Susan Sullivan

Originally groomed for the theater, Sullivan worked at the National
Repertory Theatre in Washington D.C. before landing a role in Broadway
opposite Dustin Hoffman in "Jimmy Shine".
Sullivan continued appearing in theater while working on
Falcon Crest (1981) in the
1980s. In the 1960s, Susan played "Lenore Curtin" on
Another World (1964) for four
years, a role that gave her much experience in television, and
evidently had a lot of fun from what fellow co-stars (especially
Nicolas Coster) have testified. Following
her role, Sullivan was acting off-Broadway when an agent spotted her
and encouraged her to move to Hollywood, signing her to a contract
which was conditional upon her doing so. She went on to play a dozen
different parts on TV before taking on the role that would win her an
Emmy nomination; that of
Peter Strauss' lover in the
miniseries,
Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II (1976).
Sullivan then played a gynecologist in two TV movies,
Having Babies II (1977)
and
Having Babies III (1978),
which led to a role in the short-run series
Having Babies (1978) (aka Julia
Farr, M.D.). Sullivan then went on to become a member of the ensemble
cast of It's a Living (1980).
She attained her greatest success during the '80s when she played the
often put-upon "Maggie" on
Falcon Crest (1981). Throughout
FC's run, Sullivan remained devoted to the theatre appearing in "Fifth
of July" at the Mark Taper Forum in L.A. and "Last Summer" at Blue Fish
Cove in San Francisco. Sullivan decided to leave FC at the start of its
final season after seven seasons because she felt "Maggie was repeating
herself". Sullivan looks back on her days at FC with pride, especially
at her gutsy work when her character had a brief bout with alcohol,
drawing on her memories of being the child of an alcoholic. After
leaving FC, Sullivan continued her charity association with the Blue
Cross and ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics). She then got the
opportunity to play comedy in a guest stint in
Doctor Doctor (1989). Sullivan
then recorded two pilot comedies, "Ruth Harper" and "Satellite News".
She then went on to play the recurring character of
George Carlin's love interest on his
self-titled show. While working on GC, she played
Robert Urich's ex-wife in
Danielle Steel's
A Perfect Stranger (1994).
In 1995, Sullivan returned to drama in ABC's
The Monroes (1995) as "Kathryn
Monroe", wife of political aspirant
William Devane. Sullivan relished the
role, and despite the show folding soon after, she received rave
reviews, being dubbed the season's best actress. She was also singled
out in publications as the show's saving grace. Sullivan continues to
stay in touch with several
Falcon Crest (1981) stars,
including David Selby, and is now dating
author Connell Cowan whom she has been seeing since 1989. Sullivan has
a sister, Brigid, an executive at WGBH-TV in Boston, and a brother,
Brendan, a methadone counselor in N.Y.C. Sullivan had no qualms about
working as a bunny girl in the Manhattan Playboy Club ("I had been a
waitress before and I felt I would rather show my legs and make sixty
dollars a night instead of twenty"), where she recited Shakespeare
while serving drinks. When she was twenty-three, Sullivan dated
Cary Grant. Behind the scenes, stories of
Susan indicate she is big on practical jokes and works hard at cracking
the cast up. Her co-star on
Falcon Crest (1981),
David Selby (Richard) has recalled the time
Susan went into the bathroom to slip into something more comfortable
for her role, and when the passion of the scene reached fever-pitch,
she dropped the robe to reveal a body-stocking crammed with bottles,
cans and tubes of toothpaste. David and the rest of the crew fell about
laughing hysterically. Sullivan has been a spokeswoman for Tylenol for
many years, and is proud to be associated with the product (pointing
out the fact that she has been able to buy a beach house with the
proceeds). Attractive, intelligent and outspoken, Sullivan is a
well-grounded and giving actress who brings much insight into whichever
role she chooses to play.