Susan Saint James, the Emmy-winning actress who starred in McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie, has died. She was 80. A representative confirmed to People that she died on Monday, October 26, 2026. Her family said she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
"She never met a stranger," her family said in a statement.
The news sent searches for "Susan Saint James," "Dick Ebersol" and "Kate and Allie" soaring across the United States, as fans remembered one of television's most familiar faces of the 1970s and 1980s.
An Emmy Winner Early in Her Career
Saint James was born Susan Jane Miller on August 14, 1946, in Los Angeles, and grew up in Rockford, Illinois. She began modeling in Paris as a teenager, and at 20 she signed a seven-year contract with Universal Studios.
Her breakthrough came on The Name of the Game, where she played Peggy Maxwell. The role won her an Emmy Award in 1969. During those early years she also appeared on It Takes a Thief, Ironside, McCloud and Alias Smith and Jones, and later made a guest appearance on MAS*H.
McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie
From 1971 to 1976, Saint James starred as Sally McMillan opposite Rock Hudson on NBC's McMillan & Wife, a role that brought her several more Emmy nominations. She left before the final season in a contract dispute, and the show wrote her character out.
Her second signature role came on CBS. From 1984 to 1989 she played Kate McArdle alongside Jane Curtin on Kate & Allie, a comedy about two divorced mothers sharing a New York apartment. It earned her two more Emmy nominations.
On the big screen, her credits included:
- Outlaw Blues (1977)
- Love at First Bite (1979)
- How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980)
- Carbon Copy (1981)
A Love Story That Began on SNL
In 1981, Saint James hosted Saturday Night Live, where she met producer Dick Ebersol, who later became chairman of NBC Sports. The two married about six weeks later and had three sons: Charlie, Willie and Teddy.
The family suffered a terrible loss on November 28, 2004, when a private plane carrying Ebersol and two of their sons crashed in Colorado after a Thanksgiving trip. Fourteen-year-old Teddy Ebersol was killed, along with members of the flight crew. Dick and Charlie Ebersol survived with serious injuries.
Life After Hollywood
After Kate & Allie ended, Saint James stepped back from acting to raise her children in Litchfield, Connecticut, though she made occasional guest appearances on shows such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Suits. In 1998 she co-founded a baby gift basket business, and she was a longtime volunteer and board member for the Special Olympics. She also had two children, Sunshine and Harmony, from her earlier marriage to makeup artist Tom Lucas.
She is survived by her husband, Dick Ebersol, four children and seven grandchildren.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Susan Saint James die?
Her family said she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She died on October 26, 2026, at 80.
Who was Susan Saint James married to?
NBC Sports executive Dick Ebersol, whom she married in 1981.
What shows was Susan Saint James known for?
McMillan & Wife, Kate & Allie and The Name of the Game, which won her an Emmy.