@@stickybearskinrug2046 Fun fact: Norman Fell was the guy standing next to Marilyn Monroe in the infamous subway vent scene where she holds her dress in place as the passing train blows air up her wooha.
Having grown up watching the final version of Three's Company, watching this trial version is like being in the Twilight Zone for real; like an episode of living in a parallel universe where there are a lot of similarities, but slight differences-that weird feeling of being in a world where practically everything is the same as the other world but not entirely... 😮
It's not a trial version... I'm guessing the trial version is the software that somebody used to rip this from a DVD, or to burn a file they got from somewhere onto a DVD. Trial versions of software did not exist in the 70s
Ritter was still playing the preacher on the Waltons when this was filmed, so it shows his ability to branch out as well as his amazing comic delivery. The Ropers were instantly hilarious right from the start. Glad they added words to the theme song too because doo dee doo dee doo-doo doesn't quite work (but was funny to hear).
I'm glad they recast Joyce Dewitt as Janet, but I wish they kept Suzanne Zenor, she was great as Samantha, and better than Chrissy. They just needed to tone down her airheady voice.
I wonder if the actors from these pilots who get replaced before it gets picked up get super pissed watching the mega hit show they were almost a part off.
I absolutely love when these are uploaded. This is a rare find to me. Love watching early pilots and all the eventual changes that go into finding the right actors that catch that magic. I can't imagine anyone else playing Janet or Chrissy and especially Jacks character. The dynamics with the Ropers are different here as well. Good job. 🤖👍
I actually grew up watching the original British version of this before ever seeing this. I watched a lot of British shows as a kid on Channel 2 in Boston. Loved both shows!
I was horrified about this thinking this was going to be terrible. What a surprise. Good script. Much funnier and more clever than the episodes to follow
Thank you for posting Pilot. Ive never seen it. The script is great. I liked Valerie Curtins work in 70s. I only recall Mrs Roper playing bad cop with ,"the kids".. lol, once when show was rolling. I wonder when Pilot was done , and it'd be great to see Test tapes of our final Chrissy n Janet.
Jack is David. I can handle it Stanley is George. S'alright David wants to make movies. No. Nope. Uh-uh. That's where I draw the line. But seriously, thanks for uploading this. I've watched the series probably 10x at least, but this is the first time I've seen the pilot. They really were pushing the boundaries.
George was the Roper character's name in Man About the House. The Helen character was Mildred, but I didn't hear him refer to her by name in the pilot.
Mrs Roper with or without wig? I kinda like her hair better here but glad they made Jack into a chef instead of David the actor. Like Suzanne and Joyce better for Chrissy and Janet. Maybe cause its what im used to
@@hinachow1 Funny af, the series was cringe, Ritter’s physical comedy was overacting and predictable, loved the guy in everything else and a shame he went so young.
I am not sure why the network executives thought that this pair of actresses playing the roommates were so terrible. I actually enjoyed both of their performances here, and I thought Valerie Curtin was pretty funny. Had they stuck with the complete original cast, it would have been a very different show than what came to be, later, but I actually liked the fact that both women here were not depicted as bimbos. Also, this version was less "jiggly" that the later incarnation of "Three's Company". They did get the Ropers right from the beginning., but I do think "Stanley" was a better fit for Mr. Roper's first name than "George".
I like these two actresses as well. I thought they were very good. Weird that Ritter’s character here was named David Bell instead of Jack Tripper, in the British sitcom the characters name was Robin Tripp so I figured his character’s last name was immediately adapted from the British show. Perhaps they changed it because Mr. Roper was going to call Ritter’s character“TinkerBell” a lot? In the British show, the female characters were named Chrissy and Jo. The Ropers’ British names were George and Mildred Roper.
