So as we all found out from a recent thread, there is a new Three’s Company movie in the works. Let’s help the producers cast this upcoming period film with modern-day actors.
To refresh everyone’s memory, Three’s Company revolves around three young, single roommates—two women and a man—sharing a Santa Monica apartment in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The landlords, ever mindful of propriety, are adamant that unmarried men and women should not live together. They make a special exception for the three protagonists only because they are deceived into believing that the man is gay. The show is a comedy of errors, most of the humour arising from cases of mistaken identity and of overheard conversations being misconstrued.
Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to nominate modern actors for the following roles:
[ul]
[li]Jack Tripper, an affable but slightly clumsy cooking student who shares an apartment with two young women, Janet and Chrissy. His bachelor lifestyle is frequently frustrated by his need to maintain his cover as an openly gay man. Played in the original series by John Ritter.[/li][li]Janet Wood, a level-headed brunette who works at a flower shop. Originally played by Joyce DeWitt.[/li][li]Chrissy Snow, a blond-haired, airheaded office secretary. Originally played by Suzanne Somers.[/li][li]Stanley Roper, the trio’s hard-nosed, middle-aged landlord and downstairs neighbour. Though tolerant of Jack’s alleged homosexuality, he frequently mocks him for it. For his part, Mr. Roper seems completely averse to sex, at least with his wife. Played in the original series by Norman Fell.[/li][li]Helen Roper, Mr. Roper’s long-suffering, muumuu-wearing wife. She figures out early on that Jack isn’t really gay, but sympathizes with him and so keeps this information from her husband. Audra Lindley in the original series.[/li][li]Larry Dallas, the trio’s upstairs neighbour and Jack’s best friend. Larry is a smooth-talking used car salesman. He lives the life of a swinging bachelor and comes from a large Greek family. Role originated by Richard Kline.[/li][li]Ralph Furley, who replaces the Ropers as landlord after they sell the building and move away. Mr. Furley is timid, high-strung, and has a terrible fashion sense, yet considers himself a consummate Lothario, and is confident that as a role model he will one day “cure” Jack of his homosexuality. Originally played by Don Knotts.[/li][/ul]
If you really want, you can also cast actors for the starring but short-lived roles of Cindy Snow (Chrissy’s accident-prone cousin, who replaced her as the third roommate), Terri Alden (an intelligent, sassy nurse, who eventually replaced Cindy), and Lana Shields (an older female neighbour who relentlessly pursues Jack, and who is in turn pursued by Mr. Furley).