Joyce DeWitt is an acclaimed American comedian and actress who is popularly known for starring in the OFTA TV Hall of Fame and People’s Choice Award-winning ABC sitcom “Three’s Company.”
Age, Early Life, and Education Background
Joyce DeWitt hails from Wheeling, West Virginia, and was born under the Taurus zodiac sign on 23 April 1949, which makes her 73 years old as of 2022. Her parents Paul and Norma DeWitt brought her up together with her seven siblings: three brothers – including the boxer Doug DeWitt – and four sisters. She is of Italian and Dutch ancestry, and spent most of her childhood in Speedway, Indiana.
DeWitt attended Speedway Senior High and competed in debate and speech through Indiana High School Forensic Association (IHSFA). She worked at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s ticket office, before matriculating to Ball State University, where she was a member of the Chi Omega fraternity – she graduated with a BA degree in Theater in late 1971, then later relocated to California to further her studies at the University of California, from which she received her master’s degree in 1974.
Hobbies and Interesting Facts
Joyce is a dedicated philanthropist who donates to charities aimed at helping underprivileged children, and formally joined the House of Senate members to attend the Capitol Hill Forum on Homelessness and Hunger. She also co-hosted, together with Jeff Bridges, the World Food Day Gala that was held at Kennedy Center.
She is a big fan of traveling; she toured across the globe when “Three’s Company” ended. The actress has visited almost all US states and has also been to Austria, France and England.
Her favorite films are “Viva Las Vegas,” “Liar Liar,” and “Bruce Almighty” while her best-loved entertainers are Susan Sarandon, Elvis Presley and Jim Carrey.
Initially, DeWitt’s father was unwilling to let her study acting, but changed his mind when he saw her determination.
Career
Joyce made her TV debut with an uncredited role in the 1975 ABC detective show “Baretta,” and subsequently appeared in the TV film “Most Wanted” in the year that followed. She later auditioned for two ABC comedies in 1976, and was invited to choose her most suitable project – she found the role of Janet Wood in the sitcom “Three’s Company” fit for her, and this was a great choice because the show turned out a hit. It’s about the daily misadventures of two women and a man who live in the same house, and aired for eight seasons from early 1976 to late 1984, with Joyce appearing in all its 172 episodes, which made her very popular in Hollywood.
She thereafter took a long break from acting and previously revealed that she had turned her back on showbiz and Hollywood because she had received ‘disrespectful treatment’ from “Three’s Company” producers.
DeWitt made a comeback in 1991, with an appearance in the stage play “Noises Off,” which was performed in West Michigan. She eventually made another on-screen appearance in the 1995 film, “Spring Fling!” as Linda Hayden, and she thereafter played Psychic Pals Host in the series “Cybill.” In 2000, Joyce was seen in the episode “A Rising Tide Takes All Boats” of the TV show “Hope Island”, before she starred in 2003 musical comedy film “The Nick at Nite Holiday Special”
Joyce’s next significant role was in the 2009 adventure film “Call of the Wild”, and then in the offbeat comedy movie “Failing Better Now” in the year that followed. She later starred in the 2014 comedy “My Boyfriend’s Dog”, sharing the screen with Erika Christensen, Jesse Hutch and Teryl Rothery.
Her recent appearances include the drama “Rocky Story” in 2015, and “The Savant” in 2019.
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Personal Life
DeWitt had an affair with the American author, producer, and attorney, Henry I. Bushkin, who served as the late TV host Johnny Carson’s legal advisor for decades. DeWitt is also rumored to have dated the American actor, LeVar Burton, in 1980, however, her parents disapproved of their interracial romance and the duo ended their affair three months later. LeVar married the make-up artist, Stephanie Cozart-Burton, and they have a daughter, Michaela Burton, and a son named Eian Burton.
DeWitt was formerly engaged to the actor Randolph Mantooth, who is famous for his roles in “Criminal Minds,” and “The Love Boat.”
DeWitt was in a long-term romantic relationship with the American actor, Ray Buktenica, who became popular for his lead role as Goodwin in the 1974 sitcom, “Rhoda.” The duo was college sweethearts, and they stayed together from 1980 until 1984 but never officiated their relationship with a wedding. Joyce later confessed that she couldn’t handle the relationship because it was marked with physical and emotional abuse, divulging during an interview that ‘We fought constantly. We were like Bogart and Bacall on a lower level. I would live in terror of what he thought. If I did a talk show a thousand miles away, I would ask, ‘Did I make a fool of myself?’ I discovered I was living in a cell as big as me, and I built it.’ Joyce is now single without any children. She lives in California and New Mexico.
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Previously, In 2009, Joyce was arrested for drink driving in El Segundo, California. According to the officers who detained her, they stopped an intoxicated woman after they spotted her doing several dangerous maneuvers near the park barricades. They administered a couple of tests to determine the amount of alcohol that was in her system and she was freed after she acknowledged the travel limits. In May 2010, she was slapped with a 36-month probationary period and was ordered to go for an alcohol rehabilitation program for nine months in addition to paying a fine of $510.
DeWitt reconciled with her on-screen friend, Suzanne Somers in 2012; Sommer had previously left the show “Three’s Company” during the shooting of its sixth season. In 2020, she told Entertainment Tonight that she left after she asked for a pay rise, demanding to be paid the same amount as the late actor, John Ritter, but ended up being fired. After leaving the show, she admitted that she kept her distance and lost touch with everyone in the show including her friends Ritter and DeWitt.
Height, Weight, and Physical Appearance
DeWitt has long black hair and brown eyes. She is 5ft 3ins (1.60m) tall and weighs approximately 115lbs (52kgs), and her vital statistics are around 34-24-33.
Net worth
DeWitt is a household name and has accumulated a good fortune from her long-spanning acting career, which began over four decades ago in 1975. She is estimated to be worth around $4 million as of 2022.
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