Susan Blakely Biography And Wiki
Susan Blakely is an American actress and model, known for her roles in television and film during the 1970s and 1980s. She is born on September 7, 1948, in Frankfurt, Germany, to U.S. Army Colonel Lawrence Blakely and Mary Louise Blakely. Her family is military, and she is raised in various locations, including Korea, Hawaii, and Texas. Susan is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso and later moves to New York to pursue a modeling career with the Ford Modeling Agency, appearing in several commercials. She is also an actress, studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse with teachers like Warren Robertson, Lee Strasberg, and Sanford Meisner, and her major film role is in The Towering Inferno (1974).
Age And Birthday
Susan Blakely is born on September 7, 1948, making her 76 years old as of 2025.
Height And Weight
Susan Blakely is 5 feet 5 inches (166 cm) tall and weighs about 54 kg (118 lbs).
Education Background
Susan Blakely attended the University of Texas at El Paso before relocating to New York to pursue a modeling career. In New York, she studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse under renowned coaches Warren Robertson, Lee Strasberg, and Sanford Meisner. She also continued refining her acting abilities at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
Nationality And Ethnicity
Susan Blakely holds American nationality, having been born in Frankfurt, Germany, to American parents. Her father, Colonel Lawrence Blakely, served in the U.S. Army, while her mother, Mary Louise Blakely, was an art teacher.
Milestones, Significant Contributions, And Notable Works
Susan Blakely has had a distinguished career marked by numerous milestones, significant contributions, and notable works:
Milestones
- 1974: Made her film debut in the disaster movie The Towering Inferno.
- 1976: Starred in the ABC miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, earning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama.
- 1982: Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the TV movie Will There Really Be a Morning?.
Significant Contributions
- Modeling Career: Started her career as a fashion model with the renowned Ford Modeling Agency.
- Acting: Transitioned into acting, training under esteemed acting coaches such as Lee Strasberg and Sanford Meisner.
- Television: Took on leading roles in several made-for-television films, demonstrating her versatility and talent.
Notable Works
- The Towering Inferno (1974): Her first major role as Patty Simmons.
- Rich Man, Poor Man (1976): A breakthrough role as Julie Prescott.
- Capone (1975): Played the female lead alongside Ben Gazzara.
- The Concorde… Airport ’79 (1979): Starred in this disaster film.
- Will There Really Be a Morning? (1982): Portrayed Frances Farmer.
- The Bunker (1981): Played Eva Braun opposite Anthony Hopkins.
- Over the Top (1987): Featured in this sports drama.
Husband and Children
Susan Blakely is married to Steve Jaffe, a media consultant, crisis management expert, and film and television producer. They got married on July 16, 1982, and have had a lasting and happy marriage. The couple does not have any children.
Prior to marrying Steve Jaffe, Susan was married to lawyer Todd Merer in 1969, but they divorced in 1981.
Career
Susan Blakely had notable roles in several films. In The Towering Inferno (1974), she played Patty Simmons, which helped her gain attention in the disaster genre. She then starred in Capone (1975) as the female lead opposite Ben Gazzara in a biographical crime film about Al Capone. She also appeared in Report to the Commissioner (1975), a crime drama with Michael Moriarty and Yaphet Kotto. In The Concorde … Airport ’79 (1979), she portrayed Maggie Whelan in another disaster film. In Over the Top (1987), Susan appeared alongside Sylvester Stallone in a sports drama as Christina Hawk.
In television, Susan’s breakthrough came in 1976 when she starred as Julie Prescott in the ABC miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama, as well as an Emmy nomination. She reprised her role as Julie Prescott in Rich Man, Poor Man Book II (1976-1977). In Will There Really Be a Morning? (1983), she portrayed Frances Farmer, earning another Golden Globe nomination. Susan also starred as Eva Braun in The Bunker (1981) alongside Anthony Hopkins, which depicted Hitler’s final days.
Additionally, Susan had significant roles in TV movies such as The Ted Kennedy Jr. Story (1986), where she portrayed Joan Kennedy, and made appearances in popular series like This Is Us (2019) and NCIS (2018).
Before her acting career, Susan Blakely worked as a successful fashion model. She worked with the Ford Modeling Agency and appeared in various commercials and magazines.
Net Worth
Susan Blakely’s net worth is approximately $10 million. She accumulated her wealth through her successful career in acting and modeling, with numerous roles in both television and film.
Major Achievements
Susan Blakely has achieved significant success in her career with several major milestones:
Major Achievements: Golden Globe Award (1976): Susan won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama for her role as Julie Prescott in the ABC miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man.
Emmy Nominations: She earned Emmy nominations for her performances in Rich Man, Poor Man and its sequel Rich Man, Poor Man Book II.
The Towering Inferno (1974): Susan’s role as Patty Simmons in this disaster film marked her first major Hollywood role.
Capone (1975): She played the female lead opposite Ben Gazzara in this biographical crime film about Al Capone.
The Concorde … Airport ’79 (1979): She starred as Maggie Whelan in this disaster film.
Will There Really Be a Morning? (1982): Susan portrayed Frances Farmer in this television film, earning another Golden Globe nomination.
Follow Susan Blakely on social media: Twitter
Related Posts
Leave a Reply