Suzanne Somers, star of 'Three's Company' and 'Serial Mom' dead at 76
- Suzanne Somers, best known for her portrayal of Chrissy Snow in "Three's Company" has died.
- Somers died the day before her 77th birthday of a recurrence of breast cancer.
Suzanne Somers, star of the late '70s smash TV hit "Three's Company," died Sunday after a recurrence of breast cancer.
The actor and author died the day before her birthday at 76 years old. She told People before her death that she had planned on celebrating with "copious amounts of cake" after her recent health setbacks.
A private family burial will take place this week and a memorial will follow next month, Somers' publicist told Insider in an emailed statement.
Somers' long battle with cancer
The actor died peacefully at her home in Palm Springs, California, in the early morning hours of October 15th, according to a statement provided to Insider by her longtime publicist, R. Couri Hay. She had survived an "aggressive form of breast cancer" for over 23 years.
After first being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, Somers revealed on Instagram in July that her cancer had returned.
"Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family," the statement read. "Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on Oct. 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly."
An iconic acting career
Though she has 250 credits for her roles in various films and TV shows, mostly comedies, including "She's the Sheriff" and "Serial Mom," Somers was best known for her portrayal of Chrissy Snow on the sitcom "Three's Company."
The sitcom, which ran for eight seasons beginning in 1977, catapulted the actor into stardom — ultimately winning her a People's Choice Award for "favorite female performer" and a Golden Globe nomination for the role.
Insider previously reported that, at the height of her fame, Somers attempted to bargain with ABC for pay equal to what her costar John Ritter was earning, seeking a raise from $30,000 an episode to $150,000 an episode along with 10% of the show's profits. Instead, the network offered her a $5,000 raise. Shortly after, Somers was fired, and her role was ultimately cut.
"Life isn't fair," Somers told The Hollywood Reporter when recalling the situation in 2015. "Getting fired for asking for a raise wasn't fair, but I landed on my feet and I've done OK."
An entrepreneur and family woman
In her later years, Somers developed her own makeup brand and was the face of the '90s ThighMaster exercise phenomenon that took the fitness world by storm, building a net worth of about $100 million by the end of her life.
Somers also spent much of her time doting on her family, including her son from her previous marriage, two stepchildren with her husband of 46 years, Alan Hamel, and their six grandchildren.
In a recent Instagram post announcing her cancer recurrence, Somers gushed about the support she'd received from Hamel over their decades of marriage.
"Alan has been by my side every step of the way. I can't even explain how much he has done for me. If it's even possible, we are even closer than ever," Somers wrote. "My incredible family has been so supportive, and have helped so much by keeping the business running so you can still have access to all the wonderful products. Thank you for the continued love and support. It's only about who you love and who loves you - and I love you!"