During the mid-’70s and early ’80s, Three’s Company was a popular sitcom that ran for eight seasons and remained popular in syndication long after it left the air. It delved into the farcical events that occur in the lives of three single roommates who platonically share a Santa Monica apartment together, despite two of them being a woman and one being a man.
Update October 27, 2023: Following the tragic passing of Suzanne Somers, this list has been updated to reflect the tragic update more details about the various cast members of Three’s Company.
The original main cast consisted of John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, and Suzanne Somers, but after Somers left the show in 1980, her character was replaced twice. The show was such a hit it also led to two spin-offs that continued the show’s quirky themes. Nearly four decades since the show’s last season aired, here’s a look at where the original cast is now, including which of them have sadly passed away since.
10 John Ritter as Jack Tripper
The main role of the male roommate in the show was played by John Ritter. Ritter went on to have a sterling career as an actor, who kept up the family tradition since his father was also an actor. Ritter’s sons, Jason and Tyler, also went on to become successful actors too.
John himself appeared in over 100 television shows and movies, including roles in movies like Bride of Chucky. His TV career stretched back to the ’60s, and he appeared in iconic shows such as M*A*S*H, Starsky & Hutch, and Kojak, in addition to a recurring role in shows like Felicity after the turn of the century. When Three’s Company ended in 1983, Ritter also went on to star in one of its short-lived spin-offs Three’s Crowd. After an amazing career on screen, John Ritter sadly passed away in 2003 from heart-related complications. He was 54 years old. At the time of his death, he was the lead on the series 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, and the series had to work his death into the series.
9 Joyce DeWitt as Janet Wood
Making up the first female roommate of the original main cast, Joyce DeWitt is an American actress whose main claim to fame came from playing Janet Wood on Three’s Company. When it ended, she continued acting but wasn’t as prolific between the late ’80s and mid-’90s, mostly sticking to theater work at that time.
Joyce has since also made sporadic appearances in TV shows and other sitcoms, as well as roles in television films later on in her career. In 2009, she was arrested for drunk driving but pleaded no contest and struck a plea deal that included paying a fine and undergoing a nine-month alcohol program. Now 74 years old, DeWitt hasn’t appeared in any major shows or films for some time.
8 Suzanne Somers as Christmas “Chrissy” Snow
As the last and possibly the quirkiest member of the original main cast, Suzanne Somers played Christmas “Chrissy” Snow on Three’s Company. After Season 5 of the show, contract negotiations broke down between the Somers and network executives, and ended with her being fired from the show. Somers’ demands for a massive salary increase may have seemed outrageous then but were perhaps merely asked for in the wrong century since her main grievance was actually that she wanted to be paid on par with her male counterpart on the show.
Nevertheless, Somers went on to have a successful career afterward. Aside from career highlights such as posing for Playboy, she became an official spokesperson for the popular ThighMaster exercise product. Later, she found sitcom success again as she had a starring role in the popular ’90s sitcom Step by Step, as well as in shows like Full House, and was one of the hosts of Candid Camera. After over two decades of battling breast cancer, Somers sadly passed away on October 15, 2023, one day before her 77th birthday; her breast cancer had returned earlier in the year.
7 Norman Fell as Stanley Roper
Originally part of the main cast of Three’s Company, Stanley Roper and his on-screen wife, Helen Roper, were both given a spin-off show called The Ropers after season three. Played by Norman Fell, the famous actor had an iconic career in Hollywood, making appearances in over 150 TV shows and films dating back to the 1950s.
Some of his most famous roles include being a part of the original Frank Sinatra-led Ocean’s 11 film back in 1960. At the age of 74, Norman was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. Sadly, in 1998, he passed away less than three weeks after this was discovered.
6 Audra Lindley as Helen Roper
The Ropers were the original owners of the apartment complex where the three roommates from Three’s Company lived together. Audra Lindley played the wife-half of that couple. She joined Norman Fell and kept up their TV marriage in the spin-off show The Ropers.
Audra had uncredited acting roles in films that go back to the 1940s. She was also in the 1972 dark comedy film The Heartbreak Kid. After Three’s Company and The Ropers ended, Lindley made a few sporadic appearances in films until 1997. That same year, she passed away from complications due to suffering from leukemia. She was 79 years old at the time.
5 Richard Kline as Larry Dallas
With an acting career dating back to 1971, Kline’s filmography is too vast to mention in totality since the veteran actor had roles in everything from other famous sitcoms like Family Matters to drama series like The Resident. Even at 79 years old, to date, Kline is still going strong, having most recently had roles in the scripted podcast series Around the Sun.
4 Don Knotts as Ralph Furley
Ralph Furley becomes the owner of the Santa Monica apartment building where the main characters live after his brother acquires it from The Ropers. He often comically portrays himself as a macho ladies’ man despite usually being shorn of actual dates most of the time. Don Knotts played Furley from Seasons 4 to 8 of the show.
Knotts was an American actor and comedian who was most prolific in the acting scene between the ’50s and ’70s, most famous for his role on The Andy Griffith Show. He continued his successful career after Three’s Company right into the early 2000s, when he mostly did voice roles such as that of Mayor Turkey Lurkey in the animated film Chicken Little. Knotts passed away in February 2006 from complications due to lung cancer at the age of 81.
3 Ann Wedgeworth as Lana Shields
Joining the show from Season 4, Lana Shields, was a feisty and provocative older woman who often pursues Jack Tripper in the show, while Ralph Furley pursues her. Her roles in the show often made for some memorably funny episodes, such as when Jack tried his hand at being a male escort to make extra cash.
Ann Wedgeworth, who was once married to Rip Torn and shared a daughter with him, played Lana Shields. Ann was a long-standing film and TV actress who went on to make many more film appearances until her final role in the Paul Giamatti film The Hawk is Dying in 2006. Ann later died from an undisclosed illness at the age of 83.
2 Jenilee Harrison as Cindy Snow
After Suzanne Somers’s departure from the show, Cindy Snow was the character initially brought on to replace hers. Cindy was the first cousin of Chrissy Snow but was slowly phased out of the show after two seasons to make room for Chrissy’s permanent replacement in it.
Cindy was portrayed by actress Jenilee Harrison, who later went on to join the main cast of the iconic show Dallas from 1984 to 1986. She later also made appearances in other shows, such as That ’70s Show.
1 Priscilla Barnes as Terri Alden
In Season 6, Chrissy Snow’s permanent replacement on the show was introduced as a character named Terri Alden. Terri became the new roommate of Jack Tripper and Janet Wood, who remained on the show till it ended. Terri was a nurse who was smart and could be very feisty at times.
The American actress Priscilla Barnes played Terri for three seasons until the show ended in 1984. Barnes is a veteran actress and has a long list of great films and TV series to her name. Some of her notable roles after Three’s Company include her appearance in the 2005 horror film The Devil’s Rejects and her recurring role as Magda Andel on the hit comedy-drama series Jane the Virgin.
