Susan Sullivan
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Susan Michaela Sullivan (born November 18, 1944) is an American actress. Sullivan is best known for her roles as Lenore Curtin Delaney on the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
daytime soap opera '' Another World'' (1971–76), as Lois Adams on the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
sitcom ''
It's a Living ''It's a Living'' (renamed for season two as ''Making a Living'') is an American sitcom television series set in a restaurant at the top of the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The show aired on ABC from October 30, 1980, until June 11, 1982. ...
'' (1980–81), as Maggie Gioberti Channing on the
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
primetime soap opera '' Falcon Crest'' (1981–90), as Kitty Montgomery on the ABC sitcom ''
Dharma & Greg ''Dharma & Greg'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1997, until April 30, 2002, for 119 episodes over five seasons. The show starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a ...
'' (1997–2002), and as Martha Rodgers on '' Castle'' (2009–2016). She earned an Emmy nomination for Lead Actress for the role of Julie Farr in the 1978 series '' Julie Farr, M.D.'' and a Golden Globe nomination for Supporting Actress for her role in ''Dharma & Greg''.


Life and career

Sullivan was born in New York City, the daughter of Helen (née Rockett) and Brendan Sullivan, an advertising executive. She was raised on Long Island in Freeport, Nassau County, where she graduated from Freeport High School in 1960. She earned a BA in drama from Hofstra University in 1964. She got her start in acting in the 1960s playing opposite
Dustin Hoffman Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. As one of the key actors in the formation of New Hollywood, Hoffman is known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and emotionally vulnerable characters. He is ...
in the
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
play ''
Jimmy Shine ''Jimmy Shine'' is a play with music. It was written by Murray Schisgal with music and lyrics by John Sebastian. The plot centers on its title character who is a struggling artist in Greenwich Village during the 1960s. Much of the story follows J ...
''. She landed a contract with
Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...
in 1969, guest-starring on several series. It was during this time that she played roles in daytime dramas. Starting with a role on '' A World Apart'' in 1970, she moved to a five-year stint as Lenore Moore Curtin Delaney on the daytime soap opera '' Another World''. Taking over from
Judith Barcroft Judith Barcroft (born July 6, 1942 in Washington, D.C.) is an American Broadway and soap opera actress. She began her soap career in 1966 by creating the role of Lenore Moore on '' Another World'', a role she played until 1971. In 1970, she made ...
, Sullivan played the role from 1971 to 1976. She played Charlton Heston's girlfriend Ann, a new character written into the television version of the film '' Midway'' (1976). She then played Dr. Elaina Marks opposite Bill Bixby in the '' Incredible Hulk'' pilot in 1977, and portrayed
Poker Alice Alice Ivers Duffield Tubbs Huckert (February 17, 1851 – February 27, 1930), better known as Poker Alice, Poker Alice Ivers or Poker Alice Tubbs, was an English poker and faro player in the American West. Her family moved from Devon, Englan ...
opposite
James Garner James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, including ''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy ...
as
Bret Maverick ''Bret Maverick'' is an American Western television series that starred James Garner in the title role, a professional poker player in the Old West. The series aired on NBC from December 1, 1981 to May 4, 1982. It is a sequel series to the 1957- ...
on ''
The New Maverick ''The New Maverick'' is a 1978 American Western television film based on the 1957–1962 series '' Maverick'' starring James Garner as Bret Maverick. ''The New Maverick'' stars Garner as Bret Maverick, Charles Frank as newcomer cousin Ben Mav ...
'' the following year. Sullivan also appeared in Barnaby Jones; episode titled “Final Judgement”(01/26/1978). She played the role of Maggie Porter in the television drama ''
Rich Man, Poor Man Book II ''Rich Man, Poor Man Book II'' is an American television miniseries that aired on ABC in one-hour episodes at 9:00pm ET/PT on Tuesday nights between September 21, 1976 and March 8, 1977. A sequel to '' Rich Man, Poor Man'' that had aired the pr ...
''. She played Dr. Julie Farr in '' Having Babies'' from 1978 to 1979, and was nominated for a
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leadi ...
, which was made into two television films and later a short-lived weekly series in 1978. During a week in December 1976, she was a panelist on ''
Match Game ''Match Game'' is an American television panel game show that premiered on NBC in 1962 and has been revived several times over the course of the last six decades. The game features contestants trying to match answers given by celebrity panelis ...
'', both on CBS and in syndication. In 1980, she appeared on the
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
''
It's a Living ''It's a Living'' (renamed for season two as ''Making a Living'') is an American sitcom television series set in a restaurant at the top of the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The show aired on ABC from October 30, 1980, until June 11, 1982. ...
