“Step by step” it told the story of Frank Lambert (Patrick Duffy), a single father of three children who starts a new family with Carol Foster (Suzanne Sommers) – a widow who also raises three children. The series focused mainly on the adventures of the younger characters and building relationships between them. It was broadcast from 1991 to 1997 for seven seasons on ABC and CBS (the last series). It had 160 episodes.
“I grew up with her and watched her as a woman, a businesswoman, a big star who shone with a strong light, a person so wonderful, so down to earth, whom I admired so much.” – said Christine Lakin, who played Sommers’ daughter in the series. “She showed me that as a young woman in Hollywood, I could be kind and generous and successful, and the two weren’t mutually exclusive. (…) She was sweet and loving. She had a huge heart and we all truly miss her”.
“Suzanne gave the most beautiful, thoughtful gifts, and off-screen was a person of great style and charm” – added Staci Keanan, who played Lambert’s eldest daughter. “I’ll never forget it and I still have (gifts from her). Once for Christmas she gave me cashmere tights from Prada. Okay, it was Prada. You know, rich and all. And she just told me: ‘You’ll be warm in them.’ (…) It was very nice. I miss her”.
“For me, the scene where we performed in the mother-daughter competition, where we were tap dancing and singing… It was amazing. The peak of my career” – recalled Angela Watson, who played Lambert’s middle child.
Sommers died on October 15, 2023 at the age of 76. The cause of her death was breast cancer, which she fought for 23 years. Outside the series “Step by step” she also appeared in “Three’s Company”for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe, and films “Bullit” and “American graffiti”.