Susan Saint James, the Emmy-winning actress known for "The Name of the Game," "McMillan & Wife" and "Kate & Allie," has died at age 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her husband, Dick Ebersol, four children and seven grandchildren.
Susan Saint James, the Emmy-winning actress known for The Name of the Game, McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie, has died at age 80. She died on October 26, 2026, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles and raised in Rockford, Illinois.
Career highlights
Saint James received an Emmy in 1969 for the first season of The Name of the Game. According to the Television Academy, the award was for outstanding continued performance by an actress in a supporting role in a series. She later received eight Emmy nominations and, in 2008, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She was known for the 1970s mystery series "McMillan & Wife" and the 1980s sitcom "Kate & Allie." On "McMillan & Wife," she played Sally McMillan, wife of San Francisco Police Commissioner Stewart McMillan, played by Rock Hudson. NBC created "NBC Mystery Movie" as a wheel in which several shows rotated in the same time slot under a single title, and "Columbo" alternated with "McMillan & Wife."
In 1984, Saint James joined Jane Curtin in the CBS sitcom "Kate & Allie," playing Kate McArdle. The show aired for six seasons from 1984 to 1989. Saint James and Curtin portrayed two divorced mothers, Kate McArdle and Allie Lowell, who move in together with their children.
Family
Saint James is survived by her husband, television executive Dick Ebersol, four children and seven grandchildren. She was the mother of Sunshine Lucas and Harmony Lucas with her ex-husband Tom Lucas.
Her 14-year-old son Edward Teddy Ebersol died in a November 28, 2004 plane crash in Montrose, Colorado. Her husband, Dick Ebersol, and son Charlie Ebersol survived the crash. Teddy was her youngest son and died in a private jet crash. A family statement shared with People said she delivered Teddy's eulogy weeks after his death and, days after the crash, sat with Tim Russert to thank people who had reached out.
Her television work also included appearances on shows including "The Name of the Game" and "Kate & Allie."
