This weekend, Hollywood is sadly mourning one of the most memorable talents to ever grace a TV screen. Suzanne Somers, the veteran actress known for her roles in massively popular sitcoms like Three’s Company and Step by Step, has sadly died. The beloved actress had long battled breast cancer, which she'd spoken about in the past. Unfortunately, she succumbed to the disease shortly before her birthday. Somers was 76 at the time of her passing.
The star’s publicist, R. Couri Hay, was the person to confirm her death and release a formal statement. Hay shared with People that her longtime client passed away on Sunday morning following her battle with cancer. The rep also confirmed that the 8-Track Flashback alum was also in the presence of her loved ones when she died:
Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years. Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family. Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.
R. Couri Hay further confirmed that a private burial, specifically for the actress’ family, will be held in the coming week. In addition, a memorial is being planned for sometime in November.
A native of San Bruno, California, Suzanne Somers’ acting career started around the late 1960s, during which she began taking on smaller roles on TV shows and movies. She landed appearances in the teen dramedy American Graffiti and hit series like The Rockford Files and One Day at a Time. However, her big break arrived in 1977, when she was cast as the ditzy, but kind, Chrissy Snow on the acclaimed ABC sitcom Three’s Company. The show paired her with the talented Joyce DeWitt and John Ritter (who passed away 20 years ago). Somers arguably became the show’s breakout star but ultimately exited after the fifth season due to a contract dispute with the network.
In the years following her highly publicized exit, the star landed other roles, even becoming the lead of a short-lived comedy called She's the Sheriff. After working in Las Vegas during the ‘80s, she became famous for her promotion of the Thighmaster throughout the ‘90s. Even in more recent years, she was still synonymous with the workout tool. That same decade would see her return to prominence as a TV actress, when she was cast as family matriarch Carol Foster-Lambert on Step by Step, which premiered in 1991. One of the greatest TGIF shows, it proved to be a massive success, running for seven seasons (six on ABC and one on CBS) before it ended in 1998. The show remains a fan-favorite today, as it’s still streamed by Max subscribers. Some have also believed it's one of TGIF offerings that deserve a follow-up of sorts.
Suzzane Somers tried other endeavors during the latter part of her life, from hosting a talk show to appearing as a contestant on DWTS. (Though she turned down an opportunity to co-host The View.) She was also very candid about her bout with breast cancer, which she was diagnosed with in 2000 and had to have breast reconstruction surgery because of. Somers had been in remission for decades before revealing this past summer that it had returned.
Few people are able to make an impact on pop culture the way the Candid Camera co-host was. She leaves behind a body of work that’s truly impressive and will hopefully be enjoyed by generations to come.
We here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Suzanne Somers at this time.
