# US television star Susan Saint James dies aged 80 after cancer diagnosis

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/susan-saint-james-obituary/
- Published: 2026-10-30T10:08:09+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T10:52:38+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/oct/30/susan-saint-james-obituary
- Topics: Americas, Culture, Health, Medicine, World

## Key points

- Susan Saint James has died aged 80 from pancreatic cancer.
- She starred in *McMillan & Wife* and *Kate & Allie*.
- After acting, she focused on family and voluntary work.

## Summary

Susan Saint James, the US actor known for *McMillan & Wife* and *Kate & Allie*, has died of pancreatic cancer aged 80. A major television star for two decades, she became internationally recognised alongside Rock Hudson and later portrayed one of two divorced friends building a life together, a role that helped make female friendship central to the sitcom.

Saint James played Sally McMillan for five years from 1971, until a contractual dispute led her to leave the series; her character was killed off and the show continued briefly as *McMillan*. From 1984 to 1989, she starred with Jane Curtin in *Kate & Allie*, about two single mothers sharing a home and raising three children. She largely retired from acting afterwards, focusing on her family and voluntary work with Special Olympics, and co-owned Connecticut radio station WZBG from its 1992 launch until its sale in 2024.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.