@ In the test pilot that is posted here John Ritter’s character’s name is “David Bell” instead of “Jack Tripper” who the character ended up being named. I’m presenting a theory of why they changed the name. 🤷🏻♂️
I guess there's a reason why pilots are pilots. Someone at the top must have really believed in the idea to have them keep working at it. Now we have one of the great comedy sitcoms of all time.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! Thanks for sharing. And in the end, what did I learn? His share of the rent was $55.00!!! Wow! I would LOVE to be paying that today! LOL
$55 is $290 today. Try getting a two bedroom, one bath apartment in Santa Monica (where the series was ultimately set) for less than $900 today. Prices everywhere are out of control
John Ritter was fun to watch and The Ropers of course were great as always, but Suzanne Somers and most of all Joyce Dewitt were very much needed to pull it all together.
It would have been cool if these actresses had guest-starred in a later episode and they slipped in an inside joke like, "You look familiar, have we met before?". But they might have been mad at being let go (who could blame them?) so they might not have been willing or maybe not even available.
I really loved this. Yes, the characters are not what we got used to, but I’m sure they would of flourished into the classic “misunderstanding” episodes, just as this one did, with mistaking the woman for a man.
Thanks for this video I never seen the full original pilot only part or half of it. im still watching it but I wanted to make a comment, I also noticed the iconic life poster was original near the kitchen when it's usually near Jacks room.
I've never seen this. I was sort of thinking that this would be really iffy with these other girls, but by then end of this, I was sold. They would have worked out as well as Joyce and Suzanne. I never did care for Suzanne playing chrissy snow. It just didn't work for me. It seemed way too cliche for her to play the dumb blonde character. I like that they had the Ropers right from the start. That helped to make the show what it turned into.
Quite a gem! Interesting to see the humor more subtle, less broad and full of slapstick. No doubt a test audience influenced the change, although the final product has its own merits. A number of shows from the UK undergo a change that likely isn’t as necessary in my opinion.
Love the actress that played the Jenny Character. They should of kept her, her dry sense of humor was cute and funny . Plus this pilot script was more of a sexual humor compared to the 1st episode released based off this . If they wanted the Jenny Character to be all dolled up like the Janet character all they had to do with cut her hair, do heavier makeup and bingo they had their Janet .
😂 Jack is funny. John Ritter was brilliant 🙏🏻 threes company copied most episodes and dialogue from our show man about the house. Both are funny,but threes company was a bit funnier because of Jack.😅
Thanks for the memories. John, Audrey & Norman were top notch comic actors RIP. Hollywood vet Lynn Stallmaster was casting director WHO decided on the changes?
Suzanne Zenor, the blonde actor, is 77 years old. She will be 78 in November. Suzanne was known for playing Margo Anderman Horton on Days of Our Lives.
Your channel seems really cool - like what UA-cam channels originally felt like. I subbed! This first pilot was interesting - I kept focusing on the actors especially the one playing Samantha. Susanne Zenor (spelled with a z in the opening credits) was made the rounds in the 70s in film and television but settled on Days of Our Lives. She was a dish but the other Suzanne just seemed funnier.
Its actually even racier than the actual show ended up being. Not much of the stuff in this episode would fly these days. Imagine $55 a month rent in LA
Everyone was accurately casted Except Its amazing now to see how Joyce DeWitt was really needed to bring her uniqueness as the sharp initial lead roommate & her later sexiness in those gloria Vanderbilt jeans And Suzanne Sommers much needed masterful portrayal of the seemingly village idiot
The Ropers knocked the roles out of the park from day one
I remember the spin off show.
I love that there is a special day for Helen where hundred of people dress in Helen moomoos and wear a Helen wig. What an awesome legacy.
@@stickybearskinrug2046 Fun fact: Norman Fell was the guy standing next to Marilyn Monroe in the infamous subway vent scene where she holds her dress in place as the passing train blows air up her wooha.
Absolutely!!!
at least til they were knocked out of their roles by the powers that be.
Having grown up watching the final version of Three's Company, watching this trial version is like being in the Twilight Zone for real; like an episode of living in a parallel universe where there are a lot of similarities, but slight differences-that weird feeling of being in a world where practically everything is the same as the other world but not entirely... 😮
From the first second with that weirdly off-kilter theme song.
I thought that same thing when I saw the first pilot for All in the Family.
Your long-held suspension of disbelief has been upended.
