during the whole kerfuffle about her pay raise demands, and the ensuing boycott leading to her termination, according to the biography “Andy and Don” by Daniel de Vise. He had a similar experience with Sheldon Leonard the executive producer of “The Andy Griffith Show” and the rest of the cast when he asked for a pay raise a decade earlier. At one point, when the “Three’s Company” cast was all on set together, and Joyce and John were ignoring Suzanne, Don walked up to them and said “Excuse me, I’m going to go talk to Suzanne”, letting them know he was giving Suzanne support.
All trivia provided by IMDB
Leave a Reply