Susan Saint James Dies at 80: Emmy-Winning Star of McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie

Susan Saint James, the Emmy-winning actor best known for her roles in the television dramas McMillan & Wife and the sitcom Kate & Allie, has died at the age of 80. The actor, who became a familiar face on American television during the 1970s and 1980s, was remembered by her family for her warmth, generosity and ability to make people feel valued.

According to People magazine, which cited a representative for the actor, Saint James died on Monday after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her death marks the loss of a performer whose career spanned television dramas, feature films and comedy, as well as a woman whose life included significant family milestones and personal tragedy.

In a statement to People, her family described her as someone who could make an instant connection with almost anyone she met.

“She never met a stranger,” the family said, recalling how people from fellow board members to shop clerks could find themselves sharing their life stories with her.

Saint James rose to national prominence playing Sally McMillan opposite Rock Hudson in McMillan & Wife. She later earned further recognition as Kate in Kate & Allie, the CBS sitcom in which she starred alongside Jane Curtin. Across both shows, she established a distinctive screen presence and earned multiple Emmy nominations.

Susan Saint James’ Early Life and Acting Career

Born Susan Jane Miller on August 14, 1946, in Los Angeles, Saint James grew up in Rockford, Illinois, after her father relocated there for work. Her route into entertainment began with modelling. As a teenager, she travelled to Paris to pursue opportunities in the fashion industry before returning to Los Angeles at the age of 20.

Her return to California brought a major career opportunity: a seven-year contract with Universal Studios. She made her television debut in the 1966 film Fame Is the Name of the Game, appearing alongside Tony Franciosa.

The project later developed into the television series The Name of the Game, which premiered in 1968. The programme featured rotating lead characters played by Franciosa, Gene Barry and Robert Stack. Saint James appeared as Peggy Maxwell, a research assistant whose work connected the show’s different lead characters.

The role gave her an important foothold in television. In 1969, she won an Emmy Award for her performance, establishing herself as a promising young actor in an increasingly competitive industry.

Before The Name of the Game became a series, Saint James had also appeared in the crime-caper show It Takes a Thief, starring Robert Wagner. Her other early television credits included Ironside, McCloud and Alias Smith and Jones. She later guest-starred in an episode of the long-running military comedy MASH* in 1980.

Saint James also appeared on the big screen early in her career. She had a supporting role in the 1968 comedy Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows, starring Rosalind Russell and Stella Stevens. Her distinctive, throaty voice and energetic screen presence helped make her performances recognisable.

Breakthrough Success With McMillan & Wife

Saint James achieved her greatest early fame as Sally McMillan in McMillan & Wife, the NBC crime series that ran from 1971 to 1976. She played the spirited wife of Stewart McMillan, a San Francisco police commissioner portrayed by Rock Hudson.

The series blended police investigations with the personal lives of its central characters. Saint James brought humour, confidence and independence to Sally, making the character an essential part of the show’s appeal.

Her performance earned three Emmy nominations, further cementing her reputation as a leading television actor. The role also made her widely recognisable to viewers who followed the popular crime drama during its original run.

However, her time on the show ended before its sixth and final season. Saint James left following a contract dispute, and her character was written out through an off-screen plane crash. Her departure marked a turning point in her career as she moved towards feature films and new television opportunities.

Films With Peter Fonda, George Hamilton and Denzel Washington

After leaving McMillan & Wife, Saint James explored a range of film roles. In 1977, she appeared opposite Peter Fonda in Outlaw Blues. Two years later, she joined George Hamilton in Love at First Bite, a comedy that spoofed vampire stories.

She also starred with Jessica Lange and Jane Curtin in the 1980 comedy heist film How to Beat the High Cost of Living. The following year, she appeared in Carbon Copy, a romantic comedy featuring Denzel Washington in his film debut.

Although her film career brought her several notable credits, Saint James found lasting success in television. Her return to the small screen led to one of the defining roles of her career.