Scary when we think about The Mandela Effect and how we know it's Stanley and we hear her saying George. It doesn't feel right.
It's not a trial version... I'm guessing the trial version is the software that somebody used to rip this from a DVD, or to burn a file they got from somewhere onto a DVD. Trial versions of software did not exist in the 70s
I watched the Show from day 1 back then. Never saw or knew about this Pilot (only 'Man About The House'). Cool!
Man about the house, is the original, made in England.
I actually liked this version. I grew up watching 3s Company. Never knew this existed. Thanks!!!
Ritter was still playing the preacher on the Waltons when this was filmed, so it shows his ability to branch out as well as his amazing comic delivery. The Ropers were instantly hilarious right from the start. Glad they added words to the theme song too because doo dee doo dee doo-doo doesn't quite work (but was funny to hear).
The casting director must've seen something in how Norman Fell said, "I want you out of here," in "The Graduate."
Well considering the level of 'writing' in the final version, I kinda prefer the doo dee doo dee doo-doo
The singing sounded like parody of the other theme
I thought of 💩
@@kurtn4819ah c'mon, "we've a lovable space that needs your face" is genius writing 😅
You know..... as weird as it is... it works. Its somehow edgier. Smarter. I like it.
Me too
I agree, but I think it may have been a little too edgy for mainstream, so they toned it down for mainstream audiences.
"Too smart for syndication." And they were right.
I'm glad they recast Joyce Dewitt as Janet, but I wish they kept Suzanne Zenor, she was great as Samantha, and better than Chrissy. They just needed to tone down her airheady voice.
"Yes this is our tub- we raised it from a sink"😂
$55*3=$165/month for rent of a 2br in Santa Monica?!? Take me back to the 70s!
Definitely.
We're paying 3250. for a 2 bdrm in Torrance
the final version they were in Santa Monica, this version was in HollyWood.
And that my dear is why people sleep on the streets😊
And you'd be making $9000 a year.
I grew up watching Three's Company when it originally aired. This pilot what is the best I've ever seen of any show. Thank you for sharing.
This was a fun watch. I liked this cast.
The girl were horrible
What are you talking about. They were horrible especially the blonds voice.
I like them too. Who ever is playing the brunette is knocking it outa the park. Blows away whinny Joyce DeWitt.
@@GS-vb3zn Her comedic timing was great. I laughed out loud many times in this episode.
I wonder if the actors from these pilots who get replaced before it gets picked up get super pissed watching the mega hit show they were almost a part off.
Same😂
I know i would!😡😡😡😡
These actresses blow. It never would have become a hit with this cast. Suzanne Somers became a superstar. That blonde is no Suzanne Somers.
Valerie Curtin was a familiar face in the 1970s and 80s but she was never a breakout star.
Missed it by that 🤏 much!
I clicked on this because I knew exactly what the hell it was. Thanks. Hopefully it will stay up forever
I hope so too
I hope so too 🙏👍👍👍👍👍
I hope so too!
I hope so three!
Me four
Do doo de do doo
Thanks. Now I need to listen to Baby Shark just to get the pilot theme out of my head.
Thanks a lot, you just put baby shark in my head. Now I'll have to listen to Mmm Bop to get baby shark out of my head!
Thank you. But now Baby Shark is stuck in my head.😂
I absolutely love when these are uploaded. This is a rare find to me. Love watching early pilots and all the eventual changes that go into finding the right actors that catch that magic. I can't imagine anyone else playing Janet or Chrissy and especially Jacks character. The dynamics with the Ropers are different here as well. Good job. 🤖👍
I actually grew up watching the original British version of this before ever seeing this. I watched a lot of British shows as a kid on Channel 2 in Boston. Loved both shows!
I had no idea there was an original British version
I think it was called Man about the house
@@ihaveinsomnia1 half of Hollywood TV is copied from foreign source
@@Randy-do3dzyes it was! Richard (?)O'Sullivan... spin off was Robin's Nest.
Norman Fell hadn’t yet developed his turn to the camera grin after insulting his TV wife. 😂
Mrs. Roper was on point 😂😂
This is crazy. It’s like the version in the cooler parallel universe. My mom would have never let me watch this. 😆
@@ps7348The Three's Company idea came from a British sitcom. The Brits are brilliant with sexual innuendo.
