Susan Elizabeth Strasberg (May 22, 1938 – January 21, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Imagined to be the next Hepburn-type ingenue, she was nominated for a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

at age 18, playing the title role in ''

The Diary of Anne Frank ''The Diary of a Young Girl'', also known as ''The Diary of Anne Frank'', is a book of the writings from the Dutch-language diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherl ...

''. She appeared on the covers of

LIFE Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy ...

and

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...

in 1955. A close friend of

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

and

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

, she wrote two best-selling tell-all books. Her later career primarily consisted of

slasher Slasher may refer to: * Slasher (basketball), a style of play in basketball * Slasher film, a subgenre of the horror film * Slasher (tool), a scrub-clearing implement * ''Slasher'' (2004 film), a 2004 documentary film * ''Slasher'' (2007 film ...

and

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, ap ...

s, followed by TV roles, by the 1980s.

Biography

Early life

Strasberg was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

theatre director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera, dance, drama, musical theatre performance, etc. by unifying various endeavors a ...

and drama coach

Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931 ...

of the

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founde ...

and former actress

Paula Strasberg Paula Strasberg (born Pearl Miller; March 8, 1909 – April 29, 1966) was an American stage actress. She became actor and teacher Lee Strasberg's second wife and mother of actors John and Susan Strasberg, as well as Marilyn Monroe's acting coac ...

. Her brother,

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

, is an acting coach. Her father was born in what is now

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...

, and her mother in

. They were both from

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

families who emigrated from Europe. Strasberg attended the

Professional Children's School Professional Children's School (PCS) is a not-for-profit, college preparatory school geared toward working and aspiring child actors and dancers in grades six through twelve. The school was founded in New York City in 1914 to provide an academic ed ...

, and then spent time at both

The High School of Music & Art The High School of Music & Art, informally known as "Music & Art" (or "M&A"), was a public specialized high school located at 443-465 West 135th Street in the borough of Manhattan, New York, from 1936 until 1984. In 1961, Music & Art and the High ...

and the

High School of Performing Arts The High School of Performing Arts (informally known as "PA") was a public alternative high school established in 1947 and located at 120 West 46th Street in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, from 1948 to 1984. In 1961, the school was ...

. She also did some modelling.Vallance, Tom
"Culture: Obituary: Susan Strasberg,"
''The Independent'' (24 January 1999).

Early roles

At age 14, Strasberg appeared off-Broadway in ''Maya'' in 1953, which ran seven performances. Her TV debut was in "Catch a Falling Star", an episode of ''

Goodyear Playhouse ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that was telecast live on NBC from 1951 to 1957 during the first Golden Age of Television. Sponsored by Goodyear, Goodyear alternated sponsorship with Philco, and the '' Philco ...

'' directed by Delbert Mann the same year. She was in ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

'' for '' Kraft Theatre'' (1954), playing Juliet, and episodes of ''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'' and '' Omnibus''. She had a regular role in a short-lived sitcom, '' The Marriage'', playing the daughter of

Hume Cronyn Hume Blake Cronyn Jr. OC (July 18, 1911 – June 15, 2003) was a Canadian-American actor and writer. Early life Cronyn, one of five children, was born in London, Ontario, Canada. His father, Hume Blake Cronyn, Sr., was a businessman an ...

and

Jessica Tandy Jessie Alice Tandy (7 June 1909 – 11 September 1994) was a British-American actress. Tandy appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe ...

. It was the first network show broadcast in color. Strasberg made her film debut in '' The Cobweb'' (1955). She followed it with a widely praised performance as a teenager in ''

Picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...

'' (1955), playing the younger sister of

Kim Novak Marilyn Pauline "Kim" Novak (born February 13, 1933) is an American retired film and television actress and painter. Novak began her career in 1954 after signing with Columbia Pictures and quickly became one of Hollywood's top box office stars, ...

