What Is Joyce DeWitt's Net Worth?
Joyce DeWitt is an American actress who has a net worth of $4 million. Joyce Dewitt is best known for her long-standing role in the sitcom, "Three's Company." She appeared in 171 of the show's 172 episodes across eight seasons between 1977 and 1984.
It's often reported that Joyce DeWitt left show business after the end of "Three's Company." According to some reports, she left the industry because of poor treatment from producers. However, these rumors are not entirely accurate. Joyce has continued to act in various feature films and television shows throughout the years.
"Three's Company" Salary & Suzanne Somers Feud
Joyce and her "Three's Company" co-star Suzanne Somers had an infamous falling out after a salary dispute waged by Somers in the fifth season of the series. During the first season of the show, both actresses were paid $3,500 per episode.
After the fourth season, Suzanne and Joyce had been offered salary raises to $30,000 per episode. Joyce accepted, but Suzanne rejected the offer. In her counter, Suzanne demanded $150,000 per episode, the same being paid to John Ritter, AND 10% of the show's back-end profits. Producers wrote her off the show. While the negotiations were dragging on, Joyce and the other cast members gave Suzanne the cold shoulder. They were both angry at her seemingly greedy demands AND for putting the show at risk. Suzanne was furious at Joyce and refused to speak to her for many years from that point on, even after repeated overtures from DeWitt. They finally reunited in 2012, after not speaking for 31 years, on an episode of Suzanne's show "Suzanne Somers: Breaking Through," on which they discussed their conflict and their late former co-star Ritter.
Assuming Joyce continued to earn $30,000 per episode for seasons 5, 6, 7, and 8, that would have been 94 total episodes and $2.8 million in earnings. Earning $30,000 per episode in the early 1980s is the same as earning $112,000 per episode today. Earning $2.8 million over those years is the same as earning $10.5 million today.
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Early Life
Joyce DeWitt was born on April 23, 1949, in Wheeling, West Virginia. She is the daughter of Paul and Norma DeWitt, and she grew up in the Indianapolis suburb of Speedway, Indiana. Joyce is of Italian descent on her mother's side and Dutch on her father's side. While attending Speedway Senior High School, she worked a side job at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ticket office.
DeWitt first caught the acting bug while competing in speech and debate events through the Indiana High School Forensic Association. Her first appearance on stage was at age 13, and she fell in love immediately. Joyce got a bachelor's degree in theater from Ball State University and moved to California to try and pursue an acting career. While there, she earned her master's degree from the University of California, graduating in 1974. During college, DeWitt paid the bills by working as a secretary.
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Career
A theater performer since childhood, DeWitt started to consider acting as a profession after earning her master's at UCLA. She made her debut with a small appearance on the series "Baretta," and soon she was asked to audition for one of two different comedy pilots.
Her big breakthrough came when she was cast as Janet Wood on the series "Three's Company," which premiered in 1977 and became a massive hit. "Three's Company" ultimately ran for eight seasons and, at its height, was being watched by 20 million people each week. Joyce appeared in 171 of the show's 172 episodes between 1977 and 1984. She also portrayed Janet in the spinoff series "The Ropers" in 1979. Later that year, DeWitt appeared on an episode of "The Love Boat."
DeWitt appeared in an episode of "Finder of Lost Loves" after the run of "Three's Company" ended. She then quit acting for several years and only resumed in 1991 with a part on the stage production of "Noises Off" at Michigan's Cherry County Playhouse. Later, Joyce appeared in the 1995 TV comedy film "Spring Fling!" In the late nineties, she made guest appearances as herself on the shows "Living Single," "Twitch," and "Cybil."
In the 2000s, Joyce appeared in TV shows "Hope Island" and "The Nick at Nite Holiday Special." In 2009, DeWitt appeared in the adventure film "Call of the Wild."
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In 2003, DeWitt co-produced and hosted 2003's "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company." Actress Melanie Paxson portrayed Joyce in the movie. In 2008, DeWitt starred in the indie film "Failing Better Now." The following year, DeWitt starred in "Married Alive," a stage production in Calgary, Canada. Joyce starred in a New York City production of the play "Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating & Marriage" in 2011. That same year, she was in the Canadian Stage Production of "Dinner with Friends" at the Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton. DeWitt appeared in two stage productions of "Love Letters" in 2012, opposite Tab Hunter and Tony Dow.
DeWitt made a landmark appearance on Suzanne Somer's talk show at the time ("Suzanne Somers: Breaking Through") in 2012, where the two chatted and looked back on their time on "Three's Company" together and exchanged stories about the last time they saw or spoke to their beloved co-star John Ritter, who had tragically passed away from an aortic dissection in 2003. Somers addressed a major falling out that arose between her and Joyce during their time working together, mainly due to a salary dispute. Joyce's appearance on the show marked the first time the two had seen or spoken to each other in 31 years.
In 2018, DeWitt appeared yet again on stage, playing Mother Superior in "Nunsense" at the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse in New Jersey. Later that year, she landed the role of Detective Randi Toney in the film "The Savant." Other films and works of DeWitt include "The Great Fight," "Snapshot," "My Boyfriend's Dogs," and "Rock Story."
Charity
DeWitt is very active in charity, participating with members of the House and Senate at the Capitol Hill Forum on Hunger and Homelessness. She also has hosted presentations fo the Family Assistance Program in Hollywood. Joyce hosted the International Awards Ceremony for the Presidential End Hunger Awards at the White House. DeWitt also co-hosted, along with Jeff Bridges, the World Food Day Gala at the Kennedy Center.
Personal Life
Joyce has never been married and has always been very private about her personal life, particularly during her time in the spotlight. She once dated Randolph Mantooth, and she was in a relationship with actor/director Ray Buktenica from 1973 to 1980.
DeWitt was arrested for drunk driving in El Segundo, California, on July 4, 2009. Police pulled her over after she drove past a barricade near a park, and she was arrested after she exhibited signs that she had been drinking and subsequently failed the sobriety test she was given. She was booked and cited but released after she paid her own bond. On May 27, 2010, DeWitt pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and was placed on three years' probation. She was also ordered to undergo a nine-month alcohol addiction program. She was also ordered to pay a $510 fine. A second misdemeanor count was dismissed in exchange for her no contest plea.
