Susan Saint James' cause of death is now confirmed. A death certificate obtained by People on Thursday, November 5, lists metastatic pancreatic cancer. The Emmy-winning actress died in Los Angeles on October 26, at 80 — just months after the illness began.
Susan Saint James’ cause of death is now confirmed. A death certificate obtained by People on Thursday, November 5, lists metastatic pancreatic cancer. The Emmy-winning actress died in Los Angeles on October 26, at 80 — just months after the illness began.
Key Facts
- Cause of death: Metastatic pancreatic cancer, per a death certificate obtained by People on November 5, 2026.
- Died: Monday, October 26, 2026, in Los Angeles, at age 80.
- Best known for: McMillan & Wife (1971–76) with Rock Hudson and Kate & Allie (1984–89) with Jane Curtin. Emmy winner, 1969.
- Survived by: Her husband, television executive Dick Ebersol, four children, seven grandchildren, and her sister.
Susan Saint James Cause of Death: What the Death Certificate Reveals
Her representative first confirmed on October 26 that she had died after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The certificate now names the specific cause. In fact, it lists metastatic pancreatic cancer. In addition, it records that she had lived with the illness for several months.
Only months passed between the onset of the illness and her death. Meanwhile, searches for Susan Saint James cause of death spiked across the United States within hours of the report.
The document still leaves much unsaid. However, it does not say where the cancer spread, what treatment she received, or the exact diagnosis date.
What “Metastatic” Means
Metastatic cancer has spread from where it started to other parts of the body. Doctors also call it stage 4 cancer. The American Cancer Society projects about 67,530 new US cases in 2026, and about 52,740 deaths.
Susan Saint James as Peggy Maxwell in “The Name of the Game,” 1969. Universal Television, public domain.
A Television Career That Spanned Three Decades
Saint James was born Susan Jane Miller in Los Angeles on August 14, 1946. She grew up in Rockford, Illinois, and modeled as a teenager. Then, at 20, she returned to Los Angeles, signed with Universal Studios, and made her TV debut in 1966.
Two years later, she landed the role that made her a star. She then played the quick-witted wife in a hit detective series, and later the free-spirited single mother in a groundbreaking sitcom.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1966 | TV debut in Fame Is the Name of the Game |
| 1968–71 | Peggy Maxwell on The Name of the Game; Emmy win 1969 |
| 1971–76 | Sally McMillan on McMillan & Wife opposite Rock Hudson; three Emmy nominations |
| 1984–89 | Kate McArdle on Kate & Allie opposite Jane Curtin; two Emmy nominations |
She stepped back from acting after Kate & Allie ended. Afterwards, family life in Connecticut came first. Her second act was mostly philanthropy, above all the Special Olympics.
Susan Saint James with Rock Hudson and Sheree North in a “McMillan & Wife” photo, 1972. NBC Television, public domain.
The Family She Leaves Behind — and the Loss She Already Carried
Saint James married Ebersol in 1981. They stayed together for 45 years. They had three sons — Charlie, Willie, and Teddy. She also had two daughters, Sunshine and Harmony, from her second marriage. She is survived by Ebersol, her four living children, seven grandchildren, her sister, and her service dog, Lola.
The family had already faced an unthinkable loss. Their youngest son, Teddy, died at 14 in a private plane crash in Colorado in 2004. Charlie survived with serious injuries. Afterwards, she delivered his eulogy as a note to each of her other children.
Subsequently, the family remembered her warmth in a statement to People: “She never met a stranger. Every person she met became the most important person in the room at that moment.”
How Hollywood and Television Remembered Her
Jane Curtin, her Kate & Allie co-star for six seasons, mourned “my friend” after the news broke. The two played divorced mothers sharing a home and raising their children together — a premise that felt radical in 1984.
Meanwhile, NBC Sports paid tribute during Sunday Night Football on November 1. Bob Costas narrated a remembrance on Football Night in America, and he noted that Saint James spent many weekends on the road with the crew. The tribute carried extra weight because Ebersol created Sunday Night Football.
Her Walk of Fame star, awarded in 2008, now stands as a permanent marker of her career. In addition, two more stars joined that sidewalk this week — read about Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos receiving side-by-side honors. For more October losses, see our Eva Marie Saint tribute and our running remembrance of the celebrities we lost in 2026.
What Happens Next
No public memorial arrangements had been announced at the time of publication, and the family has shared no plans beyond its tribute statement. However, her work speaks for itself. Finally, that was her gift: she made warmth look effortless, on screen and off it.
The Susan Saint James cause of death now sits in the public record alongside a career that spanned three decades of television. We will update this story if her family shares more details.
Sources
- Parade — Susan Saint James’ Death Certificate Reveals Devastating Details
- Just Jared — ‘Kate & Allie’ Star Susan Saint James’ Cause of Death Confirmed
- AARP — Actor Susan Saint James Dies at 80
- Sports Business Journal — NBC Sports Remembers Susan Saint James During ‘SNF’
