Suzanne Pleshette Dies in Los Angeles

[countryjake]

Source: Associated Press

Suzanne Pleshette Dies in Los Angeles
By BOB THOMAS – 3 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Suzanne Pleshette, the husky-voiced star best known for her role as Bob Newhart's sardonic wife on television's long-running "The Bob Newhart Show," has died at age 70.

Pleshette, whose career included roles in such films as Hitchcock's "The Birds" and in Broadway plays including "The Miracle Worker," died of respiratory failure Saturday evening at her Los Angeles home, said her attorney Robert Finkelstein, also a family friend.

Pleshette underwent chemotherapy for lung cancer in 2006.

"The Bob Newhart Show, a hit throughout its six-year run, starred comedian Newhart as a Chicago psychiatrist surrounded by eccentric patients. Pleshette provided the voice of reason.

Four years after the show ended in 1978, Newhart went on to the equally successful "Newhart" series in which he was the proprietor of a New England inn populated by more eccentrics. When that show ended in 1990, Pleshette reprised her role — from the first show — in one of the most clever final episodes in TV history.


Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hR-orOZKA0H0lJUYeJLS4nenaFwQD8U9G31O0

[xchrom]

1. what a wonderful woman -- Peace be with her family and friends. nt

[unhappycamper]

2. I met her in 1970 when I came home from Vietnam.

I stopped for a few days with a friend (who happened to be a producer) in Sherman Oaks, CA. We went to a week's taping of Hollywood Squares he introduced us.

RIP, Ms. Pleshette.

[Kolesar]

3. Her acting onThe Bob Newhart show was brilliant

My condolences to her friends and family. Maybe they read this forum!

[Captain Hilts]

4. Totally hot. GREAT. Fantastic on the Newhart show. nt

[yellowcanine]

76. Yes, the face, the body AND the voice.

[mwb970]

5. I am just now "power cycling" the Newhart show she was on.

I'm watching the DVD set of the first season. The audio is kind of poor, but the shows are great!

Does anyone remember "Dead Weight," the episode of Columbo she guest-starred in? (She was a witness, not the villain!)

[pacalo]

66. Yes, I do -- one of my favorite "Columbo" episodes.

And I'm a big fan of the old Newhart shows, too. Emily was Bob's only tv wife, as far as I was concerned. Suzanne Pleshette was wonderful; I'm so sorry to hear of her death.

[vankuria]

6. Great actress

She had a recurring role on Will & Grace, as Karen's mother. Great actress and incredibly beautiful lady.

Godspeed...

[Samantha]

7. How sad -- she was a great one

RIP, Suzanne. It was a pleasure observing your talent over the years.

[Benhurst]

8. R.I.P.

[sendero]

9. Did I ever have a crush on her...

... in my late teens. :) Not only was she attractive, she always seemed more like a real person than her contemporaries to me.

Sad to hear.

[amb123]

23. So did I

The sight of her in that low-cut red blouse in the opening credits on The Bob Newhart Show, smiling seductively toward the camera, is still burned into my retina to this day. She was a goddess, inside and out. I'll miss her a lot.

[mac56]

54. Me too.

I thought she was absolutely stunning.

[zeemike]

65. Me too

Ever sense i saw her in "the Birds"
And she had that low sexy voice that I so love in a woman.
She left us with a lot of good memories.

[doxieone]

10. I have to correct the article - Newhart was not a psychiatrist...

..but a psychologist.

I loved all of her work - all of it, but the only thing we personally own to represent it is our tape of "The Ugly Dachshund."

I think my favorite non-TV role she ever had was The Birds.

She seemed to be as gorgeous inside, as she was out. I am interested to hear what Bob Newhart will be saying about her death.

[stlsaxman]

11. She was wonderful, smart, funny and sexy... ooh and her voice- yummy!

Suzanne was in the top tier of my childhood crushes- Carolyn Jones, Diana Rigg and Suzanne Pleshette.

I wanted to be just like Bob so that i too might attract a woman just like her when i grew up.

She delivered the last line of the most brilliant scene in TV ever- "Go back to sleep, Bob!"

Godspeed, Ms Pleshette!

[Virginia Dare]

12. One of my favorite actresses of all time..

going way back to the "Love Bug" movie when I was a kid. Her husband Tom Poston (who was a regular on Newhart's second series) died within the last year or so IIRC. RIP Ms. Pleshette.

[Ecumenist]

13. Bless her soul, may she rest in peace...

I think that she was happy to be reunited with her beloved husband, Tom Poston, who died last year. I believe that they are together now and both of them are out of pain and suffering.

