Priscilla Barnes

Posted on by Tony CrawleyCategories:Actors
  1. Suzanne Somers, Three’s Company, TV, 1980-82.     Adding jiggle to US TV, Somers’ ding-a-ling Chrissy stole the ABC series from under the nose of the star, John Ritter.  Trouble was she believed her headlines, wanted more money and a 10% piece of the pie. Her co-stars wouldn’t work with her (when she bothered to turn up). Having been through all this with Farrah Fawcett quitting after the first 1976 season of Charlie’s Angels, ABC sacked the jiggle diva in 1981 and, in a lesson to all  the show survived another three seasons without her… or, indeed, any mention of Chrissy Lost her audition for the rather vapid Cindy Snow, cousin of Suzanne Somer’s show-stealing Chrissy (full name: Christmas Noelle Snow!). “I read for them, but they turned me down. They wanted someone younger. In Hollywood, you’re over the hill when you are 25.”  She was, at the time, 22… and Jenilee was six months older! Both Somers and Harrison wound up  nude in Playboy.  Jenilee’s 25 credits (up to 2002) included 70   episodes  in 1984-19856, as Jamie Ewing… the only Dallas character to be killed off… twice!  Silence your wrath, people  –  the story, does not stop there…
  2. Jenileee Harrison,, Three’s Company, TV, 1981-1984.   Harrison, an ex-Miss Los Angeles, some  was Somers’ first replacement as Chrissy’s first cousin, Cindy Snow.  But just for for 42 chapters.   Barnes was called  back in and this time, she won the gig –  70 shows, not as Chrissy, nor Cindy but as the more intelligent nurse,  Terri Aldeon.  “The unhappiest years of my career,” said Barnes.  She is  the only one of the three to be still in demand – working! –  in 2020.  With 99 screen roiles to her credit.  For Somers, the story wasn’t over…    For Somers, the story wasn’t over…
  3. Kate Capshaw, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,   1983. Steven Spielberg chased Barnes for Indy’s new squeeze, Willie Scott. But his shooting clashed with Three’s Company.  Instead of Suzanne Somers, he saw 120 other actresses. Kate got the role. And the boss! They wed in 1991.
  4. Suzanne Somers, She’s The Sheriff, 1987. Considering Barnes had replaced Sommers in Three’s Company, during 1981-1984, this seemed like pay-back time.  Except it was a diabolically awful movie about a widow succeeding her lawman husband in a job she knows absolutely zilch about. Cue laugh-track.

 

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  4