# A "Three's Company" art question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069 "2003-09-02T03:57:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/1 "2003-09-02T03:57:56Z")
Watching Three’s Company, I have always noticed the painting on the wall of the apartment by the front door. It has the word “Life” across the top, and below the word is a female with butterfly wings. Out of all of the episodes that I have seen, I have never seen a good shot of it; always it is just background. The other day in a restaurant, I saw a print on the wall of a female with butterfly wings. It was not the same picture, but had the same stylistic effect. On the print in small wording was “Life by Benda”. Doing a web search for Benda, did not turn up the Three’s Company painting, but did show some of Benda’s works. '20’s art deco. Does anyone know who did the Three’s Company painting? Is it a Benda work, or am I barking up the wrong tree. Anyone have a link to a better shot of it? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/2 "2003-09-02T05:59:58Z")
The picture between the front door and the window, or the picture between the front door and the kitchen door? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/3 "2003-09-02T06:02:36Z")
Oh wait, I think you mean the [picture](http://www.speakeasy.org/~ecf/three.jpg) between the living room window and the _closet_ door. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/4 "2003-09-02T06:28:11Z")
OK, more info. It’s a cover from the old _Life_ magazine. Not the Time Inc. pictorial magazine started in 1936, but an older American humor magazine by the same name, noted for its artistic covers. It was published weekly from 1883 to 1931, and monthly from 1931 to 1936. [The Artists of Life Magazine](http://www.heraldsquarehotel.com/artists.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/5 "2003-09-02T07:24:20Z")
The _Life_ picture was between the window and Jack’s bedroom, not the closet. Did they even have a closet? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/6 "2003-09-02T08:20:19Z")
[View one](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/nickatnitetvlandpromos/threescompanyphotogallery/showgrabs/index9.htm) [View two](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/nickatnitetvlandpromos/threescompanyphotogallery/showgrabs/index11.htm) [View three](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/nickatnitetvlandpromos/threescompanyphotogallery/showgrabs/index13.htm) [View four](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/nickatnitetvlandpromos/threescompanyphotogallery/showgrabs/grabs-223.jpg) [View five](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/nickatnitetvlandpromos/threescompanyphotogallery/showgrabs/newgrabs119.jpg) [View six](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/nickatnitetvlandpromos/threescompanyphotogallery/showgrabs/newgrabs120.jpg) [View seven](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/nickatnitetvlandpromos/threescompanyphotogallery/showgrabs/newgrabs218.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/7 "2003-09-02T12:13:03Z")
For those with slow connections, SIX is the best view. Good work **Walloon**. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/8 "2003-09-02T16:33:23Z")
The _Life_ magazine cover was probably from before 1921, so that it would have been out of copyright in 1977 when _Three’s Company_ premiered (yes, TV shows and movies have to get permission to use copyrighted artwork as set decorations). Copyright terms then were 28 years + 28 years renewal. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/9 "2003-09-02T16:38:39Z")
The real question should be, Terry, Chrissy, or Cindy?(or Janet)? ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/10 "2003-09-02T21:32:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whuckfistle \* > \*\*The real question should be, Terry, Chrissy, or Cindy?(or Janet)? \*\* Janet, dammit. -lv ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/11 "2003-09-02T21:52:27Z")
Ya know, when I first saw the thread title, I _knew_ that this was the piece of art that was in question, as I have wondered it myself for the many years. Great info on it. I’m sure it’s value on eBay just went up 200%. Janet. I’m a sucker for short haired brunettes. **Walloon** - you wouldn’t happen to be from Belgium, would you? ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/12 "2003-09-03T03:18:34Z")
Janet, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/13 "2003-09-03T03:41:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baggins111 \* > \*\ ***Walloon** - you wouldn’t happen to be from Belgium, would you? \*\* _Non_.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aivlys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Aivlys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aivlys)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/14 "2012-06-01T08:25:40Z")
> [@MrTuffPaws](#): > > Does anyone know who did the Three’s Company painting? Is it a Benda work, or am I barking up the wrong tree. Anyone have a link to a better shot of it? [http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnevans/256958608/](http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnevans/256958608/) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/15 "2012-06-01T08:35:15Z")
[Butterfly girls, won’t you come out tonight](http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2009/02/27/butterfly-women/) and revive the zombie thread! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/16 "2012-06-01T11:59:48Z")
> [@Uncommon\_Sense](#): > > The real question should be, Terry, Chrissy, or Cindy?(or Janet)? Answer: Yes. And Mary Ann. And Ginger. Here’s [another image of it](http://www.mortalwombat.com/Special/Life.jpg) ([cite: Google Answers](http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=479786)). ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/17 "2012-06-01T13:24:21Z")
[Buy it now.](http://www.ebay.com/itm/THREES-COMPANY-LIFE-POSTER-THE-FLAPPER-JOHN-RITTER-NEW-/370564964442?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564764a05a) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/18 "2012-06-01T14:04:06Z")
_“I’m going to do for your career what Alan Hamel did for Suzanne Somers!”_ **-Mork from Ork** ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/19 "2012-06-01T14:06:52Z")
Moved to Cafe Society. Please note that this thread is over 8 years old. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069/20 "2012-06-08T13:18:33Z")
Sorry to bump the old thread again, but last night I was watching the 1979 movie _Time After Time_, with Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen, and this picture was hanging on the wall in her apartment. There’s a good shot of it during the break-in by Jack the Ripper. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-threes-company-art-question/199069.md?page=2)