How did Suzanne Somers die? 'Three's Company' star, 76, was battling breast cancer for over 23 years
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA: Emmy-nominated actress Suzanne Somers, known for 'Three's Company' and 'Step by Step,' died at 76 after a battle with breast cancer.
On October 15, Suzanne's family's spokesperson, R Couri Hay, issued a statement confirming her "peaceful" demise from breast cancer at her Palm Springs, California residence on Sunday, surrounded by her loved ones.
She had been in a 23-year-long battle with an aggressive form of breast cancer. In her 30s, she received a skin cancer diagnosis, and later, in her 50s, she battled breast cancer.
According to the statement, Suzanne was in the company of her beloved husband Alan, son Bruce, and close family.
It read, "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."
In a separate statement to PEOPLE, Suzanne's spokesperson mentioned that the "beautiful house" where she spent her final moments was a fulfillment of one of her dreams.
"There were all these plans, and she was always working and dreaming and had brought her family into the business, and the grandchildren and stepchildren were all part of the business," the publicist stated, counting that she was "very engaged right to the end."
The publicist also mentioned that a private family funeral is scheduled for this week, with a memorial service to be held in November.
How long was Suzanne Somers married to Bruce Somers?
Suzanne married Bruce Somers when she was 19, after getting pregnant with her son, Bruce Somers Jr. Three years later, the marriage ended, and she began modeling for 'The Anniversary Game' to support herself. During this period, she met Alan Hamel, whom she married in 1977.
Did Suzanne Somers use hormones to help with her aging?
In an interview with 'GMA', Suzanne once revealed that as part of her aging regimen, she has used natural plant-based bio-identical hormone replacement creams to stay balanced and help boost her sex drive with her husband of more than 40 years, Alan.
Why was Suzanne Somers fired from 'Three's Company'?
Suzanne was notably sacked from 'Three's Company' after requesting a wage comparable to that of late star John Ritter.
"I got fired from 'Three's Company' for having the audacity to ask to be paid commensurate with men," she stated at the time. "They were making 10 to 15 times more, and John [Ritter] was making much more than me," as per CBS News.
In 1980, Suzanne reportedly requested a rise from $30,000 to $150,000 per episode, which was equivalent to her co-star John's salary and comparable to the wages of other male comedy stars at the time.
ABC only offered a $5,000 raise, and Suzanne skipped two episodes of taping before being fired.
How much money did Suzanne Somers make with the ThighMaster?
Suzanne was also well-known for her 1990s infomercials for the ThighMaster workout apparatus, which was designed to be squeezed between one's knees to tone the thighs. Suzanne discussed the product's performance on the Hollywood Row podcast in March 2022. She made approximately $300 million from sales alone, when 15 million ThighMasters were sold at $19.95 each at the time.
View this post on Instagram
Khloe Kardashian pays touching tribute to Suzanne Somers
Following the news of Suzanne's demise, Khloe Kardashian offered a heartfelt tribute to the late star. The 'Kardashians' celebrity took to her Instagram stories to express her respect for the 'Step By Step' actress.
In a series of text messages to a friend, the 39-year-old showcased a personalized ThighMaster fitness device, which she played a role in popularizing.
The pink device, designed to aid in thigh muscle development, was customized for Khloe and featured Suzanne's autograph.
Furthermore, the 'Three's Company' icon wrote down the lyrics of the show's famous theme song: 'Come and knock on my door.'
Khloe also expressed her emotions in the post, writing, "This one hurts my heart. I love you, Suzanne Somers. I’ll never forget your positive, loving outlook on life. Your sweet heart and gentle spirit. Rest, dance, smile in paradise."