@@janicemahan4772thank you!
Wow, I've never seen the pilot before.😊
I was horrified about this thinking this was going to be terrible. What a surprise. Good script. Much funnier and more clever than the episodes to follow
This is funnier than the episode that aired.
Very cool. Watched/loved the show right from the beginning.
Glad I came across this.
Great Show Thank UA-cam For Sharing 👍
you're very welcome 🙂
Thank you for posting Pilot. Ive never seen it. The script is great. I liked Valerie Curtins work in 70s. I only recall Mrs Roper playing bad cop with ,"the kids".. lol, once when show was rolling. I wonder when Pilot was done , and it'd be great to see Test tapes of our final Chrissy n Janet.
We raised it from a sink
Great delivery 😂😂
She was good.
In an alternate reality this was to be the show we all watched and loved and in this reality we only had one Chrissy snow
Jack is David.
I can handle it
Stanley is George.
S'alright
David wants to make movies.
No. Nope. Uh-uh. That's where I draw the line.
But seriously, thanks for uploading this. I've watched the series probably 10x at least, but this is the first time I've seen the pilot. They really were pushing the boundaries.
It was such a different world.
That hit poorly for me too. It's like the writers were putting to much of themselves or what they know into it.
George was the Roper character's name in Man About the House. The Helen character was Mildred, but I didn't hear him refer to her by name in the pilot.
Mrs Roper with or without wig? I kinda like her hair better here but glad they made Jack into a chef instead of David the actor. Like Suzanne and Joyce better for Chrissy and Janet. Maybe cause its what im used to
Larry Gelbart was a gem of a writer.
No joke. I dare anyone to try and do this.
the jokes were great, it was watching in a different universe.
It’s amazing these jokes would have never been on tv just a few years before the mid 70s. In my opinion one of the biggest groundbreaking shows ever.
@@hinachow1 Funny af, the series was cringe, Ritter’s physical comedy was overacting and predictable, loved the guy in everything else and a shame he went so young.
The show was not cringe I grew up with this show
This was 10 times better than the actual show
I ADORE Joyce dewitt but I have to say I REALLY like the brunette.
I cannot imagine why they got rid of her.
I think she's fantastic
💯
I always thought Joyce was annoying. I like this one way better
It’s possible the brunette in the pilot wasn’t available by the time they finally decided to move forward with the show.
I am not sure why the network executives thought that this pair of actresses playing the roommates were so terrible. I actually enjoyed both of their performances here, and I thought Valerie Curtin was pretty funny. Had they stuck with the complete original cast, it would have been a very different show than what came to be, later, but I actually liked the fact that both women here were not depicted as bimbos. Also, this version was less "jiggly" that the later incarnation of "Three's Company". They did get the Ropers right from the beginning., but I do think "Stanley" was a better fit for Mr. Roper's first name than "George".
I agree; I liked the two actresses. Chrissy was too much of a dumbell and Janet was always so freaking hyper.
I like these two actresses as well. I thought they were very good. Weird that Ritter’s character here was named David Bell instead of Jack Tripper, in the British sitcom the characters name was Robin Tripp so I figured his character’s last name was immediately adapted from the British show. Perhaps they changed it because Mr. Roper was going to call Ritter’s character“TinkerBell” a lot?
In the British show, the female characters were named Chrissy and Jo. The Ropers’ British names were George and Mildred Roper.
@@garrickmusicWhat does Jack Tripper have to do with "Tinkerbell". I don't get it.
@ In the test pilot that is posted here John Ritter’s character’s name is “David Bell” instead of “Jack Tripper” who the character ended up being named. I’m presenting a theory of why they changed the name. 🤷🏻♂️
@@garrickmusic Now I get it!
Jenny has a way of delivering lines, subtle yet still funny
Audra Lindley kept hitting on every joke😆
She and Fell were fabulous. Those comedians, from back in the day, had brilliant timing.
