4 pages in and not one mention of the Regal Beagle? For shame. I reference that place probably once a week, usually to blank stares.
I remember watching it when it was new and liking it. Tried watching a rerun awhile back and thought it stunk. Agree Priscilla Barnes was a better comedy actor. Jenny Lee Harrison was eye candy and never really fit IMHO
Don Knotts peaked with Andy Griffith. The Threes Company character was just an over exaggeration of Barney Fife.
Aw, gimme a break with that crap. Ritter was the star of the show ; didn't matter which girls were surrounding him. He was the comedic great and the reason why it stayed afloat regardless of the continuous cast changes. Obviously, the star of the show is treated differently than peripherally important characters/actors. Has nothing to do with sexism whatsoever. As for the contract negotiations, you have a lot to read about if you actually believe what you typed. There are a number of reasons why she was removed from the show. Do your research instead of falling back on "isms" of the year.
Nice of you to so casually dismiss the sexism talked about by the three women. It's attitudes like that that is partly the reason for why things are still so messed up.
If a woman cuts me off while I'm driving and puts on the breaks, I'll be mad and give the finger but it won't be because it's a woman ; it's because that person (whoever that is) did something stupid and dangerous. People like you are the problem, turning a complete blind eye to context. Then, there's the immediate lack of common sense which always afflict your type. You think that an actor with a one-line part on, say, Frasier would be treated the same way as Kelsey Grammer? If you answer "yes", you live in a dream world.
Not to jump in the middle of this, but I think you both have good points. Was there sexism involved in the treatment of Somers and the others? Probably. Was Ritter THE star of the show? Without question.
Oh no doubt, and was paid well for it. But to so causally dismiss claims of sexism as if it's a made up thing is just plain dumb. The fact the women in general get paid (substantially) less then men for the exact same jobs means it's still a problem, and shouldn't just be dismissed so casually, especially with such dripping condescension.
According to E!'s "Hollywood True Story" episode on "Three's Company", the contracts were written that if either Somers or DeWitt got a raise, the other actress will get the same raise. On top of that, Ritter's contract stated that he would be the highest paid actor on the series. So.....if Somers got $150,000/episode (forget about the profit sharing for a moment), then DeWitt would also get $150,000/episode. Assuming Ritter "settles" for a raise to $200,000/episode, we are looking at $500,000/episode for just the 3 lead actors. This is before any possible raises for Norman Fell and Audra Lindley.
I wrote above that the actresses felt the producers were sexist and (which is different from my saying that the producers were sexist). All material below is from Chris Mann’s Come and Knock on Our Door book: Three’s Company writer Michael Baser said, “I think [executive producers] Mickey [Ross] and Bernie [West] treated her like a naughty child. I think they took a certain amount of pleasure in screwing her.” Somers, on Dewitt’s treatment toward the end of the series, “The fact that they gave John special treatment wasn’t fair, wasn’t right.” DeWitt: “They [the producers] were very unsympathetic and unsupportive. They would try to blame it on us, saying ‘Oh, the girls have a problem.’ It was very convenient for them to say that because then they wouldn’t have to deal with the issue at all. I’m sure all of the women on the show would tell you have difficult it was to deal with them.” Writer Bill Richmond said to a Three’s Company executive about Somers’ Vegas show, “She’s a nice lady and has a warm personality and you really warm up to her. According to Richmond, the executive in response “called Somers a four-letter word that Chrissy Snow probably had never heard before in her life.” Take your own advice. And note that nowhere did I say that Somers should have gotten the 150K. I do believe the leads on a syndication blockbuster like TC should get backend points.
Your argument falls apart when you realize the show is called “Three’s Company” and not “Jack” or “Jack Tripper”. Kelsey Grammer played the title character so naturally a walk-on part wouldn’t be treated the same.
I never, ever watched Friends. Seemed like another one of those yuppie shows I cannot relate to on any level.
Or the one where Janet thought Jack was sleeping with Chrissy. Too bad they didn't have one where Mr. Roper or jack thought Janet and Chrissy were sleeping together. It's a shame that in 2020 we are still using euphemisms like "sleep together". I'm waiting for someone to use the term "in the family way" again.
Links would help. I don't think Strat is dismissing anything. We just have never seen any evidence of what you've written. For myself, I was around during the show's initial run, and remember the controversy well. Sure, there was probably a bit of sexism there, as this was the 70s, and men typically made more money than women. It was always what was in thye contract. Unless you know Strat personally, I don't think you can accuse him of being sexist. What I remember is that it was all about a power play for more money, and the producers called her bluff. Again, bring some proof. Anyone who watched the show on a regular basis knew that John Ritter was the real star of the show. He was the most talented of the cast. But, like I said, the success of the show was because of the ensemble. All of them worked so well together.
