Hollywood is mourning the loss of Susan Saint James, the Emmy-winning actress whose performances in The Name of the Game, McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie made her a familiar face to generations of television viewers.
Saint James died Monday, October 26, at the age of 80 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, a representative confirmed to People magazine.
Her passing marks the end of a celebrated career that spanned decades, but for those who knew her personally, her greatest legacy extended far beyond television.
In an emotional statement, her family remembered an extraordinarily compassionate woman who consistently put others before herself.
She was “generous with her time and energy, which she valued more than money, and instinctively drawn to whoever needed lifting up,” her family said.
“She taught her children to pause, be kind and look out for other people.”
That generosity, they explained, was evident in virtually every interaction.
“She never met a stranger,” the family recalled, describing how Saint James made everyone she encountered feel important, whether they were fellow board members or employees at a local shoe store.
Born Susan Jane Miller on August 14, 1946, the future television star spent time in France before moving to Hollywood and adopting her professional name at age 20.
Her breakthrough came after signing with Universal and appearing in the 1966 television movie Fame Is the Name of the Game.
The performance helped launch her role as research assistant Peggy Maxwell on NBC’s The Name of the Game, which aired from 1968 to 1971.
Her work earned three Emmy nominations and a win for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1969.
She subsequently starred opposite Rock Hudson in McMillan & Wife, portraying Sally McMillan from 1971 until 1976.
The popular series brought additional Emmy recognition and a Golden Globe nomination.
After departing the show following a contract dispute, Saint James appeared in films including Outlaw Blues, Love at First Bite and How to Beat the High Cost of Living.
She returned to television in 1984, starring alongside Jane Curtin in the CBS sitcom Kate & Allie.
The series ran until 1989 and earned Saint James two more Emmy nominations.
By then, she had established herself as one of television’s most recognizable actresses.
But her life would eventually be defined by something far more painful than any Hollywood storyline.
In November 2004, Saint James and her husband, television executive Dick Ebersol, suffered an unimaginable loss when their 14-year-old son, Teddy, died in a plane crash in Colorado.
Ebersol and another son, Charlie, survived.
Despite her grief, Saint James became a source of strength for her family.
Her relatives recalled that just weeks after Teddy’s death, she delivered his eulogy as a personal message to her surviving children and husband, offering them words of comfort.
“Even in the deepest grief of her life, she put everyone else first,” the family said.
Days after the tragedy, she also appeared with journalist Tim Russert to thank those who had reached out to support her family.
Saint James carried that compassion into her charitable work.
A longtime supporter of the Special Olympics, she served on international and Connecticut boards and helped organize fundraising events.
Following her son’s death, she also offered support to other parents experiencing similar losses.
Saint James largely stepped away from Hollywood after Kate & Allie, choosing to spend more time with her family in Connecticut.
She married Ebersol in 1981 after meeting him during an appearance hosting Saturday Night Live.
Although her acting appearances became less frequent, she later appeared on programs including The Drew Carey Show, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Suits, per Trending Politics.
In 2008, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Saint James is survived by her husband, four children, seven grandchildren, her sister and her service dog, Lola.
Her family said she maintained her warmth and optimism through life’s most difficult moments.
For audiences, she leaves behind decades of memorable performances. For her loved ones, she leaves something more personal: a legacy of kindness, resilience and an unwavering commitment to family.