''The Diary of Anne Frank''

Strasberg originated the title role in the Broadway production of ''

'', directed by Garson Kanin, which ran for 717 performances from 1955 to 1957.

Brooks Atkinson Justin Brooks Atkinson (November 28, 1894 – January 14, 1984) was an American theatre critic. He worked for '' The New York Times'' from 1922 to 1960. In his obituary, the ''Times'' called him "the theater's most influential reviewer of hi ...

wrote that she was "a slender, enchanting young lady with a heart-shaped face, a pair of burning eyes, and the soul of an actress." Strasberg was nominated for a

at the age of 18 and became the youngest actress to star on Broadway with her name above the marquee title. In 1955 she appeared twice on the cover of ''

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy ...

'' (July 11, 1955 issue; November 11, 1955 issue) and soon after on the cover of ''

'' (December 19, 1955 issue). During her run on the show she did ''

The Cradle Song ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' with

Helen Hayes Helen Hayes MacArthur ( Brown; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned 80 years. She eventually received the nickname "First Lady of American Theatre" and was the second person and first woman to have w ...

on TV. The success of the play led to numerous film offers. She decided on the lead in '' Stage Struck'' (1958), directed by

Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award: four for Best Director for ''12 Angry Men'' (1957), '' Dog Day Afternoon'' (1975), ''Network'' (1976 ...

. It was a remake of ''

Morning Glory Morning glory (also written as morning-glory) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics are in flux. Morning glory species belong to many genera, some of ...

'' (1933) with

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

. According to one obituary, "It had seemed as if the beautiful, dark-haired actress might have an impact equal to that made by Jean Simmons and Audrey Hepburn as ingenues." Strasberg was not cast in the George Stevens film version of ''Anne Frank''. Several reasons have been suggested for this: that Stevens did not want to deal with the influence of Strasberg's mother, Paula, and that Stevens saw Strasberg at the end of the play's run when her performance had become tired. Strasberg did not test for the role. Strasberg's next appearance on Broadway was in ''

Time Remembered Time Remembered is a modal jazz standard piece by jazz pianist Bill Evans. Jack Reilly says that the work is both influenced by the sixteenth century modal works of the polyphonist masters ( Palestrina, Byrd, Frescobaldi, etc.), and the oeuvre ...

'' (1957–58) by

Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ''Antigone'', an a ...

with Richard Burton and

. It was another success and ran for 248 performances. Strasberg continued to guest star on TV shows like ''

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse ''Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on the Columbia Broadcasting System between 1958 and 1960. Three of its 48 episodes served as pilots for the 1950s televisio ...

'', '' Play of the Week'' (a production of ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate editio ...

'' with Hayes), and ''

Our American Heritage ''Our American Heritage'' is a series of TV specials broadcast on NBC from 1959 to 1961. Mildred Freed Alberg produced the program with the cooperation of '' American Heritage'' magazine. Lowell Thomas was the narrator. Directors included James ...

''. She was in the cast of the New York City Centre production of William Saroyan's ''

The Time of Your Life ''The Time of Your Life'' is a 1939 five-act play by American playwright William Saroyan. The play is the first drama to win both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play opened on Broadway in 1939. Ch ...

'' that played at the Brussels World Fair in 1958. It was filmed for ''

Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canad ...

''. Strasberg appeared in

Sean O'Casey Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; anglici ...

's ''

The Shadow of a Gunman ''The Shadow of a Gunman'' is a 1923 tragicomedy play by Seán O'Casey set during the Irish War of Independence. It centres on the mistaken identity of a building tenant who is thought to be an IRA assassin. It is the first in O'Casey's "Dub ...

'' (1958–59) for

Jack Garfein Jakob Garfein (July 2, 1930 – December 30, 2019) was an American film and theatre director, writer, teacher, producer, and key figure of the Actors Studio. Growing up in Bardejov, Czechoslovakia during the rise of Nazism, Garfein was deporte ...

alongside members of the Actors Studio; it ran for 52 performances.

said she had "willowy freshness". In 1959 she toured with

Franchot Tone Stanislaus Pascal Franchot Tone (February 27, 1905 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor, producer, and director of stage, film and television. He was a leading man in the 1930s and early 1940s, and at the height of his career was known ...

in '' Caesar and Cleopatra''.

