From TV to Exercise Machines.
“Three’s Company” star Suzanne Somers died Sunday at age 76 after a battle with breast cancer. During her long career in entertainment, she made her fortune starring in the hit ’70s comedy, as well as serving as a spokesperson for the ThighMaster device. But how she became part of the thigh-training equipment empire is another story.
Somers is best known for playing the ditzy blonde Chrissy Snow on “Three’s Company” from 1977 to 1981 alongside late stars John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt. Ritter was reportedly paid $150,000 per episode — and Somers wanted to be on the same playing field.
She asked network executives for equal pay and asked for the same raise as the former “8 Simple Rules” actress.
But they wouldn’t back down, offering her a $5,000 raise. After being pushed out, Somers had to find work to help pay the bills, including working for Playboy and even flying to Las Vegas to work full-time at the Horseshoe Casino Hotel. Then, in 1990, an opportunity arose. Somers was asked to promote ThighMasters in countless commercials. She made millions.
Last year, she opened up on the “Hollywood Raw” podcast about how much she actually made from the sweat machine. “I grew up poor. But I lived a good life,” she said, adding that she’s made “$300 million” from ThighMaster over the decades.
Last year, she revealed on the “Hollywood Raw” podcast how much money she’s actually made from the sweat machine.
“I grew up poor. But I lived a good life,” she said, adding that she’s made “$300 million” from ThighMaster over the decades.
As for how she became an investor in the company, she told Entrepreneur in 2020: “I bought these Manolo Blahniks, which were $500 at the time. I was in the dressing room and I was like, ‘Oh, my husband is going to think it’s crazy to spend that much money.’”
“But for me, they were perfect,” she continued. “So I came out of the dressing room in my underwear and said to my husband, ‘Do you like my new shoes?’ And he said, ‘Great legs!’ And I said, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s advertising!’ That’s how we started advertising if you remember.”
Amid her fitness success, she landed another big gig in her Hollywood career. In 1991, she landed the role of Carole Foster-Lambert on the sitcom “Step by Step.” “I’ve written 27 health books. I’ve done 16 or 18 years of TV series, I’ve given lectures—and the thing I’m best known for is the ThighMaster!” she told Entrepreneur of her business endeavors.
“I think it was the tagline: ‘You just put it between your knees and squeeze.’ It was the right product, the right place, the right time, the right spokesperson—everything,” she recalls. “It was a perfect storm.”
