SUZANNE PLESHETTE BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Suzanne Pleshette was born on January 31st, 1937 in Brooklyn Heights, New York City.  Her parents were both of Russian Jewish heritage.  Her mother, Geraldine was a dancer and artist and her father, Eugene, worked as a stage manager and executive of the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn. 

Pleshette attended high school at Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts and upon completion she went on attend Syracuse University for only one semester.  She then transferred to study at Finch College, a baccalaureate women's college located in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
 
Her career began as a stage actress, making her Broadway debut on, "Compulsion" (1957).  She then began trying to get into the film industry.  Her first known screen appearance was in the episode titled, "Night Rescue" (1957) on a television series that aired on CBS called, "Harbourmaster".  Some of her earlier known film work was, "The Miracle Worker" (1961) starring Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke, "Rome Adventure" (1962) also starring Angie Dickinson, Rossanno Brazzi, Constance Ford, Chad Everett, Al Hirt and Troy Donahue, "The Birds" (1963) starring Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Veronica Cartwright, Karl Swenson, Charles McGraw, Morgan Brittany, Malcolm Atterbury and Doodles Weaver. 
 
Her career continued strong with roles on film and television.  Some of her other film roles were, "Nevada Smith" (1966) starring Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy, Raf Vallone, Janet Margolin, Pat Hingle, Howard Da Silva, Martin Landau, Iron Eyes Cody and Paul Fix, a western drama and "Support Your Local Gunfighter" (1971) starring alongside James Garner, Harry Morgan, Jack Elam, John Dehner, Marie Windsor, Henry Jones, Dick Curtis, Dub Taylor, Joan Blondell, Chuck Connors, Grady Sutton, Ben Cooper, Kathleen Freeman and Ellen Corby.  Television appearances were made by Pleshette on, "Naked City", Ben Casey", "Wagon Train" and "Dr. Kildare".  She also appeared on, "The Bob Newhart Show" from 1972-1978 where she received two nominations for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.  She was discovered for the part in this show after appearing on, "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson". 

Pleshette was also the star of her own situation comedy which ran for only seven episodes, "The Suzanne Pleshette in Maggie Briggs" (1984).  In the very popular television sitcom, "Will and Grace", Pleshette played the role of Karen Walker's mother for three episodes.  This was her final performance in 2004 before retiring. 
 
Suzanne Pleshette was married three times throughout her lifetime.  First she married in 1964 her costar from the film, "A Distant Trumpet" (1964), Troy Donahue, but this marriage only lasted 8 months.  She then proceeded to marry Tom Gallagher, a Texas oilman who she married in 1968 and remained with until he passed away from lung cancer on January 21st, 2000.  Her final union was to Tom Poston, a fellow co-star from Newhart in 2001.  The couple remained together until his passing on April 30th, 2007. 
 
Pleshette passed away on January 19th, 2008 from lung cancer at her Los Angeles, California home at the age of seventy.  She was interred at Hillside Memorial Park cemetery in Culver City, California.
 
Pleshette also received a olden Globe and Emmy nomination for her role on a television movie, "Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean" (1990) co-starring Lloyd Bridges, Joe Regalbuto and Raymond Singer, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to the Motion Picture Industry. 
 
 
Filmography

2003  8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter 
2002-2003 Good Morning, Miami 
2002-2004 Will and Grace
2001  Spirited Away
1998  The Lion King II: Simba's Pride 
1994  The Boys Are Back
1993  A Twist of the Knife
1992  Battling for Baby
1990  Newhart, "The Last Newhart"
1990  Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean
1989  Nightingales
1989  The Queen of mean
1988  Alone in the Neon Jungle
1987  A Stranger Waits
1985  Kojak, "The Belarus File"
1985  Bridges to Cross 
1985  The Belarus File
1984  One Cooks, the Other Doesn't 
1984  For Love or Money
1983  Dixie: Changing Habits
1982  Help Wanted: Male 
1982  Fantasies 
1981  The Star Maker
1980  Oh, God! Book II
1980  If Things Were Different
1979  Hot Stuff
1979  Flesh & Blood
1978  Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid  
1976  Law and Order 
1976  Richie Brockelman: The Missing 24 Hours 
1976  The Shaggy D.A.
1975  The Legend of Valentino
1972-1978 The Bob Newhart Show 
1971  River of Gold 
1971  In Broad Daylight
1971  Columbo
1971  Support Your Local Gunfighter
1970  Along Came a Spider  
1970  Hunters Are for Killing
1970  Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
1969  Target: Harry
1969  If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium
1969  Route 66, "The Strengthening Angels"
1968  Blackbeard's Ghost
1968  It Takes a Thief, "A Sour Note"
1968  The Power
1968  Flesh and Blood 
1967  The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin
1967  Wings of Fire
1967  The Invaders "The Mutation"
1967  The Invaders "The Pursued"
1966  The Ugly Dachshund
1966  Nevada Smith
1966  Mister Buddwing
1965  A Rage to Live 
1964  A Distant Trumpet
1964  Youngblood Hawke
1964  Fate Is the Hunter 
1963  The Birds
1963  Wall of Noise
1962  Rome Adventure
1962  Target: The Corruptors! 
1962  40 Pounds of Trouble
1959  Summer of Decision
1959  One Step Beyond, "Delusion"  
1958  The Geisha Boy 

1958  Naked City
1954  Creature from the Black Lagoon