Jane Curtin Breaks Silence on ‘Kate & Allie’ Costar Susan Saint James’ Death

Jane Curtin broke her silence on the death of her Kate & Allie co-star, Susan Saint James.

On Monday, October 26, Saint James died at 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, a representative confirmed. News broke of the McMillan & Wife actress’ death the next day, on Tuesday, October 27.

“We lost a decent person today. Susan St. James was a decent person who made Kate & Allie a joy,” Curtin said in a statement published by ABC News on Tuesday.

The actress who played Allie Lowell to Saint James’ Kate McArdle continued, “She juggled a really full life from the Ed Sullivan theater in between working on stage and being the Mom on set. She worked tirelessly for organizations she believed in like the Special Olympics. All the while raising children and going through the horrors of losing a child.”

To conclude her public tribute to her late costar, Curtin shared, “Susan was my friend and working with her brought such laughter, community and family to the stage at the Ed Sullivan theater. I’ll miss her.”

Saint James and Curtin co-starred in Kate & Allie for six seasons from 1984 to 1989. In the sitcom, they played divorced best friends who moved into an apartment together with their children.

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“This is not a statement saying, ‘Girls, leave the guys and go live with your best friend,’” Saint James clarified to People in 1984, of the series. “Kate and Allie didn’t plan this. It’s just the best solution they could think of, and their friendship sustains them.”

Interestingly, Saint James said she was hesitant at first to accept the role. “I could relate to the problems of a divorced woman, but I didn’t want to play a show with glib kid actors,” she explained.

The actress was ultimately convinced to sign on — and she was even allowed to stay with her family in Connecticut despite the show filming in New York. “I wanted to be near my husband and to give my children the structure I had as a kid,” she said.

Saint James is survived by her husband, Dick Ebersol; four children, Sunshine Lucas, Harmony Lucas, Charlie Ebersol, and Willie Ebersol; and seven grandchildren.

Kate & Allie, streaming on The Roku Channel and Prime Video