LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 -- Hollywood actress Susan Saint James, best known for starring in the hit television shows McMillan & Wife and Kate & Allie, has died aged 80 following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

The Emmy-winning star died on Monday, her representative confirmed to People magazine, with her family paying an emotional tribute to a woman whose life was marked by television success, extraordinary generosity and the devastating loss of her teenage son.

Saint James, who became a household name in the 1970s and 1980s, lost her youngest son, Teddy, in a private plane crash in Colorado in November 2004. He was just 14.

Despite the tragedy, her family said she remained determined to help others, even while struggling with her own gr...