Suzanne Pleshette was an American actress known for her role as Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show. She began her career in show business at a young age and studied acting with Sanford Meisner. Pleshette appeared on Broadway and in films such as The Birds before landing her iconic role on The Bob Newhart Show. She received two Emmy nominations for her portrayal of Emily and continued to act in various television shows. Pleshette was married three times and died in 2008 from respiratory failure after undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer.
Suzanne Pleshette was an American actress. She was best known for playing Emily Hartley on the television sitcom The Bob Newhart Show. Dark-haired, husky-voiced and very attractive Suzanne began her career in show business at a very young age. Her parents were also involved in the industry.
Suzanne was born on January 31, 1937 in New York City, New York. Her father, Eugene Pleshette, ran Paramount Theaters in New York and was also a television executive. Suzanne’s mother, Geraldine Kaplan, was a dancer with the stage name of Geraldine Rivers. Suzanne attended New York City High School of the Performing Arts and then spent just one semester at Syracuse University before moving on to New York’s elite Finch College. She also stayed only one semester at Finch.
Instead of continuing to pursue a formal education, Suzanne Pleshette took acting lessons from famed acting coach, Sanford Meisner, at the Neighborhood Playhouse. At age 20, Pleshette performed on Broadway in a play called Compulsion. Later, she appeared on the TV show Harbourmaster. At the age of 21, Suzanne Pleshette landed major film roles such as the leading lady of Jerry Lewis in 1958’s The Geisha Boy.
In 1962, Suzanne Pleshette starred on Broadway as Anne Bancroft in The Miracle Worker. In 1963, she appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s hit film The Birds. In 1972, Suzanne Pleshette was cast as her wife, Emily Hartley, on The Bob Newhart Show. It is for playing Emily that Suzanne is best known. She captivated television audiences with her simple and direct, yet sophisticated portrayal of Emily, which was the perfect contrast to Bob’s more understated charm.
The Bob Newhart Show ran until 1978 and Suzanne Pleshette received two Emmy nominations for her role as Emily Hartley. She was also nominated for the lead role of Leona Helmsley in the 1991 television film Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean. Suzanne has starred in many television shows and had a recurring role on Will and Grace.
Suzanne Pleshette has been married three times. Her last marriage was to Tom Poston, who played handyman George opposite Bob Newhart’s innkeeper character in the 1982-1990 television situation comedy, Newhart. Suzanne underwent chemotherapy for lung cancer in 2006. She died on January 19, 2008 of respiratory failure.
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