biography

Despite her remarkable appearance, life wasn’t always easy for Suzanne Somers. She was born Suzanne Mahoney in 1946 in San Bruno, California. The young Suzanne battled a lack of self-confidence as she grew up under the emotional abuse of her laborer father, Frank Mahoney. She married college student Bruce Somers shortly after high school and soon gave birth to a son, Bruce Jr. The marriage didn’t last long, due to her affair with a former drama teacher. It was a dark and desperate time for Suzanne. Money was tight and modeling jobs barely produced enough income to support her and her child.

When her career took off, it did it with a bang. Things happened very quickly for the blonde beauty. She landed a role on the game show “The Anniversary Game” which got her foot in the television industry door. It was on that show that she met her future husband, Alan Hamel, who hosted the show. She then won a cameo role in George Lucas’ classic film “American Graffiti” as the gorgeous, mysterious blonde in the white Thunderbird. This role introduced the world to Suzanne and led to an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.”

She then landed the role she has become most well known for. It was in 1977 and she was to play the ditzy, but lovable Chrissy Snow on “Three’s Company.” The sit-com was a huge hit and so was Suzanne. Her sex appeal and comedic timing were remarkable. She stayed with the show for five seasons, ending her stint in 1981. She used her new wide exposure to launch a career in Las Vegas. It was as rewarding as she’d hoped it would be and in 1984, she earned the title of “Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year.”

Since then Suzanne’s career has continued to prosper. She won critical acclaim as a sexy but ruthless screen enchantress in the 1986 hit mini-series “Hollywood Wives” has hosted “The Late Show” on Fox in 87. She stared in three very well received television specials, and played the title character in the syndicated hit series “She’s the Sheriff” from 1987 to 1989. She also went on to have her own hit sit-com once again with Patrick Duffy in “Step by Step.”

Although acting is of great importance to Suzanne it is not her only talent. She has been a popular nightclub performer for the past 19 years as well as being a best selling author. In 1988 she wrote her autobiography, “Keeping Secrets,” in which she wrote of growing up a child of an abusive alcoholic and how it affected her life. She also went on to produce and star in an adaptation of “Keeping Secrets” for an ABC television movie. She has also written diet books and co hosts the new “Candid Camera,” she is also the spokes woman for Thighmaster. She has also stared in a number of feature films including ‘Happily Ever After,” “Nothing Personal,” and “Serial Mom.”

Presently Suzanne, a mother and grandmother now, lives in Los Angeles with her husband/manager, Alan Hamel. Her talent and perseverance is astounding. She has won the Humanitarian Award for the National Council of Alcoholism, and received the Distinguished Achievement in Public Service Award from the U.S. Department of Health and human Services. She has also served two terms as National Honorary Chair person of the National Association of Children of Alcoholics, and most notably was named as the first lay person to the American Psychiatric Foundation’s board of directors. She is also the founder of the Suzanne Somers Institute for the Effects of Addictions on the Family.