Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company

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Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company
Behind the Camera-The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company.jpg
Melanie (Joyce), Jud (Suzanne) and Bret (John)
Directed by Jason Ensler
Written byElisa Bell
Produced byStanley M. Brooks
Starring Joyce DeWitt
Daniel Roebuck
Wallace Langham
Bret Anthony
Melanie Paxson
Jud Tylor
Christopher Shyer
Brian Dennehy
Narrated by Joyce DeWitt
CinematographyBrian Pearson
Edited bySandra Montiel
Music byAdam Cohen
Distributed by NBC
Release date
  • May 12, 2003 (2003-05-12)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company is a 2003 American made-for-television comedy-drama film made by NBC, documenting the success of the sitcom Three's Company , as well as the interpersonal conflicts that occurred among its staff and cast. Former Three's Company cast member Joyce DeWitt served as co-producer and host.

Contents

Cast

Plot

The movie jumps from the second season to the fifth, covering the time when conflict arose between the producers and cast versus Suzanne Somers and her management, which sought greater visibility and more money for Somers. It then jumps to season eight to cover the end of the series. The original script focused more heavily on the negative side of the production of the show before Joyce DeWitt's involvement added focus on the good times. [1] DeWitt was helped by John Ritter, who saw the final cut of the movie before he died. Suzanne Somers was also contacted and gave some input. Somers and DeWitt were not on speaking terms with one another during the production or promotion of the film. In fact, they did not speak with each other until a February 2012 discussion on Somers' Internet show.

DateEvent
November 1975American producer Donald L. Taffner and partner Ted Bergmann try to sell the idea to make an American version of the Thames Television show in the UK Man About the House to various TV stations.
January 1976New ABC programming chief Fred Silverman looks for a risque television show and finds Three's Company.
January 28, 1977Taping of the first show.
March 15, 1977First broadcast.
May 1977First season wrap party.
November 1977Somers asks Jay Bernstein to manage her career and try to make her the next Farrah Fawcett.
February 1979Somers tries to get a new deal with CBS for her own show.
July 1979While filming Nothing Personal, Somers calls Bernstein to fire him.
October 1980 Alan Hamel, now managing Somers' career, attempts deal with ABC to boost Somers' salary by 500%.
October 21, 1980Somers fakes a cracked rib and misses the taping.
November 2, 1980Somers misses her second taping.
November 9, 1980Somers misses her third taping.
November 20, 1980Producers make Somers tape separately from the rest of the cast for the first time. Her character Chrissy is then usually seen talking on the phone to Jack or Janet from another location.
January 18, 1981Somers appears on The Phil Donahue Show .
March 1981Somers receives a threat of possible legal action against her from ABC about using the Chrissy character in a Las Vegas act.
April 2, 1981Somers is fired from ABC.
May 1982Because of the ABC legal threat, Somers learns that her CBS deal is canceled because the use of the Chrissy character may also bring legal action against CBS.
November 1983Hamel fails to convince the producers that Suzanne would be perfect to play Jack Tripper's wife in the Three's a Crowd spin-off.
February 17, 1984Final taping of the show.

Events discrepancies

The movie presents multiple inaccuracies:

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References

  1. "Joyce DeWitt's comment on the production". Archived from the original on December 31, 2007. Retrieved April 10, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. "Three's Company history from the official site". Archived from the original on 2007-07-19. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  3. Suzanne Somers' personal life.
  4. Bonus features interview of Three's Company fifth season DVD release