Emmy Winner Susan Saint James Dies at 80

Susan Saint James, an Emmy-winning actress celebrated for her roles in the television comedies "Kate & Allie" and "McMillan & Wife," died Monday in Los Angeles at age 80. Her death occurred in a hospital and was confirmed by family representative Whitney Tancred, who said Saint James had received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis earlier in 2026.

Saint James earned eight Emmy nominations during her acting career, winning once for her supporting performance in the NBC series "The Name of the Game" in 1969. She also received multiple nominations for her leading roles in two television series that helped establish her career.

Her best-known comedy role was Kate McArdle in "Kate & Allie," where she starred opposite Jane Curtin, who played Allie Lowell. The CBS sitcom followed two divorced mothers sharing an apartment in New York City while raising their three children together.

A publicist described the contrast between the two central characters by highlighting Kate's connection to the cultural movements of the previous decade.

"a free spirit caught up in the radical movement" of the 1960s, a publicist said of Kate McArdle, while describing Allie as a traditionalist.

Saint James and Curtin portrayed the two women as they navigated the challenges of single parenthood. According to the series' historical record, the show ran for 122 episodes on CBS from 1984 to 1989.

For her performance as Kate, Saint James received two Emmy nominations for best lead actress. Her work on the sitcom followed an earlier prominent television role in the police procedural "McMillan & Wife," which aired during the 1970s.

In "McMillan & Wife," Saint James played Sally McMillan, the wife of Stuart McMillan, a police commander portrayed by Rock Hudson. She received three Emmy nominations for her performance in the series, adding to the recognition she earned for her other television work.

Saint James won her Emmy in 1969 for playing a research assistant at a large magazine publishing company in the NBC series "The Name of the Game." She received nominations for the same role in each of the following two years, according to her career record.

Her eight Emmy nominations across these productions reflected a television career that included comedy and crime drama. Her death was confirmed by family representative Whitney Tancred, who also disclosed her pancreatic cancer diagnosis earlier in the year.