Monday, April 16, 2018

Susan Anspach Dead at 75

Susan Anspach died on April 2 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 75.

Anspach's son, Caleb Goddard, announced her death to the New York Times and said the cause was coronary failure.

Anspach was best known for her roles in 1970s films including Bob Rafaelson's Five Easy Pieces, Paul Mazursky's Blume in Love, and Woody Allen's Play It Again, Sam.

Later in her career, Anspach landed recurring roles on television series. She starred in the NBC primetime soap oepra The Yellow Rose as Grace McKenzie. She also appeared in the 13-hour mini-series Space and the comedy The Slap Maxwell Story.

Raised in Queens, New York, Anspach graduated from William Cullen Bryant High School before becoming involved with musical theater. She starred in multiple Broadway and off-Broadway shows, such as “Hair” and “A View from the Bridge” with Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight. Her first feature role was in Hal Ashby’s “The Landlord.” She made primetime TV guest appearances on series such as The Doctors and the Nurses, The Patty Duke Show and Empty Nest. She starred opposite Dallas legend Larry Hagman in the 1982 TV movie Deadly Encounter.

Anspach last appeared in the family drama Wild About Harry and the 2010 thriller Inversion.

She publicly claimed Jack Nicholson as Goddard’s father, but The Shining actor has never confirmed the paternity, and later tangled with Anspach in court over repayment of substantial loans he made to her.

She was married to actor Mark Goddard, who adopted her children, from 1970 to 1978; her second husband was musician Sherwood Ball, whom she divorced in 1986.

She is survived by son Caleb Goddard; daughter, Catherine; and three grandchildren.

Check out the opening sequence from The Yellow Rose and a promo for the short-lived series below.



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