Susan Saint James, the Emmy-winning actress who became one of television’s most recognizable faces through her beloved roles on “McMillan & Wife” and “Kate & Allie,” has died at 80, leaving behind a remarkable Hollywood legacy and a family that says her greatest gift had nothing to do with fame.
The actress died Monday, October 26, following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, her representative confirmed. Her passing comes just two months after she celebrated her 80th birthday surrounded by loved ones, enjoying what her family would later describe as some of the happiest moments of her life.
In an emotional statement announcing her death, Saint James’ family remembered a woman whose infectious personality, generosity and compassion touched countless lives, particularly those who were struggling through difficult times.
“She never met a stranger,” her family recalled, explaining that Saint James had an extraordinary ability to make everyone she encountered feel important, whether they were a Hollywood celebrity or a stranger working in a store.
For millions of Americans who grew up watching television in the 1970s and 1980s, Saint James was a familiar and comforting presence. With her distinctive voice, quick wit and effortless charm, she brought warmth and humor to some of the era’s most successful programs, earning eight Emmy nominations throughout her career.
Born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles in 1946 and raised in Rockford, Illinois, she dreamed of becoming an actress from an early age. She once recalled watching a Rhonda Fleming movie when she was just seven years old and deciding that Hollywood was where she belonged. By age 10, she was such an enthusiastic moviegoer that she had reportedly watched “The King and I” an astonishing 31 times.
After graduating from high school at 16, Saint James briefly attended Connecticut College, spent time in France and pursued modeling in New York before making her way to Hollywood. Her breakthrough came in 1968 with the television drama “The Name of the Game,” where her performance earned her three Emmy nominations and a win in 1969.
Her popularity soared when she was cast opposite Rock Hudson in NBC’s “McMillan & Wife” in 1971. Playing Sally McMillan, the lively and clever wife of San Francisco police commissioner Stewart McMillan, Saint James helped turn the lighthearted mystery series into a television favorite.
The chemistry between the two stars became one of the show’s biggest attractions, and Saint James earned three additional Emmy nominations during her five seasons on the program. Years later, she fondly recalled working with Hudson, joking about the show’s decision to continue without her character after she departed.
Her success continued on the big screen with appearances in “Love at First Bite,” “Outlaw Blues” and “How to Beat the High Cost of Living,” but another defining television role was still ahead.
In 1984, Saint James joined Jane Curtin in the CBS sitcom “Kate & Allie,” playing Kate McArdle, a divorced mother who moves in with her equally independent best friend as the two women raise their children together.
The series became a hit with audiences who appreciated its realistic depiction of motherhood, friendship and the challenges of starting over after divorce. At a time when many television comedies relied on traditional family arrangements, “Kate & Allie” offered something refreshingly different, portraying two women who supported one another through life’s ups and downs.
Saint James received two more Emmy nominations before the show ended in 1989, cementing her place among the most popular television actresses of her generation.
Yet despite her considerable success, she eventually made a decision that surprised many in Hollywood: she stepped away from the spotlight to focus on her family.
That choice reflected the importance she placed on her life away from television, particularly after meeting NBC executive Dick Ebersol while hosting “Saturday Night Live” in 1981.
Their romance moved at lightning speed. The couple married just 42 days after meeting and went on to build a life together that lasted more than four decades.
Saint James was already the mother of two children, Sunshine and Harmony, from her previous marriage to makeup artist Tom Lucas. She and Ebersol welcomed three sons, Charlie, Willie and Teddy, and the actress increasingly prioritized raising her children over pursuing additional Hollywood roles.
In a 1993 interview, she explained that her children had reached an age when they needed to be the center of the family rather than competing with their mother’s celebrity.
While she occasionally returned to television with guest appearances, Saint James found happiness in a quieter life filled with family activities, gardening, charitable work and new adventures.
But in November 2004, her family experienced an unimaginable tragedy when a private jet carrying Ebersol and two of their sons crashed in Colorado, killing their youngest child, 14-year-old Teddy.
The loss devastated the family, yet Saint James responded in a way that those closest to her would never forget.
Rather than retreating from the world, she publicly thanked the thousands of people who offered condolences and later delivered an emotional eulogy intended to comfort her surviving children and husband.
According to her family, she received approximately 27,000 letters of support following Teddy’s death and personally responded to 15,000 with handwritten notes.
Her compassion eventually extended to other families grieving the loss of a child. She formed meaningful friendships with parents who had endured similar tragedies, including Lynn McDonnell, whose daughter Grace was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
Those relationships reflected a lifelong commitment to helping others, a quality that also defined her extensive charitable work.
Saint James spent decades supporting the Special Olympics, having attended the organization’s first games in Chicago in 1968. She served on its boards, organized fundraising events and worked with numerous other charitable organizations throughout her life.
Even after leaving Hollywood behind, she remained remarkably active. She returned to school in her 50s to become a master gardener, helped operate a Connecticut radio station and launched a business specializing in children’s gifts and books.
Following Ebersol’s retirement in 2011, the couple enjoyed traveling across the country, frequently attending minor league baseball games and embracing the simple pleasures of life together.
Those adventures continued into Saint James’ later years, culminating in a particularly joyful 80th birthday celebration in August 2026.
The evening before her birthday, she attended a Doobie Brothers concert with her children and grandchildren. The band surprised her by dedicating “Black Water,” one of Teddy’s favorite songs, to her.
The following day, her husband, children, grandchildren and close friends gathered for a celebration in her backyard. Saint James later told her family that the experience had been among the best two days of her life.
Just over two months later, her loved ones were announcing her death.
While her family has not publicly shared extensive details about her final illness, they emphasized that the warmth, generosity and determination that defined Saint James never faded.
She is survived by Ebersol, her four surviving children, seven grandchildren, her sister Mary Mercedes Dewey and her beloved service dog, Lola.