Susan Buckner, the actress and dancer greatest recognized for her flip because the bubbly and often-teased Rydell Excessive cheerleader Patty Simcox within the 1978 blockbuster musical Grease, has died. She was 72.
She died Thursday in Miami, household spokesperson Melissa Berthier introduced. No explanation for loss of life was revealed.
Buckner portrayed Hollywood unhealthy woman Jean Harlow alongside Tommy Lee Jones within the 1977 CBS telefilm The Wonderful Howard Hughes and was one of many dancers/synchronized swimmers often known as the Kroffettes on The Brady Bunch Hour (the 1976-77 ABC selection present was created by Sid and Marty Krofft). She additionally starred reverse Sharon Stone in Wes Craven’s Lethal Blessing (1981).
In Grease, directed by Randal Kleiser at Paramount, Buckner’s Patty convinces Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy Olsson, a brand new scholar, to check out for the cheerleading squad. She usually is the butt of jokes from the Pink Women and T-Birds and known as the “unhealthy seed of Rydell Excessive” by Stockard Channing’s Betty Rizzo.
Susan Buckner (proper) with Olivia Newton-John in 1978’s ‘Grease.’
Paramount Photos
Born in Seattle on Jan. 28, 1952, Buckner received the Miss Washington pageant in 1971 and competed for the Miss America crown, then appeared as a Golddiggers dancer and sketch performer on NBC’s The Dean Martin Present in 1973. That led to turning into a part of an all-girl group known as Fantasy and half of a musical duo often known as Buckner & Pratt.
She performed one of many development employees alongside Tim Rossovich and others on the 1980 ABC collection When the Whistle Blows, which lasted simply 10 episodes.
She additionally appeared on episodes of Police Girl, Swap, Starsky and Hutch, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, B.J and the Bear and The Love Boat and had roles within the movies The First Nudie Musical (1976) and Police Academy 6: Metropolis Underneath Siege (1989).
Buckner left Hollywood to lift her household and went on to direct children theater and educate dance.
Survivors embody her youngsters, Adam and Samantha; grandchildren Oliver, Riley, Abigail and Ruby; sister Linda; daughter-in-law Noel and son-in-law Adam; and her longtime companion, Al.
Donations in her reminiscence could be made to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Backyard in Miami.