Craig Zablo

Susan Saint James died on October 26, 2026 from pancreatic cancer.  She was 80.

Saint James was born Susan Jane Miller.  She began a modeling career as a teenager.  When Susan Miller decided on a career in acting she changed her name to Susan Saint James.

Ms. Jame’s first role was in a television movie called Fame is the Name of the Game.  Susan Saint James continued to get television guest appearances, and when Fame is the Name of the Game was adapted into an on-going series (Name of the Game), she was brought back as one of the stars.  Her acting as Peggy Maxwell earned Susan Saint James 4 Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Primetime Emmy Nominations with one win.

The same year that Name of the Game ended, Susan St. James got the co-starring role with Rock Hudson in McMillan and Wife.  Susan Saint James left the series after five years (and two more Outstanding Lead Actress Primetime Emmy niminations) due to a contract dispute.  The series ran with a name change (McMillan) for a much shortened sixth season.

After leaving McMillan and Wife, Susan Saint James began alternating between movie and television roles.  In 1984, Ms. James returned to television in a starring role on Kate & Allie.  The series ran for six seasons and earned Susan Saint James two more Outstanding Lead Actress Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

After Katie & Allie ended Susan Saint James took retired from acting, only returning for a few special opportunities.

Some of Susan Saint James’s television performances include: Fame is the Name of the Game;  Ready and Willing; Ironside (2 episodes); It Takes a Thief (5 episodes); McCloud; Alias Smith & Jones; The Name of the Game (38 episodes); Magic Carpet; McMillan & Wife (34 episodes); Sex and the Single Parent; S.O.S. Titanic; MASH; Kate & Allie (122 episodes); The Drew Carey Show; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Suits; The Haunting of Bly Manor and Upload (3 episodes).

Some of Susan Saint James’s feature film appearances include: P.J.; What’s So Bad About Feeling Good?; Outlaw Blues; Love at First Bite; How to Beat the High Cost of Living and Carbon Copy.

My favorite Susan Saint James role was as Peggy Maxwell on Name of the Game.  Who wouldn’t want her as a secretary/member of the team?  Susan Saint James was the rare actress who was good whether it was a drama or comedy.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Susan Saint Jame’s family, friends and fans.

Walter Koenig died on October 25, 2026 from natural causes.  Mr. Koenig was 90.

After high school Walter Koenig attended Grinnell College in Iowa where he was a pre-med student. Mr. Koenig transferred to UCLA where he received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. While at UCLA, he decided to try acting.  Walter Koenig moved to New York to attend the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.

Mr. Koenig’s first role was an uncredited part on Combat! in 1962.  Many other television appearances followed.  Then in 1967, Walter Koenig appeared on Star Trek as Chekov, in the role that made him famous.  Following Star Trek, Mr. Koenig continued to act on television and in movies in a career that spanned over 60 years.

Some of Walter Koenig’s television performances include: Combat!; The Untouchables; General Hospital (2 episodes); The Great Adventure; The Lieutenant; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; Ben Casey; Mr. Novak (3 episodes); Gidgit; I Spy; Jericho; Star Trek (36 episodes); Mannix; Medical Center; The Viriginian; Ironside; The Starlost (2 episodes); The Questor Tapes; Columbo; Bring ‘Em Back Alive; Anthony and Cleopatra; The Real Ghostbusters; Viva Variety; Almost Perfect; Babylon 5 (12 episodes); Diagnosis Murder; The Privateers; Son of the Beach; Futurama; Star Trek: Phase II; Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters (11 episodes) and Star Trek: Picard.

Some of Walter Koenig’s feature film appearances include: Star Trek: The Motion Picture; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; Stara Trek V: The Final Frontier; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; Staar Trek: Generations; Drawing Down the Moon; Scream of the Bikini and Raging Midlife.

I may have first seen Walter Koenig on one of his many television guest appearances prior to Star Trek.  It is his signature role on Star Trek though that brought him to my (and the world’s attention). Star Trek was already a popular show among my friends and I. The inclusion of Mr. Koenig only increased the show’s popularity.

I met Walter Koenig at a convention years ago.  I was there with my buddy, comic artist John Beatty, was a guest of the show.  I was walking around before the convention started and saw Walter Koenig behind his table.  I walked over, shook his hand and told him I was a fan.  Mr. Koenig was gracious and humble.  It was a short interaction, but one I fondly remember.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Walter Koenig’s family, friends and fans.

Tom Skerritt died yesterday from natural causes.  Mr. Skerritt was 93.

After high school Tom Skerritt enlisted in the Air Force for a four year tour of duty.  After his service was complete, Mr. Skerritt aattended the University of California, Los Angeles with thoughts of majoring in English or becoming a film director.  After a role in a stage production of The Rainmaker, and good reviews, Tom Skerritt got the acting bug.

Roles on television and in feature films quickly followed.  Tom Skerritt’s career lasted over 50 years with 176 roles on his resume.

Some of Tom Skerritt’s television performances include: Laramie; The Real McCoys; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; My Three Sons; Wagon Train; My Favorite Martian; Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea; The Magical World of Disney; The Fugitive (2 episodes); The Time Tunnel; 12 O’Clock High (5 episodes); Combat! (6 episodes); Mannix; Cimarron Strip; Run for Your Life; Felony Squad; Death Valley Days (5 episodes); Lancer;  Hawaii 5-0; Medical Center; The Name of the Game; Bracken’s World; The Virginian (6 episodes); Nichols; The FBI (4 episodes); Gunsmoke (5 episodes); Bonanza (2 episodes); Get Christie Love!; Kolchak: The Night Stalker; Cannon (3 episodes); Barnaby Jones; SWAT; Baretta; Ryan’s Four (5 episodes); The Parent Trap II; The Twilight Zone; Danger Bay; Cheers (6 episodes); The China Lake Murders; ABC Afterschool Specials; Picket Fences (88 episodes); Chicago Hope; Into the Wild Blue; Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (2 episodes); High Noon; Path to War; Will & Grace; The West Wing; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; The Grid (6 episodes); Category Seven: The End of the World (2 episodes); Huff (3 episodes); Fallen (2 episodes); The Dead Zone; Brothers & Sisters (7 episodes); The Closer; Leverage (2 episodes); White Collar; The Good Wife (2 episodes); Madam Secretary and Journey Back to Christmas.

Some of Tom Skerritt’s feature film appearances include: War Hunt; MASH; Wild Rovers; Harold & Maude; Fuzz; Big Bad Mama; The Devil’s Rain; The Turning Point; Up in Smoke; Ice Castles; Alien; The Dead Zone; Top Gun; Space Camp; Steel Magnolias; Singles; A River Runs Through It; Contact; Smoke Signals; Tears of the Sun; Ted; Lucky and Broke.

I don’t know the first time I saw Tom Skerritt act.  He was in so many of my favorite shows when I was young.  My favorite Tom Skerrit roles are in Alien and The Dead Zone.  He was so good in both (and everything he did).

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom Skerritt’s family, friends and fans.