Suzanne Somers Nude was an American actress best known for her role as Chrissy Snow on the popular sitcom Three’s Company. Throughout her career, she became a familiar television personality, author and wellness entrepreneur. One lesser-known chapter of her life involved nude photographs published by Playboy, which sparked controversy and became an important part of her public story.
The subject attracted attention for different reasons, particularly because the first photographs were published without her permission. Years later, Somers made a separate decision to pose for the magazine again, this time under conditions she negotiated herself.
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Did Suzanne Somers Nude for Playboy?
Yes. Suzanne Somers appeared in Playboy nude pictorials in 1980 and 1984, but the circumstances surrounding the two publications were different.
The first photographs were taken in 1970 when Somers was a young model and aspiring actress. According to historical reporting by United Press International, she was upset when the magazine published those photographs in 1980 without her consent.
In 1984, Somers agreed to another photoshoot after discussing the decision with her husband and manager, Alan Hamel. She negotiated greater control over the photographer, poses and selection of the final images. The December 1984 issue featuring her pictorial became a major commercial success for the magazine.
Why Were Suzanne Somers’ Nude Photos Controversial?
The controversy began when Playboy published photographs from a test photoshoot that had taken place approximately a decade earlier.
Somers said she had understood the original session differently and was angry that the photographs appeared without her approval. At the time, she was known for her television work, and she worried that the publication could affect her acting career and public image.
She took legal action against the magazine and reached an out-of-court settlement. Contemporary reporting from UPI stated that the settlement was $50,000, which Somers donated to charity.
The episode raised questions about consent, control over personal photographs and the way entertainment publications handled images of celebrities. It also showed how a publication decision could affect an actress’s professional reputation and private life.
Why Did Suzanne Somers Agree to Pose Again in 1984?
Somers’ decision to return to Playboy was different from the earlier controversy. By 1984, she had established herself as a successful entertainer and was performing regularly in Las Vegas.
In an interview reported by UPI, Somers explained that she wanted more control over how the photographs were produced and presented. She and Hamel discussed the offer before she accepted it.
She selected photographer Richard Fegley and negotiated control over the shoot and the final images. This arrangement gave her a greater say in how she would be portrayed.
The December 1984 pictorial sold exceptionally well, according to a contemporary UPI report. Its commercial success made the photoshoot one of the most widely discussed moments in her public career.
Suzanne Somers’ Career Before and After the Photoshoots
Although the Playboy controversy attracted substantial attention, Somers was much more than a magazine model. Her major television breakthrough came with Three’s Company, where she played Chrissy Snow.
She later starred in She’s the Sheriff and Step by Step. She also became a successful author and television personality, writing books about health, fitness and aging.
Somers developed a business career outside acting, including her association with the ThighMaster fitness product. Her work in television, publishing and wellness helped define her public identity over several decades.
The photographs remain a notable part of her biography, but they represent only one aspect of a long career in entertainment and business.
Suzanne Somers and Her Views on Aging
Somers frequently spoke about confidence, beauty and growing older. In her later years, she discussed aging openly and shared photographs that reflected her personal approach to body confidence.
Her interest in wellness and healthy living also became central to her books and public appearances. These subjects helped her connect with audiences beyond the television viewers who first knew her from Three’s Company.
Her career illustrates how a celebrity’s public image can change over time, particularly when an early controversy becomes part of a much longer personal and professional story.
When Did Suzanne Somers Die?
Suzanne Somers died on October 15, 2023, at the age of 76, after living with breast cancer. She was remembered for her sitcom roles, business ventures, books and decades of work in entertainment. The Television Academy’s biography records her death and highlights her career in Three’s Company, She’s the Sheriff and Step by Step.
Her legacy includes both her achievements in television and her work as an entrepreneur and author. Her experiences with the Playboy photographs also remain part of the wider discussion about celebrity privacy and consent.
Conclusion
Suzanne Somers’ nude photographs became a significant subject in entertainment history because the first set was published without her consent, leading to a legal dispute with Playboy. In 1984, she made a separate and more controlled decision to pose for the magazine again.
Her story involves more than the photographs themselves. Somers built a lasting career as an actress, author and businesswoman, and her work continued long after her early television success. Understanding the context behind the pictorials provides a more complete picture of her life and career.