[TomClash]

14. In the day

she was incredibly hot, well past her prime. R.I.P.

[warrior1]

15. Damn

Bless her heart.

[stlsaxman]

16. Interview w/ Suzanne from the American Television Archive....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7763221112657069031&q=suzanne+pleshette&total=25&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=6

Any fan should watch!

[OzarkDem]

34. Thanks for the link!

A great interview, she was a fascinating person who had in interesting life. Looks like a good web site, too.

[libnnc]

57. Outstanding interview and archive

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

edit to add: don't miss part 2. Awesome story about Suzanne in The Miracle Worker on Broadway (she replaced Anne Bancroft).

[defendandprotect]

60. Hey, thank you! Interesting . .. I'm listening to it now ...

I thought she had a great sense of humor ---
too often at her own expense -- !!!

Seems to be lung cancer --- !!! sad --- !!!

[rosetta627]

17. Wow, this is a biggie.

I loved her on Newhart. Greatest voice ever.

[cornermouse]

18. Sad news.

I enjoyed watching her.

[noiretextatique]

19. rip, suzanne eom

[closeupready]

20. Very sad. She was very talented, funny and always made me smile. RIP, Suzanne.

n/t

[SharonRB]

21. RIP, Suzanne

I always enjoyed watching her. She'll be missed.

[CRK7376]

22. Our family loved

botht he Newhart shows. I especially enjoyed the second one, as innkeepers...RIP Pleshette.

[The Backlash Cometh]

29. It had the best ending of any t.v. series.

It ended with Bob getting hit with a golf ball and, technically dying on the second show, but waking up in bed with his first wife from his first show, Suzanne Pleshette. And the last comment he made was to suggest to her that she start wearing tighter sweaters. Because, his second wife wore them to great fan success.

[Evergreen Emerald]

24. that makes me sad.

rip.

[progressoid]

25. Oh damn.

She was great. RIP.

[madrchsod]

26. she was cool....

she was one of my hotties when i was a lad...course she was only 10 years older than me.

she was a joy to watch...

[bear425]

27. RIP Ms. Pleshette. I was talking with a friend just yesterday

about her and her former husband, Troy Donahue. My friend dated him after their divorce. He told my friend she reminded him so much of Suzanne. So sad she's gone. :(

[OzarkDem]

40. Mmmm..Troy Donahue

I hadn't realized they were married.

[momster]

28. Support Your Local Gunfighter

with Pleshette and James Garner will be on Friday 25th on TCM at 11:30 pm. I'm sure they'll be showing others with her soon but this is already in the line-up. Such a fun movie and she was really at the height of her comedic talent.

[Botany]

30. good night Suzanne

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

31. She was one classy lady.

What a great actress - funny, smart, and that amazing voice. One of my all-time favorites.

She once said in an interview: "I'm an actress, and that's why I'm still here," she said. "Anybody who has the illusion that you can have a career as long as I have and be a star is kidding themselves." Well, she was a star in her own right, and an amazing talent. She will be greatly missed...RIP Suzanne.

[Penndems]

32. RIP beautiful lady - thank you for the pleasure your acting skills gave us

[cureautismnow]

33. Beautiful and classy.

R.I.P., Suzanne.

[tabasco]

35. Goddamn cancer.

A trillion wasted in Iraq would have gone a long way to find a cure.

Pleshette was a great actress and seemed like a really nice person.

[OzarkDem]

36. Such a loss, RIP

She was such a great actress and person, fun as well as talented. She was an acting icon for our generation and will be missed.

[Patsy Stone]

37. Horrible news.

RIP, Suzanne. :loveya:

[lumberjack_jeff]

38. I fully admit to being an odd kid...

But I had a big crush on her.

RIP Suzanne.

[TheCowsCameHome]

42. You weren't the only one, brother

RIP, Suzanne.

You were a fine lady.

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. Oh how sad

I loved her. :cry:

[MADem]

41. I was just watching an antique program which was probably one of her very early appearances

She had a tremendous gift even as a youngster.

[lapfog_1]

43. Sometimes, love is a stronger bond than life...

?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1934A2752006EF5F0EDB0294787263BD6B35A5397277B4DC33E

R.I.P.

[rasputin1952]

44. That final scene in Newhart was one of the best scenes ever

made for the small screen.

Pleshette was a great actress, a beauty both physically and intellectually; needless to say, when I heard this on NPR this AM, I was suddenly saddened, something that does not usually happen to me where "celebrities" are concerned.

