Joyce DeWitt is one of the most well-liked television actresses that’s best known for her incredible portrayal of the character Janet Wood in the ABC sitcom “Three’s Company”. She spent a little over seven years as one of the main cast members of the sitcom and proved to be a real gift to the show and its audiences. After her exit from the hit series, she continued to act in various films and television series. But what exactly happened to this television actress and her career? In today’s video, we are going to check out everything there is about Joyce, her past and present life, and how she abruptly ended her acting career. But is it officially over?
Apart from her emblematic role in “Three’s Company”, Joyce has taken part in multiple film and television shows. Her acting debut came in the mid-1970s series “Baretta”, where she had a small supporting role. After the ABC sitcom had ended, she was very active and worked in many productions. Some of her most popular recurring roles are in the series “The Ropers”, “The Love Boat”, and “Cybil”. If you were a fan of the actress and are excited to learn more about her and where she is now, then keep on watching.
Who is Joyce DeWitt?
Joyce Anne DeWitt is an American film and television actress that is popular for playing Janet Wood in “Three’s Company”. She was born on April 23, 1949, in Wheeling, West Virginia. She’s the daughter of Paul and Norma DeWitt and has three older siblings – two brothers named Douglas and David and one sister, Ruth. Joyce’s family moved when she was just five years old to the small town of Speedway, Indiana, a northern suburb of Indianapolis.
She began her acting career at the age of thirteen by taking part in various ads and commercials for foods, clothes, and shoes. Towards the 1960s Joyce ventured into theatre plays and productions. Despite the many rumors on the internet, she was never mentored by actor Abe Vigoda and the two never even met. In 1975, the young actress landed her first role on television in the series “Baretta”. That year, she also starred in “Most Wanted”. Even though these were only small and supporting roles, they both helped her launch her career.
Becoming a main cast member of “Three’s Company” as Janet Wood
Joyce DeWitt gained international popularity in 1977 after she was announced as one of the leading cast members of “Three’s Company”. The classic sitcom aired on ABC from March 1977 to September 1984. In the series, Joyce began rooming with other rising stars in the film industry, Suzanne Somers and John Ritter. It focused on the three main cast members that were residents of the fictional Apartment 201 in Santa Monica, California. Everything was going well until the cast experienced a falling out and Joyce felt betrayed and left out by her colleagues.
Janet Wood instantly became a fan favorite thanks to her spunky personality, funky style, and especially because of her eye for pretty things. During her tenure on the show, she worked and managed the “Arcade Flower Shop”. Janet was portrayed as the intelligent, reliable, and responsible roommate as opposed to her ditzy blonde counterpart, Chrissy Snow. The florist brought a calmness to the always buzzing and chaotic apartment that she shared with Jack and Chrissy. But just like many successful projects, this one included a lot of controversies.
The main controversy surrounding the show was Suzanne Somers, because of whom the cast experienced a huge falling out. Somers disputed her pay in the early 1980s, especially after her character became a media icon and elevated her a rich television superstar. She questioned her salary and expected to receive equal or greater earnings than that of John Ritter, the main male star of the show. To prove the difference in question, by the fifth season of “Three’s Company”, Somers was receiving $30,.000 while Ritter was earning $150,.000 per episode. Eventually, after multiple protests and fights, she and the show parted ways.
After she left the show, Somers’ character was replaced by her fictional cousin, Cindy Snow. The departure caused a rift between all three castmates and despite being media sensations, they didn’t communicate with each other. Luckily, Suzanne was able to reconnect with John Ritter just before he sadly passed away. A few years later, she rebuilt the bridges between herself and Joyce DeWitt through her online show “Breaking Through”. But in addition to these differences there was also another thing that caused deception between Joyce DeWitt and John Ritter and that’s the creation of athe spin-off titled “Three’s A Crowd”.
