Susan Harrison

For other people named Susan Harrison, see Susan Harrison (disambiguation).
Susan Harrison
Born(1938-08-26)August 26, 1938
Leesburg, Florida, U.S.
DiedMarch 5, 2019(2019-03-05) (aged 80)[1][2]
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma materBoston University
OccupationActress
Years active1956–1963
SpousesJoel Colin (died 1976)
Cassius Conger (died 1999)
Children3, including Darva Conger

Susan Stewart Harrison (August 26, 1938 – March 5, 2019)[3] was an American actress. She is most famous for her appearance in the 1957 film noir classic Sweet Smell of Success as the sister for whom Burt Lancaster has an unhealthy affection, and in The Twilight Zone episode "Five Characters in Search of an Exit".

Early life

Harrison was a graduate of the High School of Performing Arts in New York City.[4] She attended Boston University, studying under Peter Kass,[4] who directed her in the role of Abigail in Arthur Miller's The Crucible.[citation needed]

Career

Her professional debut was in the live television drama Can You Coffeepot on Skates?, presented in 1956. This was followed by television appearances on Matinee Theatre and Alfred Hitchcock Presents and her cinematic debut in Sweet Smell of Success. On October 19, 1957, she opened on Broadway at the Bijou Theater, playing "the Girl" in William Saroyan's new play The Cave Dwellers to uniformly good reviews.[5][6][7] The following year she was in the Playhouse 90 production of In Lonely Expectation, which brought her to the attention of Rod Serling and led to her role as the ballerina in the iconic Twilight Zone episode. She had several later television and stage roles, most notably in an episode of the television show Bonanza, "Dark Star" in the first season, episode 31 (1960). In 1960 she played Ruby, the female lead, in the little-seen film Key Witness with Jeffrey Hunter and Dennis Hopper.

Personal life

She was the mother of Darva Conger, who starred in the reality television show Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? Harrison had two other children, D. H. Colin and Daniel Colin.[4]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1957 Sweet Smell of Success Susan Hunsecker
1960 Key Witness Ruby

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1956 Star Tonight Dorsey Mitchell Season 2 Episode 36: Can you Coffeepot on Skates?
1956 Matinee Theater Episode 156: Fight the Whole World
1959 Playhouse 90 P.J. Season 3 Episode 26: In Lonely Expectation by Mayo Simon
1960 Bonanza Tirza Season 1 Episode 31: Dark Star
1961 The Light That Failed Maisie TV film based on the novel by Rudyard Kipling
1961 The Twilight Zone The Ballerina Season 3 Episode 14: Five Characters in Search of an Exit
1961 Follow the Sun Linda Tait Season 1 Episode 9: The Hunters
1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Susan Harper Season 6 Episode 31: "The Gloating Place"
1963 Breaking Point Martha Season 1 Episode 12: Millions of Faces

References

  1. ^ Conger, Darva. "Death announcement". Instagram.
  2. ^ "Susan HARRISON Obituary – Panorama City, CA". Dignity Memorial.
  3. ^ Bartlett, Rhett (April 15, 2019). "Susan Harrison, 'Sweet Smell of Success' Actress, Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Lentz, Harris (November 6, 2020). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2019. McFarland. p. 181. ISBN 9781476679785 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Atkinson, Brooks "A Sunny Tale" The New York Times, Monday, October 21, 1957
  6. ^ Aston, Frank "Saroyan Eyes Little Lives" New York World-Telegraph and Sun, Monday, October 21, 1957
  7. ^ Watts, Richard, Jr "William Saroyan Returns To Us" New York Post, Monday, October 21, 1957


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