Susan Saint James Dies at 80: What Kate & Allie Fans Need to Know

TVS News AI redaktionell betreut präsentiert Susan Saint James stirbt mit 80: Was „Kate & Allie“-Fans jetzt wissen.

Actress Susan Saint James died on Monday, October 26, 2026, at the age of 80. Her family confirmed her death, as reported by Page Six. For fans of Kate & Allie, the loss means that a television actress who shaped the lives of two single mothers in the CBS sitcom has passed away.

Saint James was best known as Jane Curtin's on-screen counterpart. In addition to Kate & Allie, she also became famous through the crime drama McMillan & Wife, in which she starred alongside Rock Hudson.

Why Her Death Has Moved the Television World

According to Deadline, her family said she was generous with her time. The family also described her death in a statement to Variety. Representatives of Saint James additionally confirmed the news to People.

“generous with her time and […]”

Kate & Allie aired on CBS from 1979 to 1981. In the series, Susan Saint James played Kate McCarron, an attorney and single mother. The friendship portrayed with Jane Curtin's Ally brought the series particular attention.

A Versatile Career Ends

Alongside the two well-known series, Saint James received several awards. In its report, Variety described her as an Emmy Award-winning actress. Her career therefore encompassed both sitcoms and crime dramas.

The sources cite different avenues for confirmation: Page Six points to the family, while Variety and Deadline also mention confirmation by a representative and the family's statement. The central fact is consistent across all of them: Susan Saint James died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 80.

What Her Roles Mean for Television History

Saint James brought two characters to the screen who remained defining figures from different eras of television. In Kate & Allie, she was part of one of the best-known feminist sitcom duos in US television history. In McMillan & Wife, she played McMillan's wife, while Rock Hudson took on the title role.

For you as a viewer, her death therefore means more than a single death notice: two familiar faces from US series are disappearing from the screen. Her work in lesser-known roles was part of a career after which Kate & Allie continues to be regarded as one of the defining sitcoms of the 1970s and early 1980s.