Actress Suzanne Pleshette Dies at 70

Known for her smoky voice and role as Bob Newhart's no-nonsense wife in The Bob Newhart Show, Suzanne Pleshette died at age 70 last night. Pleshette had suffered from lung cancer in recent years.

Pleshette was born in NYC and attended LaGuardia High School, aka the High School for the Performing Arts. She started on Broadway in 1957, eventually replacing Anne Bancroft in The MIracle Worker, and started to star in some TV series around the same time. Her first memorable Hollywood role was in the Alfred Hitchcock film, The Birds (she plays the schoolteacher Annie).

However, her iconic role was as Emily Hartley, the droll, sexy wife in The Bob Newhart Show, which ran between 1972 and 1977. Her character and Bob Newhart's would discuss matter during bedtime, which was slyly recalled when Newhart ended his 1983-1990 series Newhart in what many think of as one of the best TV finales ever.

Here's Suzanne Pleshette's IMDB listing. Fun fact: In 1990, Pleshette played Leona Helmsley a TV movie, Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean (Pleshette was nominated for an Emmy and Golden Globe).

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on January 20, 2008 11:05 AM

Comments [rss]

Spirit of 76

Lung cancer affects females more than males because they have smaller lungs, meaning the same amount of smoke damages a larger percentage of tissue. Dana Reeve was also a singer who had many engagements in smoke-filled nightclubs. Pleshette has been identified as a smoker in several newspaper and magazine articles.

JacqueMehoff

for some reason lung cancer affects female non-smokers much more their male counterparts.

(in mortality rates, if I recall correctly)

Dana reeves was a non-smoker

Jen Chung

JenChungsBra, I'm not sure - but she once said in an interview that when she answered the phone at age 4, people thought she was her dad.

JenChungsBaby

"smoky voice" + lung cancer = coincidence?

rubyredhead

the bob newhart, show?

JacqueMehoff

Love ms. Pleshette.

blablanyc

Great actress. Newhart is the proto-Seinfeld.

Albert Sharpton

mike jones.

cucarachita

Aw. I always loved Suzanne Pleshette! By an odd coincidence, I was doing a Columbo (first season) marathan at home last night, and I was delighted to see her in one of the episodes. Not her best role, but she was so pretty and good in her part, that I didn't mind her playing a woman depicted as a rather silly, weak woman (not her usual fare!).

S.D.

Sad to hear, she was a versatile actress.

Dave Hogarty

There's nothing more attractive than a woman with a sense of humor. Especially when she's exceptionally attractive. RIP Suzanne Pleshette.