Emmy-winning actress Susan Saint James, celebrated for her starring roles in McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie, has died at the age of 80 following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, Rockford News First reported.
Born Susan Jane Miller on August 14, 1946, in Los Angeles, Saint James grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where her father relocated for work at the Testor Corporation. After retiring from Hollywood in 1989, she made appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Suits.
The Life and Career of Susan Saint James
- Saint James passed away on Monday at age 80 after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, according to details shared with People.
- Her television legacy includes starring in McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie.
- Following her 1989 retirement from Hollywood, she made guest television appearances on series including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Suits.
Remembering a Television Icon
Beyond her comedic and dramatic timing on screen, Saint James built a reputation for deep community engagement and personal warmth. Her family shared in a statement to People that she “never met a stranger” and “taught her children to pause, be kind and look out for other people.” They noted that she was “generous with her time and energy, which she valued more than money, and instinctively drawn to whoever needed lifting up.”
Loving my new haircut!!! So easy. Whew. Everything else takes hours #bekind pic.twitter.com/rWAfaNw6qa
Her familial and professional lives intertwined with the television industry through her 45-year marriage to longtime NBC executive Dick Ebersol. The couple experienced profound personal tragedy in 2004 when their 14-year-old son, Teddy, died in a plane crash in Colorado. Four years later, in 2008, Saint James was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
| Milestone / Project | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | 1946 | Born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles, later raised in Rockford, Illinois. |
| Hollywood Retirement | 1989 | Retired from Hollywood, later making selective guest appearances. |
| Personal Loss | 2004 | Son Teddy passed away in a Colorado plane crash at age 14. |
| Walk of Fame Honor | 2008 | Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. |
| Passing | Monday | Died at age 80 following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. |
A Legacy Beyond the Screen
While generations of television viewers came to know Saint James through her work on Kate & Allie and McMillan & Wife, those who knew her outside of television emphasized a daily dedication to ordinary interactions. As her family noted, every person she met “became the most important person in the room at that moment, from a fellow board member to the clerk at the shoe store, who usually walked away knowing her entire life story.”