I really liked that and now I wish those girls were in the show😢
I guess there's a reason why pilots are pilots. Someone at the top must have really believed in the idea to have them keep working at it. Now we have one of the great comedy sitcoms of all time.
That was cool, like some alternate universe type stuff
How ironic is it that a show called Three's Company had three pilots with the third one being the magic number!
So which version is this, one or two?
@@douglasdixon524 I think the first one!
@@itiswhatitaintanditaintwha1427
Thanks, now I have to find the second pilot.
These are great people.
I like this wise cracking version of mrs roper...then the way they made her play her after the pilots😊
Than* And she was the same wise cracker in the series.
I noticed that they kept the butterfly painting for the series
Just in a different location lol
I actually laughed all through it.
Are you for real
Were you high?
I never watched "Three's Company". This pilot made me laugh.
The pup and knish! LOL
I thoroughly enjoyed this! Thanks for sharing. And in the end, what did I learn?
His share of the rent was $55.00!!! Wow! I would LOVE to be paying that today! LOL
It was $100 in an later episode
$55 was $304.77 in todays currency.
Which is around $915, for 3 people a month.
Two bed one bath, not bad 😊@@jordanjj9533
Not when the CEOs and billionaires own all the land.
As long as you were willing to accept the same salaries at that time !
This pilot is a better comedy than Threes Company ever was.
$55 is $290 today. Try getting a two bedroom, one bath apartment in Santa Monica (where the series was ultimately set) for less than $900 today. Prices everywhere are out of control
Which should affect voting. People don’t have T settle for that.
I don't see a studio for under $2000.
@@josephososkie3029 no, it’s because businesses and corporations haven’t increased wages to keep up with inflation, which has always happened.
Where can you get a 2 bed 1 bath apt for 900 in Santa Monica or anywhere else?
John Ritter was fun to watch and The Ropers of course were great as always, but Suzanne Somers and most of all Joyce Dewitt were very much needed to pull it all together.
Loved it. I found the final product inane.
I did too. Reading the comments, i feel in the minority.
John Ritter was the best, miss him very much
It would have been cool if these actresses had guest-starred in a later episode and they slipped in an inside joke like, "You look familiar, have we met before?".
But they might have been mad at being let go (who could blame them?) so they might not have been willing or maybe not even available.
I very much wish Valery Curtain had appeared in more television and movies. She was wonderful in “Quickie Nirvana) Rockford Files!
@@markolson2466 👍👍👍👍
I really loved this. Yes, the characters are not what we got used to, but I’m sure they would of flourished into the classic “misunderstanding” episodes, just as this one did, with mistaking the woman for a man.
Valerie Curtain is 83 years old. Time is fleeting.
I like her a lot better than Joyce DeWitt
@@pugnacious1 Me too
She'll be 80 in March, and she's Jane Curtin's cousin.😁✌
Thank you for uploading and sharing; appreciate it.
Thanks for this video I never seen the full original pilot only part or half of it. im still watching it but I wanted to make a comment, I also noticed the iconic life poster was original near the kitchen when it's usually near Jacks room.
The Ropers' have me lol'ing start to finish
I've never seen this. I was sort of thinking that this would be really iffy with these other girls, but by then end of this, I was sold. They would have worked out as well as Joyce and Suzanne. I never did care for Suzanne playing chrissy snow. It just didn't work for me. It seemed way too cliche for her to play the dumb blonde character. I like that they had the Ropers right from the start. That helped to make the show what it turned into.
George Roper.
G. Roper.
Groper.
Just realized in 2024 after all these years.
all these years it was Stanley Roper ;)
Everyone did a great job. I wonder why the execs decided to recast the females. They changed quite a few things. Great to see this.
Like that brunette. Wish she could have stayed on the show.
Totally different dynamic even with the same pilot script.
I laughed out loud at this version. I think I like it better than the final cut. Wonder why they didn't keep the girls, they were good!
It is 7 years later and I hope that the poster of this video finally paid for the full version of the Movavi Video Converter.
no longer have the original video, sorry 😥
This version is a little more quippy than the others. I do miss when Stanley (George) would look at the camera after he went over the line.
