For Suzanne Somers, the ThighMaster wasn’t just a smart investment—it was also a great gift.
Actress Kathleen Turner tells PEOPLE that she was lucky enough to receive an exercise machine from her Serial mom costar, who was the spokesperson for the product and the owner of the company.
“Two weeks after we wrapped the movie I got a ThighMaster from her and she signed the box,” Turner tells PEOPLE. “I laughed a lot. She made us all laugh.”
Turner recalled that the late Somers, who died on Sunday at the age of 76, was “really funny” on the set of the 1994 comedy. Written and directed by John Waters, the film follows a seemingly sweet suburban housewife, Beverly Sutphin (Turner), who leads a double life as a cold-blooded killer.
How Suzanne Somers turned ThighMaster into one of the first viral sensations — and turbocharged her career
She kills neighbors and others for minor infractions, such as not recycling.
The cult hit Costars Law and order actor Sam Waterston, Ricki Like, Matthew Lillard, Traci Lords and of course, Somers, who has a brief cameo in herself.
The Three’s Company The star’s scenes come near the end of the film when Beverly is on trial for several murders and Somers attends as she prepares to play Beverly in a crime film.
She enters the courtroom wearing a black hat, sunglasses and a fur coat, causing a commotion in the courtroom. He even answers his cell phone during witness testimony, briefly disrupting the proceedings.
After Beverly, who is acting as her own defense attorney, wraps up her case, Somers beams and gives an interview to reporters during a short break.
“I feel that Beverly Sutphin is an innocent woman, unfairly accused. “A normal housewife trapped in a nightmare of circumstantial evidence”, she tells the gathered journalists.
Somers’ belief soon proved horribly and hilariously wrong. When she is acquitted of murder, Beverly faces Juror No. 8 (played by Patty Hearst) who previously wore white shoes to the trial after Labor Day.
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Kathleen Turner and Suzanne Somers.
Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty; Dia Dipasupil/Getty
The fashion failure bothered Beverly, who discussed it with the juror in a quiet alcove. A misunderstanding ensues, and Beverly beats her to death with the payphone the woman was using to make phone calls.
Beverly rushes back into the courtroom hallway to talk to reporters and take a photo with Somers, who tries to get Beverly to stand to her left. “Stand here,” Somers orders her.
“Suzanne Somers,” Beverly retorts, “this is my bad side!”
At that moment, another woman discovers the body of juror no. 8 and screams, turning everyone, including Somers, to death. The sitcom icon realizes that the woman she championed as an innocent victim is actually a killer, and a horrified look crosses her face.
Turner says the look on Somers’ face struck. “I have to say the last one when she looks up [the] slaying, her face annoyed everyone, we had to do more shots,” continues Turner. “She was so funny. We couldn’t stop laughing. It was a game for everyone.”
Tributes pour in for Suzanne Somers after actress’ death at 76: ‘Most glamorous person I’ve ever met’
Somers was just one day shy of her 77th birthday when she passed away “peacefully at home,” her publicist wrote in a statement shared on behalf of the actress’ family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, son Bruce and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16. Instead, they will celebrate her remarkable life and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
Although Somers made his name on the classic TV comedy Three’s Companyshe became extremely wealthy thanks to an early investment in the ThighMaster exercise tool.
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Source: HIS Education