Susan Buckner

{{Short description|American actress, dancer and beauty pageant winner (1952–2024)}} {{No footnotes|date=June 2022}} {{infobox person | image = Susan Buckner, When the Whistle Blows front.jpg | caption = Buckner in the 1980 television series ''[[When the Whistle Blows]]'' | birth_date = {{birth date|1952|01|28}} | birth_place = [[Seattle|Seattle, Washington]], U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|05|02|1952|01|28}} | death_place = [[Miami|Miami, Florida]], U.S. | known_for = {{hlist|''[[Grease (film)|Grease]]''|''[[Deadly Blessing]]''|''[[The Brady Bunch Variety Hour]]''|''[[When the Whistle Blows]]''}} | occupation = {{hlist|Actress|dancer|beauty pageant winner}} | spouse = {{marriage|Michael R. Josephs|1979|1997|end=divorced}} | children = 2 | title = [[Miss Washington]] 1971 | years_active = 1973–1981 }}

'''Susan Buckner''' (January 28, 1952 – May 2, 2024) was an American actress, dancer and beauty pageant winner.<ref name="deadline"/><ref name="variety"/><ref name="THR"/>

== Life and career == Susan Buckner was born in [[Seattle]], on January 28, 1952.<ref name="deadline">{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Greg |title=Susan Buckner Dies: 'Grease' Actor Who Played Olivia Newton-John's Cheerleading Pal Was 72|url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/susan-buckner-dead-grease-1235907401/ |access-date=7 May 2024 |publisher=Deadline |date=7 May 2024}}</ref><ref name="variety">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/obituaries-people-news/susan-buckner-dead-grease-1235994594/|title=Susan Buckner, Who Played Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' Dies at 72|first=Jack|last=Dunn|publisher=Variety|date=7 May 2024|access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref><ref name="THR">{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Mike |title=Susan Buckner, Cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' Dies at 72|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/susan-buckner-dead-grease-patty-simcox-1235893023/ |access-date=7 May 2024 |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |date=7 May 2024}}</ref> Prior to her acting career she was crowned [[Miss Washington]] in 1971<ref name=bucknerlife>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-05-07/susan-buckner-dead-grease-actor-patty-simcox|title=Susan Buckner, 'Grease' actor who played cheerleader Patty Simcox, dies at 72|first=Alexander|last=Del Rosario|publisher=Los Angeles|date=May 8, 2024|accessdate=May 9, 2024}}</ref> and in September went on to become a top ten finalist in the [[Miss America 1972]] pageant (she tied for first in the swimsuit preliminary), which was eventually won by [[Miss Ohio]] Laurel Lea Schaefer. Nevertheless, her role in the Miss America pageant would be parlayed into a career in the entertainment industry.<ref name=bucknercareer /> Her acting career is sprinkled with supporting roles in television, stage, and film.

Buckner portrayed high school cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 summer blockbuster ''[[Grease (film)|Grease]]'', starring [[Olivia Newton-John]] and [[John Travolta]]. She was one of [[The Golddiggers]], an all-female singing and dancing group featured on ''[[The Dean Martin Show]]''.<ref name=bucknercareer /> She made appearances on ''[[The Mac Davis Show]]'' and ''[[Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour|Sonny & Cher]]''.<ref name=bucknercareer /> She also appeared as one of [[The Krofftettes]] who performed synchronised swimming routines on ''[[The Brady Bunch Variety Hour]]''.

Buckner's career in show business would end after she decided to instead focus more on raising her two children.<ref name=bucknercareer>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/grease-actress-susan-buckner-dead-72-8644640|title=Grease Actress Susan Buckner, Who Played Sandy's Cheerleading Friend Patty Simcox, Dead at 72|first=Eric|last=Anderson|publisher=People|date=May 7, 2024|accessdate=May 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://kdvr.com/news/grease-actress-dies-at-72-she-was-magic/|title='Grease' actress dies at 72: 'She was magic'|first1=Darcie|last1=Loreno|first2=Addy|last2=Bink|publisher=KDVR|date=May 8, 2024|accessdate=May 9, 2024}}</ref>

== Personal life and death == From 1979 to 1997, Buckner was married to Michael R. Josephs, with whom she had two children.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/susan-buckner-death-aged-72-grease/3a57dc9a-86cb-496e-89c1-4e8a3c6c0c10|title=Grease star Susan Buckner dead aged 72: 'She was magic'|first=Ella|last=Rayment-Ward|publisher=Nine.com.au|date=May 7, 2024|accessdate=May 9, 2024}}</ref>

Buckner died in [[Miami|Miami, Florida]], on May 2, 2024, at the age of 72.<ref name="deadline"/><ref name="variety"/><ref name="THR"/>

== Filmography ==

===Film===

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1976 | ''[[The First Nudie Musical]]'' | Dancer | |- | 1978 | ''[[Grease (film)|Grease]]'' | Patricia "Patty" Simcox | |- | 1981 | ''[[Deadly Blessing]]'' | Vicky Anderson | |- |}

===Television===

{| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1973 | ''[[The Dean Martin Show]]'' | Golddigger | 1 episode: "Celebrity Roast: Bette Davis" |- | 1976 | ''[[Police Woman (TV series)|Police Woman]]'' | Judy | 1 episode: "Angela" |- | 1976–77 | ''[[The Brady Bunch Hour]]'' | Krofftette | 9 episodes |- | 1977 | ''[[Switch (American TV series)|Switch]]'' | Jessica | 1 episode: "Eden's Gate" |- | 1977 | ''[[The Amazing Howard Hughes]]'' | Jean Harlow | TV movie |- | 1977–78 | ''[[The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries]]'' | [[George Fayne]] | 3 episodes: "Nancy Drew's Love Match", "Will the Real Santa Claus...?", "Mystery on the Avalanche Express" |- | 1978 | ''[[Starsky & Hutch]]'' | Sharon Carstairs | 1 episode: "The Heavyweight" |- | 1978 | ''[[Hallmark Hall of Fame|Return Engagement]]'' | Janice | TV movie |- | 1979 | ''[[B.J. and the Bear]]'' | Renee | 1 episode: "Odyssey of the Shady Truth" |- | 1979 | ''[[The Love Boat]]'' | Kim Patterson | 1 episode: "The Spider Serenade/Next Door Wife/The Harder They Fall" |- | 1980 | ''[[When the Whistle Blows]]'' | Lucy Davis | 9 episodes |- |}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == *{{IMDb name|118761}} * {{IMDb title|0075485|The Brady Bunch Hour}} *[http://misswashington.org/ Miss Washington Official Website] *[http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/1-vs-100/photos/283805/3 TV Guide 1 vs 100 Celebrity Photos - Episode 13 - Jan 14, 2007]  {{Washington pageant winners}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckner, Susan}} [[Category:1952 births]] [[Category:2024 deaths]] [[Category:Actresses from Seattle]] [[Category:American film actresses]] [[Category:American television actresses]] [[Category:Miss America 1970s delegates]] [[Category:Miss America Preliminary Swimsuit winners]] [[Category:20th-century American actresses]] [[Category:21st-century American women]]