Italy

She went to Europe to star in the Italian–Yugoslav Holocaust film ''

Kapò ''Kapò'' () is a 1960 Italian film about the Holocaust directed by Gillo Pontecorvo. It was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film. It was an Italian-French co-production filmed in Yugoslavia. Plot Naive 14-year-old Edit ...

'' (1960), which was nominated for an Academy Award as its year's

Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

. Strasberg based herself in Italy for the next few years. "I wanted to see what it was like when I was alone", she said. In Rome, the Teatro Tordinona has dedicated a hall in her memory. She traveled to England to make '' Scream of Fear'' (1961) for

Hammer Films A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as wi ...

, and in Italy did ''

Disorder Disorder may refer to randomness, non-order, or no intelligible pattern. Disorder may also refer to: Healthcare * Disorder (medicine), a functional abnormality or disturbance * Mental disorder or psychological disorder, a psychological pattern ...

'' (1962) with

Louis Jourdan Louis Jourdan (born Louis Robert Gendre; 19 June 1921 – 14 February 2015) was a French film and television actor. He was known for his suave roles in several Hollywood films, including Alfred Hitchcock's '' The Paradine Case'' (1947), ''Lette ...

and the Hollywood film '' Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man'' (1962).

Return to US

Strasberg returned to the US to appear on Broadway in '' The Lady of the Camellias'' (1963), directed by

Franco Zeffirelli Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019), was an Italian stage and film director, producer, production designer and politician. He was one of the most significant opera and theatre directors of the post-World War II era, ...

. The director said Strasberg had the qualities of being "romantic, cynical, classical, contemporary." The show only ran for 13 performances. Strasberg began to concentrate on television, guest-starring on ''

Dr Kildare Dr. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictur ...

'', ''

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre ''Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'' is an American anthology series, sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967. The show was hosted by Bob Hope, but it had a variety of formats, including musical, dramatic ...

'', '' Breaking Point'', '' Burke's Law'', and '' The Rogues''. She made '' The High Bright Sun'' (1965) in England then went back to TV: '' Run for Your Life'', ''

The Legend of Jesse James ''The Legend of Jesse James'' is a 1980 country music concept album written by English songwriter Paul Kennerley, based on the story of American Old West outlaw Jesse James. The album features Levon Helm singing the role of Jesse James, J ...

'' (starring Christopher Jones, who became her husband), ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour ...

'' and ''

The Invaders ''The Invaders'' is an American science-fiction television series created by Larry Cohen that aired on ABC for two seasons, from 1967 to 1968. Roy Thinnes stars as David Vincent, who after stumbling across evidence of an in-progress invas ...

''. She made ''

Chubasco A chubasco is a violent squall with thunder and lightning, encountered during the rainy season along the Pacific coast of Mexico, Central America, and South America. The word chubasco has its origins in the Portuguese word '' chuva'' which mean ...

'' (1967) with Jones, and did some counterculture movies: '' The Trip'' (1967) for

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

, as the wife of

Peter Fonda Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda. He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Fond ...

, and ''

Psych-Out ''Psych-Out'' is a 1968 American psychedelic film about hippies, psychedelic music and recreational drugs starring Susan Strasberg, Jack Nicholson (the film's leading man despite being billed under supporting player Dean Stockwell) and Bruce De ...

'' (1968) with

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...

. She also did ''

The Name of the Game Is Kill! ''The Name of the Game Is Kill!'' is a 1968 American thriller film directed by Gunnar Hellström and starring Jack Lord, Susan Strasberg and Collin Wilcox Paxton.Lisanti p. 274 It was shot location shooting, on location in Arizona. Plot A man r ...

