Susan Saint James: Iconic TV Actress & Hollywood Legacy
A look back at the Emmy-winning performer whose work on The Name of the Game, McMillan & Wife, and Kate & Allie helped define several eras of American television.
Updated October 28, 2026. Susan Saint James, the American actor and longtime Special Olympics advocate, died on October 26, 2026, at age 80 after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, according to the Associated Press. Her career left audiences with memorable characters across drama and comedy, and her service work became an important part of her life beyond Hollywood.
Readers searching for Susan Saint James, Susan St James, or Susan St. James are looking for the same performer: a star whose warmth, quick wit, and distinctive screen presence carried from the late 1960s into the 1980s. Her story includes a landmark Emmy win, three signature television roles, a marriage to sports and television executive Dick Ebersol, and decades of advocacy.
From Susan Jane Miller to a television star
Born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles on August 14, 1946, she grew up in Rockford, Illinois. She modeled as a teenager, including time in Paris, before returning to California and signing with Universal Studios. A television appearance in Fame Is the Name of the Game in 1966 opened the door to the series that introduced her to a national audience.
When The Name of the Game became a series in 1968, Saint James played Peggy Maxwell, a research assistant who connected the stories of its rotating lead characters. The role gave the show a steady presence and gave its young performer a demanding, recurring part in an ambitious prime-time drama. In 1969, Saint James won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series. The Television Academy records one Emmy win and eight nominations across her career, including nominations for McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie.
The win established Susan St. James as more than a promising newcomer. She had a lively, contemporary style that made her equally at home in a mystery, a romantic comedy, or a family sitcom. Her early television credits also included It Takes a Thief, Ironside, and an appearance on McCloud.
Sally McMillan on McMillan & Wife
One of Susan Saint James’s defining dramatic roles was Sally McMillan on McMillan & Wife, opposite Rock Hudson as San Francisco police commissioner Stewart McMillan. The NBC mystery series ran from 1971 to 1976. Sally was witty, observant, and an active presence in the investigations, giving the show a lively partnership at its center.
The distinction between McCloud and McMillan & Wife is easy to mix up when scanning a long television résumé. Saint James appeared in McCloud, while her recurring role as Sally belonged to McMillan & Wife. The latter brought her several more Emmy nominations and a popular on-screen partnership with Hudson.
After leaving the series before its final season, Saint James moved into feature films. She appeared opposite George Hamilton in the 1979 comedy Love at First Bite, playing Cindy Sondheim. The American Film Institute’s catalog lists her among the film’s principal cast. Her movie credits also included Outlaw Blues and How to Beat the High Cost of Living.
Kate & Allie and a new kind of television family
In 1984, Saint James returned to weekly television as Kate McArdle in the CBS sitcom Kate & Allie. Jane Curtin played Allie Lowell, Kate’s childhood friend. The two divorced women chose to share a New York home and raise their children together, building a family arrangement that gave the series room for humor, friendship, work, parenting, and starting over.
For six seasons, from 1984 through 1989, Kate and Allie offered viewers a different picture of adult life than the conventional sitcom household. Saint James brought Kate a free-spirited confidence; Curtin gave Allie a more cautious, thoughtful counterpoint. Their chemistry made the premise feel grounded and gave the show its emotional center. Saint James received two Emmy nominations for her lead performance, and the series remains the role many viewers associate first with her name.
The phrase Kate and Allie is often used in searches, while the series title is styled Kate & Allie. Both searches point to the comedy that cemented Susan Saint James as a household name for a new generation. It also showed how a performer could move from a supporting role in a rotating drama anthology to the lead of a character-driven comedy without losing her distinctive voice.
Dick Ebersol, family, and life beyond the screen
Saint James met Dick Ebersol while guest-hosting Saturday Night Live in 1981, when he was the show’s executive producer. They married that year and built a family together. Ebersol later became a leading sports television executive, including a long tenure with NBC Sports. Their partnership connected two careers that shaped different parts of American television: her work in front of the camera and his work building sports and entertainment broadcasts.
Saint James was also a mother of five. Her life included profound family loss when her youngest son, Teddy, died in a 2004 plane crash. The family later spoke about her resilience and her care for others during grief. She chose a quieter public life after Kate & Allie ended, focusing on family, community, and the causes she supported.
While the phrase Dick Ebersol often appears beside Susan Saint James in searches, her legacy stands on its own as well: an Emmy-winning actor, a versatile television lead, and a committed volunteer. The best account of her public life includes both her marriage and the independent choices she made throughout her career.
Special Olympics advocacy and community service
Saint James’s involvement with Special Olympics began in 1972, when she was asked to volunteer at the California State Games. What started as a request became a lasting commitment. She served as a board member and spokesperson, and after moving to Connecticut, she continued her work with the state organization. The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame recognized her in its Arts & Humanities category in 1994 and notes the central place of service in her life.
Her own letter to Special Olympics describes how she first met Eunice Kennedy Shriver at the California Games and how the organization’s athletes and families stayed with her. That personal connection helps explain why advocacy was not simply a line in a biography; it was a sustained commitment alongside family and professional life.
Saint James also received a star in the Television category on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located on Vine Street. The honor reflects the lasting reach of her television work, while her service record reflects the contribution she made away from the set.
The lasting legacy of Susan St. James
The roles of Peggy Maxwell, Sally McMillan, and Kate McArdle show the range of Susan Saint James’s television career. Peggy connected an ambitious anthology drama; Sally brought humor and intelligence to a detective series; Kate gave a generation of viewers an independent, funny, and affectionate portrait of a single mother. Each role used her warmth and sharp timing in a different way.
Her legacy is also shaped by the people she supported and the causes she served. Audiences remember the performer, colleagues remember a generous partner, and Special Olympics remembers a committed advocate. As viewers return to The Name of the Game, McMillan & Wife, and Kate & Allie, they can see why Susan St James remains a familiar and meaningful name in American television history.
Frequently asked questions about Susan Saint James
What was Susan Saint James best known for?
She was best known for playing Peggy Maxwell on The Name of the Game, Sally McMillan on McMillan & Wife, and Kate McArdle on Kate & Allie.
Did Susan Saint James win an Emmy?
Yes. She won the 1969 Primetime Emmy for her supporting performance as Peggy Maxwell on The Name of the Game. The Television Academy lists eight career nominations and one win.
Was Susan Saint James in McCloud?
Yes, she appeared in McCloud. Her role as Sally McMillan was on the separate series McMillan & Wife.
Who was Susan Saint James married to?
She married Dick Ebersol in 1981 after meeting him when she guest-hosted Saturday Night Live.
What was Susan Saint James’s connection to Special Olympics?
She began volunteering at the California Special Olympics State Games in 1972 and later served as a board member and advocate.