Susan Saint James Bio
Susan Saint James (born Susan Jane Miller; August 14, 1946) is an American former actress widely recognized for her leading roles in 1970s and 1980s television. She is best known for co-starring with Rock Hudson in the detective drama McMillan & Wife (1971–1976) and for her work on the family sitcom Kate & Allie (1984–1989), a role that earned multiple Emmy nominations. Over a career that spanned from 1966 to 2011, she built a reputation as a versatile performer who moved easily between crime drama, sitcoms, and feature film comedies, including Love at First Bite (1979).
Beyond acting, Susan Saint James became a prominent public figure through her long-running volunteer work with the Special Olympics, an organization she began supporting in 1972. She was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008, marking her lasting impact on American television history.
Early Life and Background
Susan Saint James was born Susan Jane Miller on August 14, 1946, in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Constance Geiger, a teacher, and Charles Daniel Miller, who worked for Mitchell Camera and later served as president of the Testor Corporation. Although she was born in California, Susan Saint James was raised in Rockford, Illinois, where she began modeling as a teenager, an early experience that helped her become comfortable in front of the camera.
For her secondary education, Susan Saint James attended the Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, Illinois. She later continued her studies at Connecticut College, where she continued to develop the poise and stage presence that would shape her acting career. Her Midwestern upbringing, combined with the early modeling work, gave her a grounded perspective as she entered the entertainment industry.
Path to Acting
Susan Saint James launched her screen career in 1966 with the television movie Fame Is the Name of the Game, starring opposite Tony Franciosa. The film was successful enough to become a full television series two years later under the title The Name of the Game, which provided Susan Saint James with her first regular role in Hollywood. Her early résumé also included appearances on the NBC crime drama Ironside and a supporting part in the 1968 film Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows, the sequel to The Trouble with Angels.
Her performance as research assistant Peggy Maxwell on The Name of the Game earned her an Emmy Award in 1969, establishing her as a popular young actress. She also landed a recurring role on the crime-caper series It Takes a Thief (1968–1970), playing Alexander Mundy’s fellow thief Charlene Brown. These early projects gave Susan Saint James steady exposure on prime-time television and prepared her for the leading role that would define her career.
Susan Saint James Career
Early Career (1966–1970)
Susan Saint James began her career in 1966 with a role in the TV movie Fame Is the Name of the Game, which quickly became a launching pad for additional television work. Her guest appearances on Ironside and her supporting role in the 1968 film Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows gave her early screen credits and helped her gain recognition within the industry. In 1968, she joined the rotating mystery series The Name of the Game, where she appeared in approximately half the episodes as Peggy Maxwell.
In 1969, Susan Saint James won an Emmy Award for her work on The Name of the Game, a major early-career milestone that confirmed her as a rising star. She also appeared in four episodes of It Takes a Thief and took part in the pilot for the 1971 western series Alias Smith and Jones, broadening her range across genres during this formative period.
Breakthrough (1971–1989)
In 1971, Susan Saint James landed her first starring role as Sally McMillan, the witty younger wife of Rock Hudson’s title character, in the NBC crime series McMillan & Wife. The lighthearted detective drama ran until 1976 and earned her four Emmy Award nominations. After leaving the show because of a contract dispute, she transitioned to feature films, co-starring with Peter Fonda in Outlaw Blues (1977) and finding major box-office success in the vampire comedy Love at First Bite (1979) opposite George Hamilton.
She followed Love at First Bite with the comedy How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980), co-starring Jessica Lange and Jane Curtin, and made a memorable guest appearance on M*A*S*H in 1980. She returned to television in 1984 with the family sitcom Kate & Allie, playing opposite Jane Curtin, and the show ran for five seasons until 1989, earning her two additional Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award for her performance. In 1986, she was also a celebrity guest commentator at WrestleMania 2 alongside Vince McMahon.
Notable Works and Milestones
Susan Saint James is most closely associated with two signature roles: Sally McMillan on McMillan & Wife and Kate on Kate & Allie. Her 1969 Emmy Award for The Name of the Game remains a defining early milestone, while her Hollywood Walk of Fame star, awarded on June 11, 2008, recognized a television career marked by charisma, versatility, and consistent audience appeal.
Susan Saint James Award Nominations
Susan Saint James received multiple Emmy Award nominations across her television career, reflecting her consistent presence in prime-time programming. She earned four Emmy nominations for her leading role as Sally McMillan on McMillan & Wife (1971–1976) and two additional Emmy nominations for her performance on the sitcom Kate & Allie (1984–1989). She also won a Golden Globe Award for her work on Kate & Allie, further cementing her reputation as a top television actress of the era.
Susan Saint James Awards Won
Susan Saint James won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1969 for her supporting role as research assistant Peggy Maxwell on the NBC series The Name of the Game. She later received a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the sitcom Kate & Allie, a role that resonated with audiences throughout the mid-1980s. In 2008, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of her contributions to television.
Susan Saint James Family
Susan Saint James is the daughter of Constance Geiger, a teacher, and Charles Daniel Miller, a corporate executive who led the Testor Corporation. Her niece, Christa Miller, became an actress and appeared alongside Susan Saint James in a guest role on The Drew Carey Show. Susan Saint James also holds honorary degrees from six Connecticut institutions, including the University of Connecticut, the University of Bridgeport, Southern Connecticut State University, Albertus Magnus College, the University of New Haven, and Goodwin University.
Personal Life
Susan Saint James married aspiring writer-director Richard Neubert in 1967; the marriage ended in divorce one year later. In 1971, she married makeup artist Thomas Lucas, and the couple had two children, daughter Sunshine Lucas (born 1972) and son Harmony Lucas (born 1974), before divorcing in 1977. She met her third husband, television executive Dick Ebersol, while guest-hosting Saturday Night Live in 1981, and they married the same year, welcoming three sons: Charles (born 1982), William (born 1986), and Teddy (born 1990). The family endured a tragic plane crash in 2004, in which her son Teddy died, an experience Susan Saint James has spoken about publicly as part of her ongoing advocacy and resilience.