When “Three’s Company” was coming to an end, it was revealed that the directors and producers were working on a spin-off titled “Three’s a Crowd”. To the surprise of its fans, the spin-off included only Jack Ritter’s character and nothing about his former roommates, Chrissy or Janet. It was reported via numerous sources that DeWitt felt betrayed and left out for not being given a role, even in a single episode. It was also heartbreaking for her to find out about this from Vicky Crawford, who played the role of Mary Cadorette and whose character was introduced at the end of “Three’s Company”. The spin-off continuation aired on ABC immediately after the finale of “Three’s Company” and, just as expected, it didn’t do well on the ratings. Therefore, it was canceled right after its first season.
The post “Three’s Company” acting career of Joyce DeWitt
What happened to Janet Wood after the widely popular ABC sitcom had ended? Did she permanently retire from acting or is she still performing on television programs? Well, the answer is both yes and no. If you want to learn more about the theater actress turned Hollywood star, then keep on watching. Also, if you are enjoying this video, please press the like button and subscribe to our channel, Facts Verse, for more informative videos about celebrities and public figures from the show business.
In the early 1980s, after the show’s conclusion, Joyce had a brief role in an episode of “Finder of Lost Dove”. She was later given an opportunity to star in this and other shows such as “The Rappers”, “All in the Family”, “Maude”, and “She’s The Sheriff”. Ultimately, due to a lot of issues in her personal life, the television star decided to quit acting for several years. She resumed her acting in June 1991, when she took part in the production of “Noises Off” at the Cherry County Playhouse in Michigan. A few years later, she returned to television and appeared in the comedy film “Spring Fling”. In the late years of the century, the actress had a small role in the CBS sitcom “Cybill”, followed by two appearances on “Living Single” and “Twitch City” as herself.
DeWitt started the new millennium with several guest appearances on “The First Fifty Years”, and “The Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals”, where she was asked about working with Suzanne Somers and John Ritter. She was interviewed about her experience on the classic sitcom, the drama between her and her castmates, and what it felt like to finally rise to popularity. Around the same time, she performed in “Hope Island” and the “Nick at Night Holiday Special”. Starting in the 2000s, she has been mostly appearing on reality showsies, television specials, and documentaries rather than acting in films or television series.
In 2003, the television star made her debut as a producer in the 2003 NBC-TV television film “Behind the Camera: The Unauthorised and Untold Story of Three’s Company” that she also hosted. The NBC documentary followed the success of the sitcom and the interpersonal conflicts that occurred among its cast and staff. Melanie Paxson was chosen to portray Joyce DeWitt. Other films and television specials that she directed and earned parts in are “Failing Better Now” and “Married Alive”.
Throughout the past two decades, Joyce DeWitt occasionally starred in films and TV series. Her most notable appearances were in the feature films “Call of the Wild”, “Falling Better Now”, “Snapshot”, and “My Boyfriend’s Dog”. She also returned to the theater and performed in several plays and stage productions – “Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating”, “Dinner with Friends”, and “Love Letters”. Her most recent performance in a stage production is from 2019 in “Nonsense”.
Apart from her occasional acting ventures and many guest appearances on television, DeWitt has been consistently doing charity work. Presently, she’s associated with philanthropy and social activities alongside the members of the House and Senate. Her charity work includes hosting presentations for The Hollywood Family Assistance Program, the International Awards Ceremony at the White House, and the World Food Day Gala alongside Jeff Bridges.
Well, that’s everything about Joyce DeWitt. In many people’s eyes, she was considered to be a star, especially after she highly praised work on “Three’s Company”. However, quitting acting played an important role in her downfall. Regardless, her name has continuously been highlighted by the media outlets, and to this day, she continues to do what she loves. How do you feel about Joyce DeWitt? Do you think she could’ve saved “Three’s a Crowd” by being included in the cast? Please let us know in the comments section below. And if you enjoyed the video, make sure you click the like button and subscribe to Facts Verse for more videos like this.