Fascinating!
So much funnier than ANYTHING on TV today.
Didn’t have to scroll down to find the usual boomer gatekeeper pissed that their past has been forgotten. NO ONE CARES.
Quite a gem! Interesting to see the humor more subtle, less broad and full of slapstick. No doubt a test audience influenced the change, although the final product has its own merits. A number of shows from the UK undergo a change that likely isn’t as necessary in my opinion.
Every time “Trial Version” pops up, I instinctively think the closing credits are starting.
I miss Mrs. Roper’s kaftans!
Love the actress that played the Jenny Character.
They should of kept her, her dry sense of humor was cute and funny .
Plus this pilot script was more of a sexual humor compared to the 1st episode released based off this .
If they wanted the Jenny Character to be all dolled up like the Janet character all they had to do with cut her hair, do heavier makeup and bingo they had their Janet .
The Ropers were the best part of this pilot ....
😂 Jack is funny. John Ritter was brilliant 🙏🏻 threes company copied most episodes and dialogue from our show man about the house. Both are funny,but threes company was a bit funnier because of Jack.😅
I agree.
I always liked John Ritter. Sad he went like he did.
Valerie Curtin is incredible - the dry humor is awesome. Too bad they didn’t keep her.
Pilots are always much different from the final version
Not always. There are several shows where the pilot is aired as #2 or #3, not necessarily the first episode or an unaired pilot.
Modelled after Man About The House right down to Robin’s robe. 😂
Don’t show this to the Mandela effect people.
I don’t know if this was real or not but this is hysterical. I used to watch this show all the time. I loved this
Wow. Hilarious. What a hidden Jim. I've never knew Jack was a nickname for David.
It's not. His name here is David Bell. In the broadcast series it's Jack Tripper.
Thanks for the memories. John, Audrey & Norman were top notch comic actors RIP.
Hollywood vet Lynn Stallmaster was casting director WHO decided on the changes?
Thank you for this!
@@jeffpashley you're very welcome 🥰
They changed EXACTLY the right things, from names to character trates.
😊
Suzanne Zenor, the blonde actor, is 77 years old. She will be 78 in November. Suzanne was known for playing Margo Anderman Horton on Days of Our Lives.
That's Maggie Horton?!?!?!
Was this one where there is a misunderstanding?
I see what you did there. 😜
Your channel seems really cool - like what UA-cam channels originally felt like. I subbed!
This first pilot was interesting - I kept focusing on the actors especially the one playing Samantha.
Susanne Zenor (spelled with a z in the opening credits) was made the rounds in the 70s in film and television but settled on Days of Our Lives. She was a dish but the other Suzanne just seemed funnier.
@@THX-C thank you 🥰
The first 3 minutes looks like a youtube amateur remake of some forgotten sitcom. The John Ritter shows up!
I watched the original series from the premiere almost all the way to the end. I still couldn't stop laughing at this.
Its actually even racier than the actual show ended up being. Not much of the stuff in this episode would fly these days. Imagine $55 a month rent in LA
Everyone was accurately casted
Except
Its amazing now to see how Joyce DeWitt was really needed to bring her uniqueness as the sharp initial lead roommate & her later sexiness in those gloria Vanderbilt jeans
And Suzanne Sommers much needed masterful portrayal of the seemingly village idiot
I preferred Joyce Dewitt personality in the first few episodes compared to Valerie's. Down to earth and a breath of fresh air Joyce is
Wow. This is so different. But I like it. It has a little more bite to it. Probably due to Larry Gelbart being involved.
Suzanne zenor appeared in a number of 70s movies The baby, Get to know your rabbit a and the tv pilot to Catch 22 with Richard Dreyfuss
The Baby is AMAZING and WEIRD
Do do do do dee doooo! 😂
Other than the weird musical intro, this is pretty good.
I prefer this version.
I recognize Valerie Curtin from a Rockford Files episode.
Who found out what the sound of one hand clapping was.
Bye Mr. GROPER
Three's Company if from another multiverse
nice find
I never saw this version!
I'm so glad they nixed this.