'' (1968), '' The Brotherhood'' (1968) and '' The Sisters'' (1969).

Late 1960s and 1970s

In the late 1960s & 1970s Strasberg did mostly TV: ''

''; '' The Virginian''; ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

''; ''

Lancer A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by Persia, India, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the ...

''; '' The Name of the Game''; ''

Premiere A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its fi ...

''; ''

The F.B.I. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

''; ''

CBS Playhouse ''CBS Playhouse'' is an American anthology drama television series that aired on CBS from 1967 to 1970. Airing twelve plays over the course of its run, the series won ten Primetime Emmy Awards and featured many noteworthy actors and playwrights. ...

''; ''

Marcus Welby, M.D. Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to: * Marcus (name), a masculine given name * Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name Places * Marcus, a main belt asteroid, also known as (369088) Marcus 2008 GG44 * Mărcuş, a village in Dobârl ...

''; ''

The Streets of San Francisco ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the show on its ...

''; ''

Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, ''The Twilight Zone ...

''; '' McCloud''; '' Alias Smith & Jones''; ''

The Sixth Sense ''The Sixth Sense'' is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist whose patient ( Haley Joel Osment) claims he can see and talk to the dead. Released ...

''; ''

Assignment Vienna ''Assignment Vienna'' is an American drama television series aired in the United States by ABC as an element in its 1972-73 wheel series '' The Men''. The series, created by Eric Bercovici and Jerry Ludwig, was made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Televisi ...

''; '' The Wide World of Mystery''; ''

The Evil Touch ''The Evil Touch'' is an Australian television series, originally broadcast in Australia in 1973 and produced by Amalgamated Pictures Australasia in association with Olola Productions Australia. An anthology series, each episode had a self-cont ...

''; ''

Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law ''Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law'' is an American legal drama, jointly created by David Victor and former law professor Jerry McNeely, that starred Arthur Hill. The series was broadcast on ABC from 1971 to 1974; Victor and McNeely produced it ...

''; ''

The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network from September 13, 1974 to January 10, 1980, and remains in syndication. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investiga ...

'' (twice); and ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private in ...

''. "I did mediocre things because that way I didn't have to test myself", she said later. "I had a tremendous need not to shame my father." She did occasional TV movies like ''

Hauser's Memory ''Hauser's Memory'' is a 1970 science fiction television movie directed by Boris Sagal and that starred Susan Strasberg, David McCallum, Lilli Palmer, Robert Webber and Leslie Nielsen. The screenplay by Adrian Spies was based on a 1968 novel of th ...

'' (1970), '' Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones'' (1971) and '' ...And Millions Die!'' (1973) and the occasional feature like '' Ternos Caçadores'' (1970), '' The Legend of Hillbilly John'' (1972), and

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

' ''

The Other Side of the Wind ''The Other Side of the Wind'' is a 2018 satirical drama film, directed, co-written, co-produced and co-edited by Orson Welles, and posthumously released in 2018 after forty-eight years in development. The film stars John Huston, Bob Random, P ...

'' (ultimately released in 2018). Strasberg had a regular role on the series '' Toma'' (1974). She guested on '' Police Surgeon'', ''

McMillan & Wife ''McMillan & Wife'' (known simply as ''McMillan'' from 1976–77) is an American police procedural television series that aired on NBC from September 17, 1971, to April 24, 1977. Starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in the title roles, the ...

'', ''

Petrocelli ''Petrocelli'' is an American legal drama that ran for two seasons on NBC from September 11, 1974 to March 31, 1976. Plot Tony Petrocelli is an Italian-American, Harvard-educated lawyer, who grew up in South Boston and gave up the big money and ...

'', ''

Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...

'', ''

Kate McShane ''Kate McShane'' is an American legal drama television series that aired from September 10 until November 12, 1975. ''Kate McShane'' was the first series to feature a female lawyer in the lead role. A two-hour pilot film aired April 11, 1975. Pr ...

