Suzanne Somers, Three's Company and Step by Step star, dies at 76

Suzanne Somers, actress, author, singer, and businesswoman best known for her roles in Three's Company and Step by Step, has died.

Somers died on Sunday morning, EW can confirm. She was 76.

In a statement from R. Couri Hay, her longtime publicist, he writes the star "passed away peacefully at home" a day before her 77th birthday. "Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly."

Hay also noted a private family burial will take place this week, with a memorial to follow next month.

Somers was born on October 16, 1946 and began acting in the late '60s and early '70s. Her big break would come in 1977 when she landed the role of Chrissy Snow on the ABC sitcom Three's Company. In 1978 she won a People's Choice Award for "Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Program," and one year after that, she'd land a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

With her career taking off, Somers appeared on a number of talk shows and became known as an international sex symbol. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, in 1980, Somers asked ABC for a raise that would take her salary from $30,000 to $150,000, which would match what her co-star John Ritter was making. After a battle in which Somers missed a couple episodes of the show, ABC terminated her contract. "Getting fired for asking for a raise wasn't fair, but I landed on my feet and I've done OK," Somers told THR in 2015.

After Three's Company, Somers appeared in Playboy and became the spokesperson for the Thighmaster. She wouldn't make a major return to TV until 1991 when she landed a role in Step by Step, part of ABC's TGIF lineup.

After Step by Step ended in 1998, Somers would go on to co-host and host various talk shows. Over the years, she also authored a number of books, including two autobiographies and many more on health and beauty. She also wrote about her experience with breast cancer. She was diagnosed in 2000 and became known for her unconventional treatment choices. Somers went on to launch Suzanne Organics, her own line of skin care and cosmetics after surviving an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years

In 2015, Somers appeared on the 20th season of Dancing With the Stars.

She's survived by her husband, Alan Hamel, her son Bruce from a previous marriage, and immediate family.

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