We have tragic news to report from the world of television:
Susan Saint James, the Emmy-winning actress best known for Kate & Allie and McMillan & Wife, has died at the age of 80.
A representative confirmed that Saint James died on Monday following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
Her death marks the end of a remarkable career that included some of television’s most memorable roles, along with a personal life defined by family, compassion, and extraordinary resilience.
In a statement shared with People, Saint James’ family remembered her as a woman who consistently put others first.
“She was ‘generous with her time and energy, which she valued more than money, and instinctively drawn to whoever needed lifting up,’” the family said, adding that she taught her children to be kind and look out for others.
The statement continued: “She never met a stranger. Every person she met became the most important person in the room at that moment.”
That description captured the warmth that defined Saint James beyond her Hollywood career. And while audiences will remember her for her television work, those closest to her also knew a woman who devoted considerable energy to helping people facing unimaginable grief.
Saint James endured a devastating personal loss in November 2004, when a private plane carrying her husband, NBC executive Dick Ebersol, and two of their sons crashed in Colorado. Ebersol and their son Charlie survived, but their 14-year-old son, Teddy, died.
Her family recalled how Saint James delivered Teddy’s eulogy in the form of a personal note to each of her other children and her husband, offering words intended to help them heal.
“Even in the deepest grief of her life, she put everyone else first,” the family said.
She subsequently made it a priority to support other parents who had lost children, drawing on her own experience to offer comfort and understanding.
Saint James was born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles in 1946 and grew up in Rockford, Illinois. She pursued modeling before moving to Hollywood in her early 20s, where her acting career quickly gained momentum.
Her breakthrough came in 1968 with The Name of the Game, which earned her three Emmy nominations and one win. She later starred opposite Rock Hudson in McMillan & Wife, earning further recognition for her performance.
In 1984, Saint James landed another defining role as Kate McArdle in Kate & Allie. The CBS sitcom paired her with Jane Curtin as two divorced women who shared a home while raising their children. The series ran until 1989 and earned Saint James additional Emmy nominations.
She gradually stepped away from acting to focus on her family, making only occasional television appearances in subsequent years. In 2008, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Saint James and Ebersol, whom she met while hosting Saturday Night Live, married in 1981. They welcomed three sons together, while Saint James had two children from her previous marriage to makeup artist Tom Lucas.
The family confirmed that Saint James is survived by Ebersol, her four surviving children, seven grandchildren, her sister, Mary Mercedes Dewey, and her beloved service dog, Lola.
Her legacy, however, extends well beyond her television credits. As her family made clear, Saint James will also be remembered for the kindness she offered others, even when she had endured profound heartbreak herself.
Our condolences go out to Susan Saint James’ loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
Susan Saint James Cause of Death: ‘Kate & Allie,’ ‘McMillan & Wife’ Star Passes Away was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
