Suzanne Pleshette achieved television immortality in her role as Bob Newhart's wife in the 1970s classic situation comedy, The Bob Newhart Show (1972). For her role as "Emily Hartley", wife of psychologist "Bob Hartley" (played by Bob Newhart), Pleshette was nominated for the Emmy Award twice, in 1977 and 1978. She was also nominated for an Emmy in 1962 for a guest appearance on the TV series, Dr. Kildare (1961) and, in 1991, for playing the title role in Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean (1990) in a 1990 TV movie. Her acting career lasted almost 50 years. Suzanne Pleshette was born on January 31, 1937, in New York, New York, to Eugene Pleshette, a TV network executive who had managed the Paramount theaters in Manhattan and Brooklyn during the Big Band era, and the former Geraldine Kaplan, a dancer who performed under the name Geraldine Rivers. Her paternal grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants, and her maternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Austria-Hungary and Russia.
Pleshette claims that she was not an acting natural but just "found" herself attending New York City's High School of the Performing Arts. After graduating from high school, she attended Syracuse University for a semester before returning to New York City to attend Finch College, an elite finishing school for well-to-do young ladies. After a semester at Finch, Pleshette dropped out to take lessons from famed acting teacher Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse. She made her Broadway debut in 1957 as part of the supporting cast for the play 朱门孽种 (1959). Initially cast as "The Fourth Girl", she eventually took over the ingénue role during the play's run.
Blessed with beauty, a fine figure, and a husky voice that made her seem older than her years, she quickly achieved success on both the small and big screens. She made her TV debut, at age 20, in Harbormaster (1957), then was chosen as the female lead opposite superstar 杰瑞·刘易斯 in his 1958 comedy, 艺妓男孩 (1958). On Broadway, she replaced Anne Bancroft in the Broadway hit The Miracle Worker (1962).
Once Pleshette started acting, her career never lagged until she was afflicted with cancer. Her most famous cinematic role was in 阿尔弗雷德·希区柯克's classic, The Birds (1963), as the brunette schoolteacher jilted by the hero of the film, "Mitch Brenner" (played by 罗德·泰勒). Pleshette's warm, earthy character was a perfect contrast to the icy blonde beauty, "Melanie Daniels" (蒂比·海德莉). But it is for "Emily Hartley" that she'll be best remembered.
After The Bob Newhart Show (1972) ceased production, Suzanne Pleshette worked regularly on television, mostly in TV movies. Although she was a talented dramatic actress, she had a flair for comedy and, in 1984, she headlined her own series at CBS, which had aired "The Bob Newhart Show". She helped develop the half-hour sitcom, and even had the rare honor of having her name in the title. Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs (1984), however, was not a success. She co-starred with Hal Linden in another short-lived CBS TV series, "The Boys Are Back", in the 1994-95 season, then had recurring roles in the TV series Good Morning, Miami (2002) and 8 Simple Rules (2002).
Pleshette was married three times: In 1964, she wed teen idol 特洛伊·多纳胡, her co-star in the 1962 film 花蕊恋春风 (1962) and in 1964's A Distant Trumpet (1964), but the marriage lasted less than a year. By contrast, her union with Texas oil millionaire, Tom Gallagher, lasted from 1968 until his death in 2000. After becoming a widow, she and widower 汤姆·波士顿 (a Newhart regular) rekindled an old romance they had enjoyed when appearing together in "The Golden Fleecing", a 1959 Broadway comedy. They were married from 2001 until Poston's death, in April 2007.
Pleshette was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent chemotherapy in the summer of 2006; she rallied, but in late 2007, she barely survived a bout of pneumonia. She died of respiratory failure on Saturday, January 19, 2008, a few days shy of her 71st birthday. Suzanne Pleshette, the actress who achieved television immortality in her role as Bob Newhart's wife in the 1970s classic situation-comedy, The Bob Newhart Show (1972), will be remembered as a gregarious, down-to-earth person who loved to talk and often regaled her co-stars with a naughty story. Newhart and his producers had picked her for the role of "Emily" in "The Bob Newhart Show" after watching her appearances with 约翰尼·卡森 on 约翰尼卡森今夜秀 (1962), where she showed herself to be a first-rate raconteuse. Because she could hold her own with Newhart's friend Carson, they thought she would be a perfect foil as Newhart's TV wife.
She accepted the part, and TV history was made.
Cousin of 约翰·普莱舍.
Announced her engagement to 汤姆·波士顿, 79, in December 2000. Each had co-starred on a Bob Newhart show, but different versions--she was in The Bob Newhart Show (1972), he was in Newhart (1982). However, Poston appeared in a recurring role on the '70s version as Bob Hartley's old friend Cliff "The Peeper" Murdock. Pleshette also appeared on the '80s version finale that is one of the best series finales of all time--a segue between the two shows.
Was the producers' original choice for the role of Catwoman on the Batman (1966) TV show. When negotiations broke down, the part went to 朱莉·纽玛, who made it her own.
Stepmother of Francesca Poston and Jason Poston.
She was the childhood friend of Faye Michael Nuell (aka Faye Mayo) and Karla Champion (widow of 高尔·钱皮恩).
Underwent chemotherapy treatment at Los Angeles' Cedar-Sinai Medical Center for lung cancer. [August 2006]
Met her future husband, 汤姆·波士顿, when they appeared together in the 1959 Broadway comedy "The Golden Fleecing". However, they didn't marry for more than 40 years.
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, posthumously, on her birthday, January 31, 2008.
Is buried in a family plot at Hillside Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California; between her two late husbands, Tom Gallagher and 汤姆·波士顿.
Daughter of Geraldine Kaplan (1918-1987) and Eugene Pleshette (1914-1991).
Both she and 维罗尼卡·卡维特 appeared together in 阿尔弗雷德·希区柯克's The Birds (1963), as well as on episodes of Will & Grace (1998). Each played mothers. Pleshette playing Karen Walker's mom and Cartwright playing Jack's mom.
Started out in theater before moving onto film.
One time, while on 约翰尼卡森今夜秀 (1962), she told the story of her near involvement with the movie 棕泉春光 (1963). At the time she was a contract performer at Warner Brothers and was cast in the movie. She adamantly refused to do it, fearing that it might hurt her career (a studio executive, annoyed by her attitude, told her that the sign outside read "Warner Brothers" not "Pleshette Brothers"!) She eventually got her way (and was forced to appear in 双姝争玉郎 (1963) instead) and the role went to 斯蒂芬妮·鲍尔斯. She jokingly said that Powers was so upset that she had to take her place in the movie that she refused to speak to her for years afterward.
Both she and husband 汤姆·波士顿 died of the same cause, respiratory failure.
Gave the eulogy at 大卫·简森's funeral. [February 1980]
Passed away less than one year after the death of her husband, Tom Poston.
Turned down the role of Lil Mainwaring in 艳贼 (1964).
She and Anne Bancroft started trying to get pregnant at the same time. Anne eventually had 马克斯·布鲁克斯 but Suzanne, despite being six years younger, was unable to carry a child to term.
Quit smoking in the late '90s.
Turned down The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) and The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971).
Was considered for the 费·唐纳薇 role in The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).
Went against the advice of her agents by accepting television roles when she was a burgeoning movie star. After 1980, her career was exclusively in TV.
Husky voice
Disney movies
