Susan Saint James, Beloved Star of ‘McMillan & Wife’ and ‘Kate & Allie,’ Has Died

Few actresses left their mark on two distinct eras of television quite like Susan Saint James. Known for her husky voice, warmth, and sharp comic timing, she became a familiar face to viewers in the 1970s and again in the 1980s, starring in 2 of the most popular series of their time.

Born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles on August 14, 1946, she grew up in Rockford, Illinois, before pursuing modeling and acting. After moving to Hollywood at 20, she changed her name and began building a career that would earn her multiple Emmy nominations and a lasting place in TV history.

Sadly, the entertainment world is now mourning her loss. As Deadline reported, Susan Saint James has died at the age of 80. She passed away on Monday, October 26, after a battle with pancreatic cancer, a representative confirmed to People.

Her family remembered her as someone generous with her time and energy, which she valued more than money, and as a person instinctively drawn to anyone who needed lifting up. In their statement, the family also shared that she taught her children to pause, be kind, and look out for other people.

Saint James became a television fixture in the late 1960s with NBC’s ‘The Name of the Game’, an anthology drama in which she played research assistant Peggy Maxwell. Her character provided continuity across the series by working with each of its rotating leads.

She also had a small role in the 1967 pilot episode of the crime-caper series ‘It Takes a Thief’. Those early roles helped establish her as a rising talent on network television. Her big breakthrough came in 1971 with ‘McMillan & Wife’, part of the NBC Mystery Movie lineup. Saint James played Sally McMillan, the supportive wife of Rock Hudson’s San Francisco police commissioner, a role she held until 1976.

The lighthearted crime series was an immediate hit and earned her several Emmy nominations. She eventually departed the show after being unable to reach terms on a new contract.

In 1984, Saint James returned to series television with the CBS sitcom ‘Kate & Allie’. She starred as the free-spirited Kate McArdle opposite Jane Curtin’s more conservative Allie Lowell, playing 2 divorced mothers who raise their children together in a Manhattan apartment.

The show ran for 6 seasons and earned Saint James 2 more Emmy nominations. It was praised for portraying mothers on television as full, well-rounded people, and the contrast between Kate and Allie became a big part of its charm.

After ‘Kate & Allie’ ended in 1989, Saint James largely retired from acting, choosing to focus on her family. She still made occasional television appearances over the years, including roles on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ and ‘Suits’.

Her decision to step back from the spotlight only seemed to deepen fans’ affection for her. For many viewers, she will always be remembered as Sally McMillan or Kate McArdle, characters who showed television women could be witty, loyal, and independent.

Saint James is survived by her husband, Dick Ebersol, and her 4 children: Sunshine Lucas, Harmony Lucas, Charlie Ebersol, and Willie Ebersol. She also leaves behind 7 grandchildren. Her legacy lives on through the beloved characters she brought to life and the kindness her family says defined her off-screen.

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