Susan Saint James, best known for her roles in the hit TV series McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie, has died at the age of 80 after battling pancreatic cancer.
Saint James first gained national attention on The Name of the Game, earning an Emmy Award in 1969. She later became a household name starring opposite Rock Hudson in McMillan & Wife during the 1970s, earning three Emmy nominations. In the 1980s, she found renewed success alongside Jane Curtin in the sitcom Kate & Allie, which brought her two more Emmy nods.
Beyond television, Saint James appeared in several films and was married to longtime NBC executive Dick Ebersol. The couple endured a devastating tragedy in 2004 when their 14-year-old son, Teddy, was killed in a plane crash.
After retiring from regular acting following Kate & Allie, Saint James focused on family, business ventures, and charitable work, including support for the Special Olympics. Her family remembered her as someone who “never met a stranger” and who always put others first.
Susan Saint James is survived by her husband, four children, and seven grandchildren. (People)