Suzanne Pleshette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Suzanne Pleshette
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Publicity photo of Pleshette from the television program The Contenders c. 1963
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| Born | January 31, 1937 |
| Died | January 19, 2008 (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery, Culver City |
| Alma mater | Finch College Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1958–2004 |
| Known for | The Bob Newhart Show Rome Adventure The Birds Spirited Away |
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| Relatives | John Pleshette (cousin) |
Suzanne Pleshette (born January 31, 1937 – died January 19, 2008) was a talented American actress. She worked in theatre, movies, television, and even did voice acting. Suzanne Pleshette started her career on stage in the late 1950s. She became well-known for her roles in films like Rome Adventure (1962) and Alfred Hitchcock's scary movie The Birds (1963). Later, she voiced characters in the animated film Spirited Away (2001). On television, she played Emily Hartley in The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978. Her work on the show earned her several Emmy Award nominations.
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Early Life and Education
Suzanne Pleshette was born on January 31, 1937, in Brooklyn Heights, New York. Her parents were Geraldine and Eugene Pleshette. Her mother, Geraldine, was a dancer and artist. Her father, Eugene, managed the Paramount Theater in Manhattan. He later became a TV network executive.
Suzanne went to the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. After that, she studied at Syracuse University for a short time. She then transferred to Finch College. She also trained at the famous Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in Manhattan. There, she learned acting from a well-known teacher, Sanford Meisner.
Acting Career Highlights
Stage Performances
Suzanne Pleshette began her acting career on stage when she was 20 years old. People described her voice as "sultry" and her style as "sardonic," meaning she had a sharp, witty way of speaking.
She made her first appearance on Broadway in 1957. This was in a play called Compulsion. The next year, she acted in The Cold Wind and the Warm. In 1959, she was in the comedy Golden Fleecing. In this play, she worked with Tom Poston, who later became her third husband.
In 1961, she took over the role of Anne Sullivan Macy in the play The Miracle Worker. She acted alongside 14-year-old Patty Duke, who played Helen Keller.
Film Roles
Suzanne Pleshette appeared in many films. Some of her early movies include The Geisha Boy and Rome Adventure. However, she became most famous for her role in Alfred Hitchcock's thriller The Birds (1963). In this movie, she played Annie Hayworth.
Right after The Birds, she starred in the comedy 40 Pounds of Trouble with Tony Curtis. This film was special because it was the first movie ever filmed at Disneyland.
She also worked with Steve McQueen in the western film Nevada Smith (1966). She was nominated for an award for her role in the comedy If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium. Suzanne also starred with James Garner in Mister Buddwing and Support Your Local Gunfighter. She was a popular actress in many Walt Disney family movies, like The Shaggy D.A. (1976).
Suzanne Pleshette also lent her voice to animated characters. She was the voice of Yubaba and Zeniba in the English version of the Oscar-winning Japanese film Spirited Away (2001). She also voiced Zira in Disney's The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) and sang the song "My Lullaby."
Television Appearances
Suzanne Pleshette's first TV role was in 1957 in the show Harbormaster. She appeared in many popular TV shows in the 1960s, often as a guest star. These included Have Gun – Will Travel, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, and Dr. Kildare. She received her first Emmy Award nomination for her work on Dr. Kildare.
In 1972, she was cast as Emily Hartley on the popular CBS sitcom The Bob Newhart Show. She played the wife of Bob Newhart's character for all six seasons until 1978. For this role, she was nominated twice for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She even returned as Emily Hartley in the final episode of Newhart's later show, Newhart. In that episode, it was revealed that the entire Newhart series had been a dream of her husband Bob!
In 1990, Pleshette played Leona Helmsley, a famous hotel owner, in the TV movie Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean. This role earned her more Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations. She also starred in the sitcom The Boys Are Back in 1994.
Later in her career, she had roles in Good Morning, Miami and 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. Her final television appearances were as Karen Walker's mother, Lois Whitley, in three episodes of Will & Grace.
Personal Life
Suzanne Pleshette was married three times. Her first marriage was to actor Troy Donahue in 1964, but it ended in divorce after six months.
Her second husband was Tom Gallagher. They were married from 1968 until he passed away in 2000. They did not have children. Suzanne once said that her caring nature was fulfilled by her large family and by being like a "mother on every set."
In 2001, Suzanne married fellow actor Tom Poston. They had known each other for a long time, even acting together in a Broadway play in 1959. After both of their spouses passed away, Suzanne and Tom reconnected and married. They were married until Tom's death in 2007. Suzanne Pleshette was also the cousin of actor John Pleshette.
Illness and Passing
In August 2006, it was announced that Suzanne Pleshette was being treated for lung cancer. Doctors found the cancer very early, and she received chemotherapy. She later had a lung infection and pneumonia, which kept her in the hospital for a while.
In September 2007, she attended a reunion for The Bob Newhart Show. She was in a wheelchair, but she told everyone she was "cancer-free." She had part of one of her lungs removed as part of her treatment.
Suzanne Pleshette passed away on January 19, 2008, just 12 days before her 71st birthday. She is buried near her third husband, Tom Poston, in Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City.
On January 31, 2008, Suzanne Pleshette received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her television work. This honor had been planned before she passed away. Bob Newhart and other friends spoke at the ceremony.
Images for kids
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Publicity photo of Pleshette from the television program The Contenders c. 1963
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Pleshette in 1969
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Pleshette at the 43rd Emmy Awards, August 25, 1991
See also
In Spanish: Suzanne Pleshette para niños