'', playing head waitress Lois Adams. In 1981, Sullivan won the role of Maggie Gioberti in the
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
primetime soap drama '' Falcon Crest'', replacing
Samantha Eggar Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar (born 5 March 1939) is a retired British-American actress. After beginning her career in Shakespearean theatre she rose to fame for her performance in William Wyler's thriller '' The Collec ...
, who had appeared in the pilot. The series became a hit and Maggie became Sullivan's most prominent role to date. She appeared on the series from 1981 to 1989, during which time she was nominated for three ''
Soap Opera Digest ''Soap Opera Digest'' is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional in ...
'' awards. At the time Sullivan decided to leave the series in 1989, she had appeared in every episode of the series up to that date (207 of the 227 episodes produced). Sullivan appeared in the first episode of season nine, when her character drowned. Following ''Falcon Crest'', Sullivan appeared on ''The
George Carlin George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of countercu ...
Show'', co-starred on the short-lived political drama '' The Monroes'' in the mid-1990s, and played a supporting role in the film ''
My Best Friend's Wedding ''My Best Friend's Wedding'' is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by P.J. Hogan from a screenplay by Ronald Bass. The film stars Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Everett. The film received generally positiv ...
'' (as the mother of
Cameron Diaz Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is an American actress. With a variety of works in film, she is widely recognised for her work in romantic comedies and animation. Diaz has received various accolades, including nominations for ...
's character) (1997). On ''
Dharma & Greg ''Dharma & Greg'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1997, until April 30, 2002, for 119 episodes over five seasons. The show starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a ...
'', she played the snooty country-club matriarch Kitty Montgomery from 1997 to 2002. The series reunited Sullivan with actor
Mitchell Ryan Mitchell Ryan (January 11, 1934 – March 4, 2022) was an American film, television, and stage actor, who in his six decades of television is known for playing Burke Devlin in the 1960s gothic soap opera ''Dark Shadows'', and later for his co- ...
(who played her husband Edward), with whom she had worked on ''Having Babies''. She appeared in four episodes in season three of ''
Hope and Faith ''Hope & Faith'' is an American television sitcom, starring Faith Ford and Kelly Ripa as Hope Shanowski and Faith Fairfield. Hope is a homemaker and mother of three and Faith is her sister, a soap opera star whose character is killed off, leadi ...
'' as Nancy Lombard, Faith's therapist. Sullivan voiced Queen Hippolyta on the animated series ''
Justice League Unlimited ''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe ...
''. She has also appeared on the television series '' Brothers & Sisters'', '' Joan of Arcadia'', ''
Two and a Half Men ''Two and a Half Men'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS for twelve seasons from September 22, 2003, to February 19, 2015. Originally starring Charlie Sheen in the lead role alongside Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, t ...
'', ''
Dead Like Me ''Dead Like Me'' is an American comedy-drama television series starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin as grim reapers who reside and work in Seattle, Washington. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the show was created by Bryan Fuller for ...
'', ''
The Kominsky Method ''The Kominsky Method'' is an American comedy-drama streaming television series created by Chuck Lorre, that premiered on November 16, 2018, on Netflix. It stars Michael Douglas, Alan Arkin, Sarah Baker, Nancy Travis, Paul Reiser, and Kathlee ...
'', and '' Last Man Standing''. From 2009 to 2016, she co-starred alongside
Nathan Fillion Nathan Fillion (; born March 27, 1971) is a Canadian-American actor. He played the leading roles of Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds on '' Firefly'' and its film continuation '' Serenity'', and Richard Castle on '' Castle''. , he was starring as J ...
, Stana Katic and
Molly Quinn Molly Caitlyn Quinn is an American actress who has worked in theatre, film, and television. Her roles include Alexis Castle, daughter of the title character on ABC's ''Castle'', and the voice of Bloom, one of the main characters in the Nickelod ...
on '' Castle''. Her character Martha Rodgers' acting career has somewhat paralleled her own, including references to appearances on soap operas. A clip of Sullivan's appearance in the pilot for ''The Incredible Hulk'' has been shown onscreen, purported to be Rodgers' appearance on the series. (''Castle'' Season 2 Episode 16: "Tick, Tick, Tick.") In the 1980s, a fellow actor on ''Falcon Crest'' introduced Sullivan to psychologist Connell Cowan; the couple has been together ever since.


Filmography


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Susan 1944 births Living people American soap opera actresses American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Actresses from New York City People from Freeport, New York Hofstra University alumni 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses