Joyce DeWitt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joyce DeWitt
DeWitt at the New York Comic Con in Manhattan, October 10, 2010
Born	(1949-04-23) April 23, 1949 (age 76) Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S.
Education	Speedway Senior High School
Alma mater	Ball State University (BA) University of California, Los Angeles (MFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1962–1984, 1991–present
Known for	Three's Company

Joyce DeWitt (born April 23, 1949) is an American actress. She is most famous for playing the character Janet Wood. This role was in the popular TV show Three's Company. The show aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984.

Early Life and Education

Joyce DeWitt was born on April 23, 1949. Her birthplace was Wheeling, West Virginia. She grew up in Speedway, Indiana, which is a town near Indianapolis. Joyce is the second of four children. Her mother had Italian family roots, and her father had Swedish and Dutch family roots.

Joyce started acting on stage when she was 13 years old. She also took part in speech and debate competitions in high school. She graduated from Speedway Senior High School. Before becoming a full-time actress, she even worked at the ticket office for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

She earned her first college degree, a bachelor's degree, in theater from Ball State University. Later, a director encouraged her to study more. She then joined UCLA's Department of Theater. There, she earned her MFA degree in 1974. She even received special scholarships for her studies.

Acting Career Highlights

DeWitt (left) with John Ritter and Suzanne Somers in a photo for Three's Company, 1977

While studying at UCLA, Joyce DeWitt worked as a secretary. Her first TV appearance was on an episode of the show Baretta.

Starring in Three's Company

Joyce DeWitt is best known for her role as Janet Wood in the TV show Three's Company. This sitcom was very popular from 1977 to 1984. She got the role after trying out for the show's second pilot episode. She also played Janet in an episode of The Ropers, which was a spin-off show, in 1979.

Game Show Appearances

During her time on Three's Company, Joyce also appeared on several TV game shows. These included Tattletales and Pyramid. In 1978, she and her Three's Company co-stars, like John Ritter, appeared on a special celebrity episode of Family Feud. They competed against the casts of other popular TV shows. In 2004, she was a celebrity guest on Hollywood Squares.

After Three's Company

After Three's Company ended in 1984, Joyce DeWitt took a break from acting for several years. She returned to acting in 1991. Her first role back was in a play called Noises Off.

She later appeared in the 1995 TV comedy movie Spring Fling!. She also had guest roles in TV shows like Cybill and Living Single. In the 2000s, she appeared in shows such as Hope Island and The Nick at Nite Holiday Special. She also acted in the film Call of the Wild in 2009.

In 2003, Joyce DeWitt helped produce and host a TV film. It was called Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company. This film told the story behind the making of her famous show.

Recent Work

In 2008, she appeared in the independent film Failing Better Now. The next year, 2009, she starred in a play called Married Alive in Canada.

In 2011, Joyce DeWitt took over the main role in the play Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating & Marriage in New York City. That same year, she was in another Canadian play, Dinner with Friends.

In 2012, she performed in two different stage productions of Love Letters. She acted alongside actors like Tab Hunter and Tony Dow. Also in 2012, she starred with her niece, Katharine DeWitt, in a play called Remember Me.

In 2012, Joyce DeWitt appeared on Suzanne Somers' talk show, Suzanne Somers: Breaking Through. On the show, she and Suzanne Somers talked about their time together on Three's Company. They had not seen or spoken to each other for many years. They shared memories and talked about their late co-star John Ritter.

In 2018, Joyce DeWitt played Mother Superior in a play called Nunsense.

Charity Work

Joyce DeWitt has used her fame to help others. She has worked with members of the government on Capitol Hill to discuss hunger and homelessness. She has also hosted events for the Family Assistance Program of Hollywood. She hosted an international awards ceremony at the White House for the Presidential End Hunger Awards. She also co-hosted the World Food Day Gala at the Kennedy Center.

Personal Life

Joyce DeWitt has not married. She was in a relationship with actor and director Ray Buktenica from 1973 to 1980.

Filmography