'', ''

Medical Story ''Medical Story'' is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from September 4, 1975, until January 8, 1976. Premise This was an anthology series about issues in the medical field, making it into the medical equivalent of '' Police Story'' ...

'', '' Bronk'', and ''

Harry O ''Harry O'', sometimes spelled ''Harry-O'', is an American Detective fiction, private detective series that aired for two seasons on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1974 to 1976. The series starred David Janssen, and Jerry Thorpe was exec ...

''. Strasberg had the lead in '' So Evil, My Sister'' (1974) and was in '' Mystery at Malibu'' (1976), '' Sammy Somebody'' (1976), '' SST: Death Flight'' (1977), ''

Rollercoaster A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are ...

'' (1977), '' The Manitou'' (1977),'' Tre soldi e la donna di classe'' (1977), '' In Praise of Older Women'' (1978), ''

The Immigrants ''The Immigrants'' (1977) is a historical novel written by Howard Fast. Set in San Francisco during the early 20th century, it tells the story of Daniel Lavette, a self-described "roughneck" who rises from the ashes of the 1906 San Francisco ear ...

'' (1978), and ''

Beggarman, Thief ''Beggarman, Thief'' is a 1977 novel written by Irwin Shaw. It was a sequel to his 1970 bestseller '' Rich Man, Poor Man'' and focuses on the surviving Jordache siblings, Gretchen and Rudolph; their deceased brother Thomas' teenage son Wesley Jor ...

'' (1979). In 1976 she appeared in a short film directed by

Lee Grant Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal; October 31, during the mid-1920s) is an American actress, documentarian, and director. She made her film debut in 1951 as a young shoplifter in William Wyler's '' Detective Story'', co-starring Kirk Doug ...

called ''The Stronger'', based on a play by

August Strindberg Johan August Strindberg (, ; 22 January 184914 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter.Lane (1998), 1040. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than sixty p ...

, which she said reignited her passion for acting. In 1980 she published a memoir, ''Bittersweet'', because she said her career was "stalled. . . . It seemed totally untenable to me, acting for 25 years—I had played Juliet, Cleopatra, and Anne Frank—and there I was, sitting in Hollywood just waiting for somebody to want me."

1980s

In the 1980s Strasberg's credits included ''

Bloody Birthday ''Bloody Birthday'' is a 1981 American slasher film directed by Ed Hunt, produced by Gerald T. Olson, and starring Susan Strasberg, José Ferrer, and Lori Lethin. Its plot follows a group of three children born on the same day during a solar ec ...

'' (1981); ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

''; ''

Mazes and Monsters ''Mazes and Monsters'' (also known as ''Rona Jaffe's Mazes and Monsters'') is a 1982 American made-for-television film directed by Steven Hilliard Stern about a group of college students and their interest in a fictitious role-playing game (RP ...

'' (1982); '' Sweet Sixteen'' (1983); ''

The Returning ''The Returning'' is a 1990 Australia-New Zealand horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with tr ...

'' (1983); ''

The New Mike Hammer ''Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer'' (later titled ''The New Mike Hammer''), with Stacy Keach in the title role, is an American crime drama television series that originally aired on CBS from January 28, 1984, to May 13, 1987. The series consist ...

''; '' Tales of the Unexpected''; ''

Tales from the Darkside ''Tales from the Darkside'' is an American anthology horror TV series created by George A. Romero. Debuting in October 1983 with a pilot episode and then being picked up for syndication in September 1984, the show ran for 4 seasons through Ju ...

''; '' The Delta Force'' (1986); ''

Remington Steele ''Remington Steele'' is an American television series co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from O ...

''; '' Hot Shots''; ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...

''; ''

Cagney & Lacey ''Cagney & Lacey'' is an American police procedural drama television series that aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from March 25, 1982, to May 16, 1988. The show is about two New York City police detectives who lead very di ...

