Susan Dey | |
|---|---|
 Publicity photo forThe Partridge Family, 1970 | |
| Born | Susan Hallock Dey (1952-12-10)December 10, 1952 (age 73) Pekin, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | Fox Lane High School |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1970–2004 |
| Known for | |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Susan Hallock Dey (born December 10, 1952)[1] is an American retired actress, known for her television roles asLaurie Partridge on the sitcomThe Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and asGrace Van Owen on the drama seriesL.A. Law from 1986 to 1992. A three-timeEmmy Award nominee and six-timeGolden Globe Award nominee, she won theGolden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series forL.A. Law in 1988.
Dey was born inPekin, Illinois, to Ruth Pyle (née Doremus) Dey, a nurse, and Robert Smith Dey.[2] Ruth died in 1961, when Susan was eight.[2]
Dey attended Columbus Elementary School inThornwood, New York. She later moved toMount Kisco, New York, where she graduated fromFox Lane High School in 1970.[3]
Dey began her professional life as a model. Her first modeling break was the cover photo of a booklet by Pursettes tampons on first facts of menstruation for young girls, "Getting to Know Yourself."[citation needed]
She was cast as Laurie Partridge in the television seriesThe Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974.[4][5] She was 17 when she won the part, and had no previous acting experience. She briefly reprised that role for theHanna-Barbera animated series,Partridge Family 2200 A.D. for two episodes, before being replaced bySherry Alberoni. She returned to weekly network television in 1977 as the co-star of the short-lived sitcomLoves Me, Loves Me Not.[4]
Dey's first film role was as a passenger in the 1972 airline hijack movieSkyjacked, starringCharlton Heston.[6] In a 1977 made-for-television movie,Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night, she portrayed a disturbed young mother with serious psychological problems who begins to take them out on her toddler daughter.[4][7] Also in 1977, Dey starred oppositeWilliam Katt inFirst Love, directed byJoan Darling.[4][8] She also appeared in theBarnaby Jones episode "Testament of Power" (1977).
Dey co-starred withAlbert Finney in the 1981 science-fiction filmLooker, written and directed byMichael Crichton.[4] She had a leading role in 1986'sEcho Park, as a struggling waitress-actress who takes a job as astripper deliveringsinging telegrams.[4][9] She starred onL.A. Law from 1986 through 1992 as Los Angeles County deputy district attorney Grace Van Owen, who later became a judge.[4] She won aGolden Globe Award as Actress in a Leading Role – Drama Series for the role in 1988.[10] She was also nominated in each of the following four years. She was also nominated for theEmmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1987, 1988, and 1989.[11]
She hosted a 1992 episode ofSaturday Night Live. Later that year, she co-starred in the sitcomLove & War.[4] Although the show ran until 1995, Dey was replaced in 1993 byAnnie Potts because producers reportedly felt she had "no chemistry" with co-starJay Thomas.[12] In 1993, Dey produced and starred inLies & Lullabies (later released on DVD asSad Inheritance), where she played a pregnant cocaine addict.[13]
Dey was mentioned inShirley Jones's memoir as the only cast member who "consistently refused" to take part inPartridge Family reunions.[14]
In 1972, Dey was credited as the author of a book titledSusan Dey's Secrets on Boys, Beauty and Popularity.[15]
During the production ofThe Partridge Family, Dey had romantic feelings for co-starDavid Cassidy. They eventually pursued a relationship when the show ended, but Cassidy broke it off as he did not share her feelings. In 1994, Cassidy disclosed details of his relationship with Dey in his autobiographyC'mon, Get Happy ... Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus; he presumed this led to her severing contact with him.[16]
Dey was married to Leonard "Lenny" Hirshan from 1976 to 1981.[17] They have one daughter. Dey has been married to television producer Bernard Sofronski since 1988.[18]
She serves as a board member of the Rape Treatment Center atUCLA Medical Center, and co-narrated a documentary on campus rape with formerL.A. Law co-starCorbin Bernsen.[19] She suffered fromanorexia during the run ofThe Partridge Family.[20]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | The Candidate | Girl in Crowd | |
| 1972 | Skyjacked | Elly Brewster | |
| 1977 | First Love | Caroline | |
| 1981 | Looker | Cindy Fairmont | |
| 1986 | Echo Park | May | |
| 1987 | The Trouble with Dick | Diane | |
| 1998 | Avenged | Margo | |
| 2003 | Rain | Dianna Davis |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–74 | The Partridge Family | Laurie Partridge | 96 episodes Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film |
| 1973 | Circle of Fear | Peggy | Episode: "Doorway to Death" |
| 1973 | Goober and the Ghost Chasers | Laurie Partridge (voice) | 8 episodes |
| 1973 | Terror on the Beach | DeeDee Glynn | Television film |
| 1974 | Partridge Family 2200 A.D. | Laurie Partridge (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | The Rookies | Angel | Episode: "Angel" |
| 1975 | Hawaii Five-O | Susan Bradshaw | Episode: "Target? the Lady" |
| 1975 | S.W.A.T. | Janice | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | Cage Without a Key | Valerie Smith | Television film |
| 1976 | The Quest | Charlotte Rosee | Episode: "The Captive" |
| 1976 | The Streets of San Francisco | Barbara Ross | Episode: "The Thrill Killers" (filmed as a two-hour episode; aired in two parts) |
| 1977 | Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night | Rowena Harper | Television film |
| 1977 | Loves Me, Loves Me Not | Jane Benson | 6 episodes |
| 1977 | Barnaby Jones | Linda Jason | Episode: "Testament of Power" |
| 1978 | Little Women | Jo March | Television miniseries |
| 1980 | The Comeback Kid | Megan Barrett | Television film |
| 1983 | Sunset Limousine | Julie Preston | Television film |
| 1983–84 | Emerald Point N.A.S. | Celia Mallory | 22 episodes |
| 1983 | Malibu | Linda Harvey | Television film |
| 1984 | Love Leads the Way | Beth | Television film |
| 1986–92 | L.A. Law | Grace Van Owen | 110 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama(1989–92) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series(1987–89) Nominated—Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Actress in a Quality Drama Series |
| 1987 | Angel in Green | ||
| 1992–93 | Love & War | Wallis "Wally" Porter | 23 episodes |
| 1992 | Bed of Lies | Vicky Daniel | Television film |
| 1993 | Lies and Lullabies | Christina Kinsey | Television film (aka Sad Inheritance) |
| 1994 | Beyond Betrayal | Joanna/Emily Doyle | Television film |
| 1995 | Deadly Love | Rebecca Barnes | Television film |
| 1995 | Blue River | Mrs. Sellers | Television film |
| 1997 | Bridge of Time | Madeleine Armstrong | Television film |
| 1999 | Family Law | Karen Hershey | Episode: "Holt vs. Holt" |
| 2002 | L.A. Law: The Movie | Grace Van Owen | Television film |
| 2002 | Disappearance | Patty Henley | Television film |
| 2004 | Third Watch | Dr. Breene | 2 episodes |
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