Three's Company

Three's Company was a highly successful American television sitcom. It aired on the ABC network for eight seasons. The show ran from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984. It is categorized as a farce. A farce is a type of comedy that relies on silly mistakes and hijinks. The plot often centers on constant misunderstandings and social struggles.

The series follows three single roommates living in Santa Monica, California. Jack Tripper is a culinary student. Janet Wood works as a florist. Chrissy Snow works as a secretary. They share a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. The building is owned by Stanley and Helen Roper. The roommates live platonically, meaning they are just friends. However, the landlord Stanley Roper refuses to let unmarried men and women live together. To solve this, Janet tells Stanley that Jack is homosexual. Helen Roper realizes Jack is actually straight. She chooses to keep the secret to help the roommates.

Developing the show involved several different versions. It was based on a British sitcom called Man About the House. A writer named Peter Stone first tried to Americanize the concept. He originally set the story in New York. He envisioned the characters as a chef, a secretary, and a high-fashion model. ABC executive Fred Silverman rejected this idea. He believed middle America would not enjoy that concept. He asked Larry Gelbart to help develop the series. Gelbart created a pilot set in Hollywood. In that version, the male roommate was a filmmaker named David Bell.

Producers eventually hired Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, and Bernie West to remake the pilot. They moved the setting to Santa Monica. They changed the male character to Jack Tripper, a cooking student. The characters Janet and Chrissy were also established during this stage. The production team struggled to find the right actress for Chrissy. Suzanne Somers was eventually chosen after Fred Silverman saw her audition tape. This third version of the pilot was filmed in January 1977. ABC accepted this version and scheduled it for a mid-season debut in March 1977.

The show experienced many cast changes over its eight-year run. In 1979, the Ropers left to star in their own spin-off called The Ropers. This new series lasted for one and a half seasons. Another spin-off, Three's a Crowd, was also created. During the fourth season, Don Knotts joined as Ralph Furley. He played the new building manager. Other characters like Lana Shields and Cindy Snow appeared for limited times. When Chrissy Snow left the show, Terri Alden joined the cast. These changes helped the show continue through different stages of its history.

Filming the show required a very strict and organized schedule. The cast received their scripts every Monday. They rehearsed from Tuesday through Thursday. The actual shooting happened on Fridays. They used a three-camera setup to film the episodes. Each episode was often shot two consecutive times. This was done using different audiences. Producers were very controlling regarding the actors' appearances. One actress noted that even her hair color was monitored.

Production also utilized several real-world locations. Some scenes were filmed at the Santa Monica Pier. The opening credits featured the trio riding bumper cars on the boardwalk. Other sequences were filmed at the Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park. These scenes showed the characters riding a zoo tram. A young boy named Jason Ritter appeared in a zoo scene. He is the oldest son of actor John Ritter. The exterior shots of the apartment building were filmed at 2912 4th Street in Santa Monica.

Three's Company was a significant hit for ABC. It remained a top-10 hit from 1977 to 1983. The show's popularity continued through syndication and DVD releases. It was one of only two new sitcoms from the 1976–77 season to return for a second season. The series' success helped define the sitcom genre for many years. It showed how a simple premise could create lasting entertainment through character interaction and comedic timing.