Susan Saint James
A magnetic television star who defined two distinct eras of American sitcoms with her sharp wit and effortless charm.
Born 1946 (age 80)·American actress·Birthday: August 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Susan Saint James began her career as a model before landing a breakout role on the NBC series 'The Name of the Game,' which earned her an Emmy. Her career pivoted in the 1970s when she became the stylish, crime-solving partner to Rock Hudson in 'McMillan & Wife,' a role that cemented her as a household name and a master of lighthearted banter. After a hiatus to focus on family, she returned to television in the 1980s with a different kind of partnership, playing a divorced mother sharing a home with another in the groundbreaking sitcom 'Kate & Allie.' The show, celebrated for its portrayal of female friendship and independence, ran for six successful seasons. Off-screen, Saint James has been a dedicated advocate for the Special Olympics, serving as a global board member and chair for decades, a commitment that has defined her life as much as her acting.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Susan was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Susan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Susan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1969 for her supporting role in 'The Name of the Game.'
- Starred as Sally McMillan in the hit detective series 'McMillan & Wife' opposite Rock Hudson from 1971 to 1976.
- Co-starred in and co-produced the successful CBS sitcom 'Kate & Allie,' which ran for six seasons from 1984 to 1989.
- Served as the National Chairperson for the Special Olympics for over a decade, from 1977 to the late 1980s.
Did You Know?
She turned down the lead role in the film 'Private Benjamin,' which later went to Goldie Hawn.
She is married to NBC executive Dick Ebersol, and they have three sons together.
She was considered for the role of Lois Lane in the 1978 Superman film.
She retired from acting in the early 1990s to focus on her family and philanthropic work.
“I never wanted to be the ingenue; I liked playing the smart, funny one.”
