Susan St James, star of Kate & Allie, dies at 80

Susan Saint James, the American actor known to television audiences for the 1970s crime series McMillan & Wife and the 1980s sitcom Kate & Allie, died on Monday, October 26, 2026, at the age of 80. She died of pancreatic cancer, a representative confirmed. Her name is often written Susan St James. An Emmy winner, she was one of the best-known faces of American network television across two decades, and was married for 45 years to the former NBC executive Dick Ebersol.

Saint James led hit series on two American networks in two different decades. In McMillan & Wife she played Sally McMillan, the quick-witted wife of a San Francisco police commissioner, opposite Rock Hudson. The series combined a crime story each week with the humour of a married couple, and her role made her a familiar face in homes across the United States. The part also brought her repeated Emmy nominations, according to reports. She left the show early over a contract dispute, according to reports, before it ended in 1976.

A decade later, Kate & Allie on CBS gave her a second long-running success, this time in comedy, opposite Jane Curtin. The sitcom ran for five years, from 1984 to 1989, and is still remembered by viewers who grew up with it. After it ended, she largely stepped away from acting, according to reports.

Her life away from the screen was closely tied to television too. She was married for 45 years to Dick Ebersol, one of NBC's best-known executives. The couple's private grief became public in 2004, when their 14-year-old son, Teddy, was killed in a plane crash in Colorado.

Tributes this week remembered her as much for her generosity as for her work. Her family's statement spoke of her energy and her instinct to help "whoever needed lifting up". Jamie Lee Curtis recalled on Instagram being compared to Saint James when she was a young actor starting out in Hollywood.

Short-term: Tributes from colleagues and fans are expected to continue, and interest in her two signature series may rise as viewers look for them on streaming services. The reports so far have not included details of funeral or memorial arrangements, which the family may announce later.

Long-term: Her two signature series remain part of the history of American network television, and her family's statement points to a legacy that went beyond acting.

Who is affected: Her husband, Dick Ebersol, and their family; her former co-stars and colleagues; and viewers who grew up with her shows.

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