Susan Saint James, Emmy-winning star of 'McMillan & Wife' and 'Kate & Allie,' dies

Los Angeles: Emmy Award-winning American actor Susan Saint James, celebrated for her performances in the television series 'McMillan & Wife' and 'Kate & Allie,' has died at the age of 80.

Saint James died on Monday after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, People magazine reported, citing a representative for the actor.

Remembering her warmth and ability to connect with people, her family said in a statement to People, "She never met a stranger."

"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."

From teenage model to Emmy winner

Born Susan Jane Miller on August 14, 1946, in Los Angeles, Saint James spent much of her childhood in Rockford, Illinois, after her father relocated there for work.

She began her career as a teenage model in Paris before returning to Los Angeles at the age of 20, where she secured a seven-year contract with Universal Studios.

Her television career began with the 1966 movie 'Fame Is the Name of the Game,' in which she appeared alongside Tony Franciosa.

The production was subsequently developed into the television series 'The Name of the Game' in 1968, featuring Franciosa, Gene Barry and Robert Stack as rotating lead characters.

Saint James portrayed Peggy Maxwell, a research assistant whose character connected the storylines involving all three leading men. Her performance earned her an Emmy Award in 1969.

Her early television appearances also included 'It Takes a Thief,' starring Robert Wagner, along with 'Ironside,' 'McCloud' and 'Alias Smith and Jones.'

She also appeared in the 1968 film 'Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows,' alongside Rosalind Russell and Stella Stevens.

'McMillan & Wife' brings widespread recognition

Saint James became a household name in the 1970s through her portrayal of Sally McMillan in the popular crime drama 'McMillan & Wife.'

The series, which aired from 1971 to 1976, featured Rock Hudson as San Francisco police commissioner Stewart McMillan, with Saint James playing his spirited wife.

Her performance brought her three Emmy nominations and established her as one of the most recognisable faces on American television.

However, she departed the NBC series before its sixth and final season following a contract dispute. Her character was subsequently written out of the show through a plane crash storyline.

Following her departure, Saint James shifted her attention to films.

She starred opposite Peter Fonda in 'Outlaw Blues' (1977) and appeared alongside George Hamilton in the 1979 vampire comedy 'Love at First Bite.'

In 1980, she joined Jessica Lange and Jane Curtin in the comedy 'How to Beat the High Cost of Living.'

She also featured in the 1981 romantic comedy 'Carbon Copy,' which marked Denzel Washington's film debut.

Her television appearances during this period included a guest role in 'MAS*H' in 1980.

Television comeback with 'Kate & Allie'

After experiencing mixed success in films, Saint James returned to television in 1984, reuniting with Jane Curtin for the CBS sitcom 'Kate & Allie.'

The series followed two divorced women raising their children together while sharing a home.

Saint James played Kate, a free-spirited woman whose personality contrasted with Curtin's more conventional character, Allie.

The sitcom ran until 1989 and earned Saint James two additional Emmy nominations.

Her performance further strengthened her reputation as an actor capable of moving effortlessly between comedy and drama.

Marriage to Dick Ebersol and family tragedy

Saint James met television executive Dick Ebersol in 1981 while guest-hosting 'Saturday Night Live.'

Ebersol, who was then the programme's executive producer and later became chairman of NBC Sports, married Saint James just six weeks after their first meeting.

The couple had three sons, Charlie, Willie and Teddy.

Their family faced tragedy in November 2004 when Teddy, aged 14, died in a private plane crash that also killed the pilot and a flight attendant.

Ebersol and their son Charlie survived the accident but suffered serious injuries.

The family had spent Thanksgiving in Los Angeles and was returning home with several planned stops.

Saint James had disembarked in Colorado to visit the family's second home before the aircraft crashed while taking off for Indiana in snowy conditions.

Recalling how she supported her family following the tragedy, her relatives said, "Her defining act: weeks after losing her youngest son, Teddy, in the Nov. 28, 2004 plane crash, she delivered his eulogy as a note to each of her other children and her husband, giving them words to heal. Even in the deepest grief of her life, she put everyone else first."

Saint James and Ebersol had previously experienced difficulties in their marriage.

She filed for divorce in 2002, but the couple reconciled later that year.

Reflecting on their relationship, Saint James told People magazine in 2002, "We had a second chance."

"I'm amazingly happier, so that's a good sign."

In his 2022 memoir, 'From Saturday Night to Sunday Night,' Ebersol described Saint James as "the greatest partner I've ever had by far."

Life beyond television and charitable work

Saint James largely stepped away from acting after 'Kate & Allie' concluded in 1989, choosing to devote more time to raising her younger children in Litchfield, Connecticut.

She occasionally returned to television, appearing in programmes including 'The Drew Carey Show,' 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' and 'Suits.'

In 'The Drew Carey Show,' she portrayed the mother of a character played by her real-life niece, Christa Miller.

She also appeared in a 1999 stage production of 'The Miracle Worker' in Torrington, Connecticut.

Beyond entertainment, Saint James pursued business and charitable activities.

In 1998, she established Seedling and Pip, a baby gift basket company specialising in books, alongside her sister Mercedes Dewey and a friend.

She was also actively involved with Special Olympics, volunteering for the organisation and serving on its board of directors.

Saint James is survived by her husband, Dick Ebersol; sons Charlie and Willie; daughter Sunshine and son Harmony from her earlier marriage to makeup artist Tom Lucas; and her niece Christa Miller.

Her first marriage, to Richard Neubert, ended in divorce. She also remained on friendly terms with Lucas following their separation.

Saint James leaves behind a television legacy spanning several decades, with memorable performances that helped define American entertainment in the 1970s and 1980s.