Suzanne Somers looks back on 40 years of 'Three's Company'

— -- This week marked the 40th anniversary of one of the top sitcoms of the '70s and early '80s: "Three's Company."

The show made stars out of its three leads: John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt and especially Suzanne Somers, who played ditzy blonde bombshell Chrissy Snow.

The actress, author and businesswoman, 70, told ABC News that she had no idea the comedy about the misadventures of two women and one man sharing an apartment, and their neighbors -- played by Audra Lindley and Norman Fell -- would become a massive TV hit.

"I remember [the creators] said on the first day of the table reading, 'The show is really going to be a powerhouse,'" she recalled, "and I couldn't have that vision at that time. But in looking back, they kinda knew what they had."

One reason for the show's success? Timing, admitted Somers.

"When you think about it, there was only three choices -- NBC, ABC and CBS. So, on any Tuesday night, if you were watching television, usually over half of the country was watching 'Three's Company,'" she explained.

There's something "iconic" about the show, noted Somers, especially in Palm Springs, California, where she lives these days.

"When they have the gay parade, they still dress up as Chrissy," she said. "And when my son was at Berkeley, they had 'Three's Company' parties where people dressed up like Jack, Janet and Chrissy, so there's something iconic about it."

Somers said she appreciates that so many people still have fond memories of the show.

"All I feel is privileged and lucky to have been able to put out something that still to this day warms people's hearts. How nice," she gushed.