''; and ''

The Runnin' Kind ''The Runnin' Kind'' is a 1989 American comedy film directed by Max Tash and written by Max Tash and Pleasant Gehman. The film stars David Packer, Steven Eckholdt, Larry Cox, Tom Shell, Brie Howard and Richard Manheim. The film was released on ...

'' (1989). "I love acting", she said in 1983. "I mean, I can't quite conceive of not doing it. But it's less important to me since I started writing, because I really like writing. And I really enjoy, I love lecturing and speaking and having that kind of contact with people too." Her last performances included the biopic ''

Schweitzer Schweitzer is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Albert Schweitzer, German theologian, musician, physician, and medical missionary, winner of the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize * Anton Schweitzer, opera composer * Brian Schweitzer, for ...

'' (1990), the action movie ''

Prime Suspect ''Prime Suspect'' is a British police procedural television drama series devised by Lynda La Plante. It stars Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison, one of the first female Detective Chief Inspectors in Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service, who ...

'' (1990) with

Frank Stallone Francesco Stallone Jr. (born July 30, 1950) is an American actor and musician. He is the younger brother of actor Sylvester Stallone and has written music for Sylvester's movies. His song " Far from Over" appeared in the 1983 film '' Staying Al ...

and '' Il giardino dei ciliegi'' (1992). In 1993 she was a jury member for the

43rd Berlin International Film Festival The 43rd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 11 to 22 February 1993. The Golden Bear was awarded to American-Taiwanese film '' The Wedding Banquet'' directed by Ang Lee and Chinese film '' Xiāng hún nǚ'' directed by Xie ...

Writing

Laurence Olivier Marilyn Monroe Susan Strasberg

Strasberg wrote two best-selling books. ''Bittersweet'' was an autobiography in which she wrote about her tumultuous relationships with her parents and with actors

and Christopher Jones, as well as with her own daughter's struggles with a heart defect. She received a $100,000 advance for it and sold paperback rights for $300,000. ''Marilyn and Me: Sisters, Rivals, Friends'' (1992) was about Strasberg's friendship with

, whom she called a "surrogate sister" and a "member" of the Strasberg family for many years. Strasberg was working on a third book about her personal spiritual journey at the time of her death entitled ''Confessions of a New Age Heretic''.

Personal life

Before her marriage, Strasberg had relationships with

Bobby Driscoll Robert Cletus Driscoll (March 3, 1937 – March 30, 1968) was an American actor known for his film and television performances from 1943 to 1960. He starred in some of the Walt Disney Studios' best-known live-action pictures of that period ...

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one of ...

, and

. On September 25, 1965, Strasberg married actor Christopher Jones, with whom she had appeared in an episode of ''

'' in Las Vegas. Their daughter, Jennifer Robin, was born six months later. The couple divorced in 1968 due to her husband's mental instability. Jennifer was born with a congenital birth defect, which Strasberg blamed on her and Jones's drug-taking.

Death

In the mid-1990s Strasberg was diagnosed with

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or ...

. Although believed to be in remission, she died of the disease at her home in New York City on January 21, 1999, at the age of 60.

Filmography and television

*'' The Cobweb'' (1955) as Sue Brett *''

'' (1955) as Millie Owens *''1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration'' (1955) (short subject) *'' Stage Struck'' (1958) as Eva Lovelace *''

'' (1960) as Edith, alias Nicole Niepas *'' Scream of Fear'' (1961) as Penny Appleby *''

'' (1962) as Isabella *'' Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man'' (1962) as Rosanna *''

The Shortest Day ''The Shortest Day'' ( it, Il giorno più corto) is a 1963 Italian comedy film. It is a parody of the war movie '' The Longest Day'' and stars the popular duo Franco and Ciccio in the leading roles. Dozens of other well-known actors, from both Eu ...

