Susan Saint James Dies at 80 After Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis

Susan Saint James, an Emmy-winning actress remembered for her appearances in McMillan and Wife and Kate and Allie, has died at the age of eighty. She died on Monday in Los Angeles, after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

A spokesperson confirmed her death to People. Saint James spent decades working in television and received multiple Emmy nominations, including one for her appearance in the drama series The Name of the Game.

She was married to Dick Ebersol, a prominent NBC executive, for 45 years. She is survived by her husband, four children, and seven grandkids. Her family also suffered the loss of her youngest son, Teddy, in an aircraft tragedy in 2004.

Susan Saint James Built Her Career Through Hit TV Shows

Saint James was born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles on August 14, 1946, and raised in Rockford, Illinois. She began her professional life as a model before transitioning to acting.

Her early triumph came with The Name of the Game, which earned her an Emmy in 1969 for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series. The honor helped her establish her presence on television.

She eventually gained widespread recognition for her role as Sally McMillan in McMillan and Wife. The series, which ran from 1971 to 1976, starred Rock Hudson as a San Francisco police commissioner and Saint James as his wife. Her performance landed her three Emmy nominations.

Her next notable appearance came in 1984, when she joined the CBS comedy Kate and Allie. She played Kate, a free-spirited divorced mother, alongside Jane Curtin as Allie, a more restrained figure.

The show chronicled the lives of two divorced women who raised their children together in a Manhattan apartment. It continued for six seasons, earning Saint James two more Emmy nods.

After Kate and Allie finished in 1989, Saint James generally retired from performing. Her roles on two successful television shows remained crucial to her career.

Susan Saint James Leaves Behind Her Husband and Children

Saint James got married to Dick Ebersol in 1981. The couple met while she was anchoring Saturday Nite Live and was married 42 days later.

They had three sons: Charlie, William (commonly known as Willie), and Edward (also known as Teddy). Saint James was formerly married to makeup artist Tom Lucas and has two kids, Sunshine and Harmony.

The family was devastated in November 2004 when a private plane carrying Ebersol, Charlie, and Teddy crashed in Colorado. Teddy, who was 14, perished in the tragedy. Ebersol and Charlie are still alive.

The family was deeply affected by the death. Saint James later spent a significant amount of time to helping parents who had also lost a child. Her relatives remembers her compassion for others as she continued to provide assistance despite her personal loss.

Saint James’ life combined a long career in television with a family background defined by personal ties and devastating grief. Her roles in McMillan and Wife and Kate and Allie made her a familiar face to television viewers of many generations.

Her death at the age of 80 brings an end to the career of an actress whose work won professional acclaim and whose family life remained an essential part of her tale.

Saint James was born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles on August 14, 1946, and raised in Rockford, Illinois. She began her professional life as a model before transitioning to acting.