 Jenilee Harrison appeared in 32 episodes of "Three's Company, initially replacing Suzanne Summers.Source: https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/40352/jenilee-harrison-threes-company-whatever-happened-to/ (May be subject to copyright) |
History is full of stories about stars who left TV shows, either leaving on their own, were fired or forced out, and what happened afterwards.
In some cases, the star is straight up replaced by another actor. Sometimes that works, but sometimes it simply does not. There are a variety of reasons if it doesn’t work – expectations were too high, they were too much like their predecessor, they weren’t enough like their predecessor, or maybe they just weren’t very good. If it does work, it could be for some of those same reasons – they were like their predecessor, they were totally different from their predecessor, or they were effective and engaging in their own right.
When I was growing up, one of the first examples I saw of that occurred in the three-ring circus known as “Three’s Company”.
In this case, star Suzanne Summers demanded a re-negotiated contract. Instead, the show marginalized her then outright got rid of her.
Into the void left by Suzanne Summers stepped newcomer Jenilee Harrison.
It is Harrison’s birthday today, offering a great opportunity to look back at her career beyond just “Three’s Company”.
Cheerleader to actor
Jenilee Harrison was a Los Angeles Rams cheerleader from 1978 to 1980 before she got into acting.
Jenilee Harrison was a Los Angeles Rams cheerleader from 1978 to 1980 before she got into acting.
She actually started acting with guest spots in “CHiPs” and “240-Robert” before she got her big break on “Three’s Company”.
Shortlived sitcom
It’s sad what happened to Jenilee Harrison. In 1980 she was cast to replace Suzanne Summers on “Three’s Company”. She would play Cindy Snow, the cousin of Summers’ character Chrissy. She was not quite as dense as Chrissy, but made up for it with her clumsiness. She always seemed to be dropping, running into, or colliding with something that made Jack Tripper’s life more difficult.
It’s sad what happened to Jenilee Harrison. In 1980 she was cast to replace Suzanne Summers on “Three’s Company”. She would play Cindy Snow, the cousin of Summers’ character Chrissy. She was not quite as dense as Chrissy, but made up for it with her clumsiness. She always seemed to be dropping, running into, or colliding with something that made Jack Tripper’s life more difficult.
However, the ratings were not great with Harrison. Consequently, she too was marginalized, replaced by Priscilla Barnes. She played Teri Alden, a nurse, who would become the new roommate to Jack Tripper and Janet Wood for the duration of the series.
]Jenilee Harrison appeared in just 32 episodes of “Three’s Company”.
However, her career was far from an asterisk.
Staying busy
Jenilee Harrison stayed busy with a number of guest roles on TV shows in the ‘80s including three separate appearance on episodes of “The Love Boat”, as well as the TV special “The Love Boat: Who Killed Maxwell Thorn?”; three separate episodes of “Fantasy Island”; the TV movie “Malibu”; an episode of “Bring ‘Em Back Alive”; two separate episodes of “The New Mike Hammer”; and the theatrical release “Tank”.
Jenilee Harrison stayed busy with a number of guest roles on TV shows in the ‘80s including three separate appearance on episodes of “The Love Boat”, as well as the TV special “The Love Boat: Who Killed Maxwell Thorn?”; three separate episodes of “Fantasy Island”; the TV movie “Malibu”; an episode of “Bring ‘Em Back Alive”; two separate episodes of “The New Mike Hammer”; and the theatrical release “Tank”.
She would land another role on network TV in 1984 as Jamie Ewing on “Dallas”. She played the cousin of J.R. and Bobby Ewing, and I totally forgot this role. By then, I was watching “Dallas” less and less. I eventually watched the entire run of the show in 1997 and 1998 on TNN, and recall Harrison’s role more vividly. She ended up playing Jamie Ewing more than twice as long as she played Cindy Snow. From 1984 to 1986 Harrison appeared in 69 episodes of “Dallas”.
She also continued to have guest starring roles in “Simon and Simon”; “Hotel”; “Murder, She Wrote”; and “She’s the Sheriff”, opposite ironically, Suzanne Summers.
Jenilee Harrison’s career peaked in the ‘80s. In the succeeding years she appeared in a few TV movies, an episode of “That ‘70s Show” in 1999; and her last role was in a TV movie in 2002.
Wikipedia reveals she left show business after that to focus on her real estate investments, caring for animals, and car racing.
Parting thoughts
There may not have been a more turbulent TV show behind the scenes than “Three’s Company”. Not only was there the drama surrounding Suzanne Summers, but the carousel of replacements for her. There was also the classless way the producers ended that show for actors such as Joyce DeWitt, Richard Kline and Don Knotts, but created a new vehicle for John Ritter called “Three’s A Crowd”.
There may not have been a more turbulent TV show behind the scenes than “Three’s Company”. Not only was there the drama surrounding Suzanne Summers, but the carousel of replacements for her. There was also the classless way the producers ended that show for actors such as Joyce DeWitt, Richard Kline and Don Knotts, but created a new vehicle for John Ritter called “Three’s A Crowd”.
It saddens me that Jenilee Harrison got caught up in that maelstrom. However, given the amount of work she had after that, including a 69-episode stint on the most popular night-time soap opera of the decade, she was pretty resilient.
I am glad she landed on her feet after “Three’s Company”, and even happier she left show business on her own terms.
Not everyone can do or say either of those things.
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