'' (1962) (uncredited) *'' The High Bright Sun'' (1965) as Juno Kozani *''

'', "Quantity Unknown" (Season 1: Episode 8, 1967) as Diane Oberly *''

'' (1967, Episode: "Night in a Small Town") as Sally *''

'' (1967, Episode: "The Executioners") as Chris Roland *''

'' (1968) as Bunny *'' The Trip'' (1967) as Sally Groves *''

'' (1968) as Jenny Davis *''

'' (1968) as Mickey Terry *''

'' (1968, Episode: "A Severe Case Of Matrimony") as Rosalita *'' The Brotherhood'' (1968) as Emma Ginetta *''The Sisters'' (1969) as Martha *''Sweet Hunters'' (1969) as Lis *''McCloud'' (1970) as Lorraine / Annette Bardege *''

'' (1971–1973, 2 episodes) as Sheila Trent / Ruth Asquith (segment "Midnight Never Ends") *'' The Sixth Sense (TV series)'' (1972: Once Upon a Chilling") *''The Legend of Hillbilly John'' (1972) as Polly Wiltse *''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...

'' (1973) as Elizabeth Lavenza *'' Toma'' (1973) as Patty Toma (series regular; 23 episodes) *''

And Millions Will Die ''...And Millions Will Die!'' (aka "And Millions Die") is a 1973 Australian television film directed by Leslie H. Martinson. It was shot in Hong Kong. Premise Nazi war criminal Franz Kessler ( Joseph Furst), a wealthy germ warfare expert livi ...

'' (1973) as Heather Kessler *''

'' (1974, Episode: "The Countess") as Deborah Ryder *'' So Evil, My Sister'' (1974) as Brenda *'' McMillan and Wife'' (1974) as Virginia Ryan *''Sammy Somebody'' (1976) *''The Rockford Files'' (1976, Episode: "A Bad Deal In The Valley") as Karen Stiles *''The Stronger'' (1976, Short) *''

'' (1977) as Fran *''Tre soldi e la donna di classe'' (1977) *'' The Manitou'' (1978) as Karen Tandy *'' In Praise of Older Women'' (1978) as Bobbie *''

'' (1978) as Sarah Levy *'' $weepstake$'' (1979, Episode: "Roscoe, Elizabeth, and the M.C.") as Beverly *''

'' (1979) as Ida Cohen *''Acting: Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio'' (1981, Documentary) *''

'' (1981) as Miss Viola Davis *''

'' (1982) as Meg *'' Sweet Sixteen'' (1983) as Joanne Morgan *''The Returning'' (1983) as Sybil Ophir *'' Tales of the Unexpected'' (1984–1985, TV Series) as Roberta Elton / Madame Myra *''

'' (1985) as artist Kate in episode "Effect and Cause" *'' The Delta Force'' (1986) as Debra Levine (Passenger) *''Remembering Marilyn'' (1987, Documentary) *''

'' (1987, Episode: "The Days Dwindle Down") as Dorothy Hearn Davis *''Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend'' (1987, Documentary) *''

'' (1989) as Carol Curtis *''Prime Suspect'' (1989) as Dr. Celia Warren *' (1990) as Helene Schweitzer *''The Cherry Orchard'' (1992) as Livia *''

Love, Marilyn ''Love, Marilyn'' is a 2012 American documentary film about Marilyn Monroe's writings directed by Liz Garbus and produced by Stanley F. Buchthal, Garbus, and Amy Hobby. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September ...

'' (2012, Documentary) *''

'' (2018; shot between 1970 and 1976) as Juliette Riche

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * *
John Strasberg Studios
* video, 6 min., * {{DEFAULTSORT:Strasberg, Susan 1938 births 1999 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from New York City American expatriates in Italy American film actresses 20th-century American memoirists American stage actresses American television actresses Deaths from breast cancer Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Jewish American actresses Jewish American writers American women memoirists 20th-century American women writers Jewish women writers The High School of Music & Art alumni 20th-century American Jews