Kate & Allie Brought Another Emmy-Nominated Role

In 1984, Saint James reunited with Jane Curtin for the CBS sitcom Kate & Allie. The series followed two divorced women who shared a home and raised their children together, exploring family life, friendship and the challenges of starting over.

Saint James played Kate, the more free-spirited and outgoing of the pair, while Curtin portrayed the comparatively reserved Allie. Their contrasting personalities formed the centre of the show’s humour and emotional appeal.

The sitcom ran from 1984 to 1989 and earned Saint James two additional Emmy nominations. The role introduced her to another generation of viewers and demonstrated her ability to move comfortably between crime drama and comedy.

Her work on McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie remains central to her television legacy, reflecting two different stages of a career defined by versatility and an approachable screen presence.

Marriage to Dick Ebersol and Family Life

Saint James met Dick Ebersol in 1981 while guest-hosting Saturday Night Live. Ebersol was then the programme’s executive producer and later became chairman of NBC Sports. The pair married just six weeks after meeting and went on to have three sons: Charlie, Willie and Teddy.

Their family life was marked by both happiness and profound loss. In 2004, their youngest son, Teddy, died at the age of 14 in a private plane crash that also killed the pilot and a flight attendant. Ebersol and their son Charlie survived but sustained serious injuries.

The family had spent Thanksgiving in Los Angeles and planned several stops on the return journey. Saint James left the aircraft in Colorado to travel to the family’s second home. The plane crashed in snowy conditions after taking off again for Indiana.

The tragedy became one of the most painful events of Saint James’ life. Her family later recalled her response in the weeks following Teddy’s death, describing how she delivered his eulogy as a personal message to her husband and each of her other children.

Even while grieving, she sought to help her family find words and comfort. The statement presented this act as a defining example of her instinct to care for others, even during her own deepest sorrow.

Saint James and Ebersol also experienced difficulties in their marriage. She filed for divorce in 2002, but the couple reconciled later that year. In an interview with People in 2002, she spoke positively about their renewed relationship, saying they had been given a second chance and that she was happier.

Ebersol later paid tribute to her in his 2022 memoir, From Saturday Night to Sunday Night, describing Saint James as “the greatest partner I’ve ever had by far.”

Life After Kate & Allie: Family, Business and Charity

When Kate & Allie ended in 1989, Saint James stepped away from full-time acting to focus on raising her younger children in Litchfield, Connecticut. During this period, Ebersol continued his career in sports broadcasting and executive leadership at NBC.

Although she largely retired from acting, Saint James made occasional appearances in later years. Her television credits included The Drew Carey Show, where she played the mother of her real-life look-alike niece, Christa Miller. She also appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Suits.

In 1999, she took to the stage in a production of The Miracle Worker in Torrington, Connecticut, showing that she continued to engage with performance beyond her best-known television roles.

Saint James also explored business ventures outside entertainment. In 1998, she joined her sister, Mercedes Dewey, and a friend to establish Seedling and Pip, a baby gift basket business based in Litchfield that focused on books.

Her charitable work was another important part of her life. She was a longtime supporter of Special Olympics, volunteering for the organisation and serving on its board of directors. That commitment reflected the interest in people and community described by her family in their statement following her death.

Susan Saint James’ Family and Survivors

Saint James is survived by her husband, Dick Ebersol, and their sons Charlie and Willie. She is also survived by daughter Sunshine and son Harmony from her second marriage to makeup artist Tom Lucas. Saint James and Lucas remained friends after their marriage ended.

Her son Miller, whose first television role was on Kate & Allie, is also among her surviving family members. Her first marriage, to Richard Neubert, ended in divorce.

While audiences remember Saint James for her award-winning performances and enduring television characters, her family’s tribute offers another perspective on her legacy: a person who made others feel seen, listened to and important.

From her early modelling career to Emmy-winning television roles, film appearances, family life and charity work, Saint James built a career and personal life that extended far beyond any single programme. Her performances in McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie remain the best-known chapters of that journey, while the memories shared by her family speak to the personal connections she valued throughout her life.