EXCLUSIVE: Susan Saint James' Alcohol Battle Revealed After Star's Death Aged 80
Susan Saint James once declared she hadn't had a drink in over 10 years after seeking out help.
Nov. 1 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Susan Saint James secretly battled alcohol addiction after walking away from Hollywood, and once revealed how depression and a devastating loss of identity drove her toward drinking before she finally sought help, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Emmy-winning actress, who died on October 26 at age 80, became a household name through her performances in McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie.
Sobriety Struggle After Hollywood Exit
Emmy-winning actress Saint James died at age 80.
But after retiring from acting in 1989 to concentrate on raising her five children, Saint James struggled with life outside the spotlight, eventually seeking therapy and joining a 12-step recovery program.
Speaking to Connecticut Magazine in 2010, Saint James revealed how giving up her successful television career had left her feeling unexpectedly unfulfilled.
She said: "I no longer got a paycheck, for the first time since I was 15 or 16."
The actress had anticipated enjoying a quieter existence, spending time with her children and pursuing interests that her demanding professional schedule had previously made difficult.
Instead, she discovered losing the recognition and financial independence associated with acting had affected her more profoundly than she expected.
'I Was Drinking to Forget or Drinking to Be 'Happy.''
She admitted drinking heavily to escape her unhappiness.
During therapy, Saint James was questioned about her drinking habits and initially suggested she enjoyed an ordinary glass of red wine each evening.
But she confessed: "It was more like a bowl."
The admission marked an important realization about how alcohol had gradually become a means of escaping her unhappiness rather than simply something she enjoyed socially.
She said: "I was drinking to forget or drinking to be 'happy.' Of course, it doesn't work that way for addicts."
Her problems were compounded by frustrations surrounding her marriage to television executive Dick Ebersol, whose demanding career frequently kept him away from the family home.
Saint James initially believed her husband's professional commitments were responsible for her unhappiness, before recognizing her difficulties were rooted in her own emotional struggles.
She said: "I really actually thought my problem was Dick, but then the miracle was that the problem didn't turn out to be Dick at all."
12-Step Recovery Changed Susan Saint James' Life
A 12-step recovery program helped Saint James find sobriety.
A friend eventually encouraged the actress to attend a 12-step meeting, setting her on a path toward sobriety.
She said: "I walked into a meeting and I never looked back."
Reflecting on her recovery during the 2010 interview, Saint James revealed she had already spent more than a decade without alcohol.
She said: "I haven't had a drink in 11 years."
Her recovery would later become particularly important when the family suffered an unimaginable tragedy. In 2004, Saint James and Ebersol's youngest son, Teddy, died aged 14 in a plane crash, leaving the family devastated.
The actress subsequently explained the lessons she had learned through addiction recovery helped her confront the overwhelming grief surrounding her son's death.
Susan Saint James' Sobriety Helped Her Face Family Tragedy
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Saint James starred in hit shows 'McMillan & Wife' and 'Kate & Allie.'
During a 2015 interview, Saint James reflected on how sobriety had equipped her with emotional resources she could draw upon during the family's darkest period.
The actress, who had enjoyed decades of television success before leaving Hollywood, also devoted considerable time to her family and charitable interests after retiring.
Her reflections on addiction emerged years after she departed from acting, revealing a private struggle largely unknown to audiences who remembered her for her popular television performances.
Saint James became one of television's most recognizable stars, winning an Emmy for The Name of the Game before achieving widespread success in McMillan & Wife alongside Rock Hudson.
She later starred in the hit sitcom Kate & Allie, earning further Emmy nominations and cementing her Hollywood legacy.
