Full Breakdown
Susan Saint James, Emmy-Winning Actress, Dies at 80
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Core Event
Susan Saint James, the Emmy-winning television actress best known for “McMillan & Wife,” “The Name of the Game,” and “Kate & Allie,” died on October 26, 2026 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. A representative confirmed the death to People magazine.
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Background & Context
Born Susan Jane Miller on August 14, 1946 in Los Angeles, she began modeling as a teenager before moving to Hollywood at 20. Her breakout role was Peggy Maxwell on NBC’s “The Name of the Game” (1968-1971), earning three Emmy nominations and a win in 1969. She next starred opposite Rock Hudson as Sally McMillan on “McMillan & Wife” (1971-1976), followed by the sitcom “Kate & Allie” (1984-1989) with Jane Curtin, adding two more Emmy nominations. After 1989 she made occasional guest appearances while focusing on family and charitable work, notably the Special Olympics. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 11, 2008.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
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Data & Statistics
- Birthdate: August 14, 1946
- Age at death: 80
- Emmy nominations: 8 (one win)
- Major series: “The Name of the Game,” “McMillan & Wife,” “Kate & Allie”
- Walk of Fame star: June 11, 2008
- Children: four (Sunshine Lucas, Harmony Lucas, Charlie Ebersol, Willie Ebersol)
- Grandchildren: seven
- Family tragedy: son Edward “Teddy” Ebersol died in a 2004 plane crash
04
Official Statements & Responses
The statement highlighted her “defining act” of turning her youngest son’s eulogy into a personal note for her surviving children and husband after the 2004 tragedy.
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Verbatim Quotes
- “She taught her children to pause, be kind and look out for other people.” — The Hollywood Reporter
- “Here’s the bad part ... I’ve never touched his clothes, I’ve never been able to move his things,” — Saint James
- “Thank you, Susan, for being an extraordinary champion of our athletes,” — Special Olympics
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Why It Matters / Impact
Saint James’s death marks the loss of a pioneering television figure whose performances helped shape the portrayal of independent women on screen in the 1970s and 1980s. Her decades of service to the Special Olympics advanced opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities and set a model for celebrity philanthropy.