American actress, best known for her role in the ongoing television series, “The Bob Newhart Show.” She also appeared on stage and films, and frequently guest-starred on a large number of television dramas.
Pleshette was the daughter of Gene Pleshette, who operated a movie theater before taking over the management of the entire Paramount chain, and originated the once-popular “College Bowl” quiz show. Her mother, Geraldine, had been a professional dancer. She attended public school, but then auditioned for the High School of Performing Arts, and was accepted. She went on to Syracuse University then to Finch College, a “finishing school.” She later joined Manhattan’s Neighborhood Playhouse. Her first role on Broadway was in “Compulsion.” After auditioning for comedian Jerry Lewis, she went under contract to him and debuted in his 1958 “The Geisha Boy.” Following that, she went back to Broadway, and was in a series of plays.
Returning to Hollywood, she was offered the female lead in “Rome Adventure,” with Troy Donahue whom she married in 1963. Her success, and his lack of it, ended the marriage a year later. In 1968, she married Thomas Joseph Gallagher III, an independently wealthy investor who became her manager. Gallagher suffered with lung cancer in 1994 but was doing well by the end of ’94.
From 1972-1978, she starred across from Bob Newhart in the popular series, “The Bob Newhart Show.” She continued to make movies, was a frequent guest on talk shows, and was even asked to substitute a few times for Johnny Carson, becoming the first woman to host “The Tonight Show.”
After 32 years of marriage, Tommy died suddenly in his sleep at age 65, 1/14/2000, after checking into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with a seemingly mild respiratory infection. Suzanne was absolutely devastated, holing herself up as a recluse in her $2 million West Hollywood apartment. In the fall of 2000 she was seen around town with good friend, actor Tom Poston who appeared on the Bob Newhart Show with her. One of Tom’s friends stated, “Tom’s put the smile back on Suzanne’s face and that’s a miracle because she thought that she would never be happy again.” They scheduled their marriage on 5/11/2001 in New York, where they met 30 years prior.
Poston died on April 30, 2007 in New York.
Pleshette was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent chemotheraphy in 2006. She died of respiratory arrest on January 19, 2008 at her Los Angeles home. She was just two weeks’ shy of her 71st birthday.
Link to Wikipedia biography