She will be sadly missed...:(

[JBoy]

47. Here's that final scene from that show:

http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/63849/detail/

Brilliant.

[rasputin1952]

50. Thanks! That brought back some great memories!

What a wonderful way to remeber her...:hug:

[mcscajun]

67. Thanks for sharing that one. RIP, Ms. Pleshette.

O8)

[Captain Hilts]

70. BEST ending to a series EVER. nt

[rasputin1952]

71. If, there is ever a better series ender...

(something I cannot possibly fathom at this point), it would be so stunning as to most likely kill me...:D

It was played so well..."Go back to sleep Bob"......"What blonde?"....."You should wear more sweaters".

The whole scene was perfection...:)

[SidDithers]

74. Greatest. Series. Finale. EVER!

Thanks for posting that, I hadn't seen it in years.

:applause:

Sid

[Berry Cool]

45. Another piece of my childhood gone.

RIP, dear lady.

[PhiBetaCretin1]

46. What a career!

I always loved her. Loved her voice, loved the dry, sardonic looks she gave -- and her delivery. What an amazing actress. She hardly seems to have aged, given her span of years on screen. This came as sad news just seeing the headline on my newsreader.

So many will miss you, wonderful Ms. Pleshette. You are in our hearts.

[tinrobot]

48. I had such a crush on her as a teenager...

She was so lovely on the Bob Newhart show.

Very sad to hear her go...

[vireo]

49. Suzanne's father

As director of New York's Paramount theaters, where Alan Freed presented a series of rock and roll concerts, Gene Pleshette was instrumental in bringing rock and roll to the masses, as well as the lovely Suzanne.

[NBachers]

56. Thank you for that post n/t

[emilyg]

51. RIP

great lady

[Roxy66]

52. One of my very favorites.....rest in piece

[humbled_opinion]

53. Sad..

She was an excellent actor...

[0007]

55. She was an a amazing person with a ton of talent.

[qanda]

58. I am getting old

Suzanne Pleshette couldn't have been 70. Gosh, that's when tv was watchable. May she forever rest in peace.

[KamaAina]

59. Aaaaauuuugggghh!

Suzanne (as Emily Newhart) was (at age 8!) my ideal of what a grownup woman should be.

To this day, Mom and I riff off a line from Bob Newhart: he couldn't read Emily's handwritten grocery list, so he asked her, "Emily, what are 'ipps'"? We still call eggs 'ipps'.

:cry:

[defendandprotect]

61. Suzanne married Tom Poston when he was 79? Had no idea!!

They were both very funny people -- !!

[rayofreason]

62. 70 is young...

...these days.

Too bad. I always enjoyed her in movies and TV.

[bdamomma]

63. oh that is so sad.

I really liked her especially on the Bob Newhart Show. She was a beautiful woman.

[indepat]

64. Never had a crush on her before seeing "If it is Tuesday, this must be Belgium."

Have carried that crush ever since. RIP, dear lady. :(

[countryjake]

68. It's good to see all of the praise, reminiscence, & sadness here...

expressed at the death of such a memorable woman. I was stunned Sat. night when I got the news that one of my all-time favorite actresses, a spot-on comedienne, and a simply great entertainer had died so young and I wasn't even sure if this was the proper place to post such awful news. After reading these comments, I'm glad to have shared my sudden grief with you all.

My heart goes out to her family and all who loved her.

[Bluebear]

69. With affection and appreciation for Ms. Pleshette

RIP

[JerseygirlCT]

72. Oh that's sad. She was terrific. nt

[DebbieCDC]

73. I guess I'm the only one who remembers

Her brief role in the film "Nevada Smith" opposite young Steve McQueen. OK, I'm showing my age, but they had good screen chemistry. For a teen girl of my age then, Steve McQueen was the hottie, but who can ever forget her on "Newhart"?.

[Honeycombe8]

75. The best "Queen of Mean" in TV movie. I mean to tell ya...she was born to play

Leona Helmsley. Lloyd Bridges played her husband. She didn't just act Leona Helmsley. She WAS the Queen of Mean. And Lloyd Bridges was perfect (as usual) as the devoted husband.

I have always thought that Suzanne Pleshette was not given her dues as, first, an excellent actress, and second, as a truly BEAUTIFUL woman. My God, she was gorgeous. Those striking blue eyes with dark hair, perky nose, and tiny waist. But Hollywood likes blondes, so I guess I'm not surprised.