It is difficult to imagine the perfect blend between a smoldering beauty and dry humor. Such a woman could only be played by someone special – and that was Suzanne Pleshette. Born on January 31, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York City, this versatile and talented actress managed to work across numerous genres and films that made a huge sensation in the field of both suspense films and romantic comedies. Pleshette was remembered best of all for a smoky voice and a sharp tongue.
Early years in New York
As it has already been mentioned, growing up in New York was beneficial for Pleshette's career because of a direct proximity to such performing arts as theater, cinema, and TV. The young girl developed her instincts for control and timing, which helped her to establish herself in the world of the film industry much earlier than usual. She had such a presence in any role that she performed that directors always went back to her when they needed a smart and strong actress. She could deliver such witty lines, while at the same time being capable of delivering silence effectively.
Film career breakthrough
Pleshette was perfectly suitable for films because of her ability to show herself both in the role of romantic heroine and in the role of strong, yet elegant woman. Moreover, she had a great talent for comedy. This was the reason she managed to develop herself so quickly into the field of cinema and TV, moving from romantic comedies to suspense films and then to sitcoms.
One of the best examples that illustrate the talent of Suzanne is the role of Ann Haggis in the film Rome Adventure released in 1962. The character perfectly matched Suzanne's style. She could show herself as such a romantic girl, whose main advantage lay in an elegant manner and smart dialogue. From there, the actress managed to enter an even bigger Hollywood film – The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock released in 1963.
In this film, Suzanne had the chance to play the important role of schoolteacher Annie Hayworth in the town of Bodega Bay. She managed to create the emotional center of the whole film by showing great warmth and empathy towards other people.
What made Suzanne such a strong actress was her capability to be an anchor for stylization of the whole film. All the films by Alfred Hitchcock depend heavily on their performers – each character must give a precise performance to create the right atmosphere. Pleshette showed that she could become such a performer and that is why it became the film that made her famous and one of her strongest roles ever.
TV success
Pleshette managed to gain the reputation of TV star with the sitcom The Bob Newhart Show in 1972. In this show, she starred in one of the greatest TV marriages – as Emily Hartley. It should be stated that such a role might look like a typical sitcom role, but Pleshette managed to turn the situation around and make the whole character richer and deeper. Pleshette showed the audience such traits as warmth, wit, and the ability to show empathy. These characteristics became a key to her success in creating such a strong image of Emily Hartley.
It should be pointed out that what helped Suzanne to create Emily was that she did not play this role broad, making exaggerated gestures or reactions, trying to get a laugh at the first sight. On the contrary, she managed to make a very small action, a lifting of the eyebrows or saying of a few wise words, enough. She matched the style of Bob Newhart, who created the show, and because of this, they formed a natural pair in the show. For viewers, the marriage created was a true marriage because it was realistic and that helped the character to become popular.
It is important to note that Pleshette also appeared in TV guest roles and in TV movies and showed that she was flexible and varied. Some actresses have one style and it is difficult to break this mold – Pleshette showed that it is possible to change your style without losing the main features of the character. In a few minutes, she could be both sophisticated and loving, irritated and worried.
Lasting appeal
Pleshette became famous because of a wonderful combination of grace, style and wit – she was always charming, but she managed to add something serious to her image, giving her characters more weight. This is the main reason why she managed to excel in both genres of film – in romantic comedies and in suspense movies.
In case of suspense films, she added warmth to an outstanding thriller of Alfred Hitchcock. Pleshette could anchor this film by her own emotions and feelings, adding some spice and reality to this genre. In comedies, it was the sitcom The Bob Newhart Show, where she managed to present a really intelligent woman in such a genre, giving the audience the opportunity to laugh about the marriage. With this achievement, Pleshette became one of the most famous and outstanding actresses of her time.
Finally, Suzanne Pleshette also became the model of the perfect character actor, who had great material to work with and was allowed to interpret it freely. She gained her fame not because of the flashiness of her acting, but because of taste, precision and timing. For new fans who start watching Suzanne Pleshette, everything is simple because she was modern even in older films.