Susan Diane Ruttan (née Dunsrud; born September 16, 1948) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Roxanne Melman on L.A. Law (1986–1993), for which she was nominated four times for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Life and career[edit]
Ruttan was born in Oregon City, Oregon, the daughter of Helen Manis, a nurse, and Daryl Dunsrud, a logger.[1] She graduated from University of Oregon and University of California, Santa Cruz.[2]
Ruttan played Roxanne Melman on L.A. Law from 1986 to 1993, when the show was cancelled.[2] She reprised the role in 2002 for a TV reunion, L.A. Law: The Movie. She earned four nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in show.[3]
Ruttan first attracted significant attention playing the scheming wife of George Jefferson's dry-cleaning archrival, Gil Cunningham, on The Jeffersons. Other television appearances included episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, AfterMash, Bosom Buddies, Third Rock from the Sun, Remington Steele, Yes, Dear, Newhart and Gilmore Girls. Buffy creator Joss Whedon cast numerous show alumni in 2008's Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, including Ruttan who appeared briefly in a non-speaking role.
Ruttan had a small comedic role in the teen comedy feature film Bad Manners (aka: Growing Pains) (1984),[2] and the 1990 romantic comedy Funny About Love starring Gene Wilder. She played convicted killer Genene Jones in the television movie Deadly Medicine (1991). She has also appeared in an episode of Hannah Montana ("Promma Mia"). Her most dramatic role to date was in the 2004 remake of Helter Skelter, in which she played the mother of Linda Kasabian. In 2009, she appeared in the movie, Prayers for Bobby.
Personal life[edit]
Ruttan has been married twice. Her first marriage, to Mel Ruttan in 1967, ended with his death in a motorcycle accident three years later. She kept his surname as her professional name. Her second marriage, to Joe Warbis, lasted from 1990 to 1993. She is the mother of Jackson Ruttan (born May 19, 1993), whom she adopted.[citation needed]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Bad Dreams | Miriam | |
| 1990 | Funny About Love | Claire | |
| 1998 | Krippendorf's Tribe | Mrs. O'Brian | |
| 1998 | Love Kills | Lela | |
| 2004 | The Sure Hand of God | Lucy Trotter | |
| 2008 | Half-Life | Lorraine Parker | |
| 2009 | Donna on Demand | Rose | |
| 2009 | Dead Air | Maggie | |
| 2014 | The Quota | Lucy | Short |
| 2015 | Come Simi | Jeannie |
Television[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Bosom Buddies | Esther Crane | "What Price Glory?" |
| 1981 | Quincy, M.E. | Helen | "Sugar and Spice" |
| 1983 | Amanda's | Sister Mary Elizabeth | "Oh, Promise Me" |
| 1983 | Packin' It In | Mrs. Estep | TV film |
| 1983 | After George | Marge | TV short |
| 1983 | AfterMASH | Doris Gardena | "September of '53/Together Again" |
| 1984 | Second Sight: A Love Story | Robin | TV film |
| 1984 | Buffalo Bill | Katherine Zawicki Shub | "A Hero", "Have Yourself a Very Degrading Christmas" |
| 1984 | Benson | Rita | "The Scandal" |
| 1984 | Remington Steele | Miss Livermore | "Lofty Steele" |
| 1984 | Scorned and Swindled | Margie | TV film |
| 1984 | Newhart | Sarah | "Georgie's Girl" |
| 1985 | Kicks | Rosemary | TV film |
| 1985 | The Jeffersons | Mrs. Cunningham | "That Blasted Cunningham" |
| 1985 | Do You Remember Love | Julie Myers | TV film |
| 1985 | What's Happening Now!! | Jane | "A Horse Is Not a Home" |
| 1985 | Murder: By Reason of Insanity | Judge M. Tyson | TV film |
| 1985 | Night Court | Mrs. Blake | "Wheels of Justice: Part 1" |
| 1986 | Under the Influence | Ms. Morgan | TV film |
| 1986 | The New Leave It to Beaver | Mrs. Livermore | "Heavy Metal", "A Day in Mayfield" |
| 1986-93 | L.A. Law | Roxanne Melman | Main role |
| 1987 | Bay Coven | Debbi McGwin | TV film |
| 1988 | Take My Daughters, Please | Courtney | TV film |
| 1989 | Fire and Rain | Sandra Thompson | TV film |
| 1990 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Ms. Morales | "Malcolm Takes a Shot" |
| 1990 | A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder | Judy Hecker | TV film |
| 1990 | Sweet 15 | Mrs. Zavala | TV film |
| 1991 | A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story | Carol Blankenship | TV film |
| 1991 | Deadly Medicine | Genene Jones | TV film |
| 1992-96 | Jack Reed | Arlene Reed | TV films |
| 1993 | Without Warning: Terror in the Towers | Anne Marie Tesoriero | TV film |
| 1993 | The Mommies | Anne | "Much I Do About Nothing" |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel | Joanne Peters | "Cassie's Choice" |
| 1995 | Sweet Justice | Marilyn Craig | "Pledges" |
| 1995 | Courthouse | Stefanie Dale | "Mitigating Circumstances" |
| 1995 | Family Values | Melody Huck | TV film |
| 1996-97 | Chicago Hope | Linda Fortin | "Higher Powers", "Verdicts" |
| 1997 | Touched by Evil | Madge Jaynes | TV film |
| 1997-98 | Suddenly Susan | Nectarine Stites | "It's My Nana and I'll Cry If I Want To", "Oh, How They Danced: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1998 | Life of the Party: The Pamela Harriman Story | Janet | TV film |
| 1998 | The Love Boat: The Next Wave | Doris Werner | "All Aboard" |
| 1999 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Cathy | "Citizen Solomon" |
| 2000 | The Ultimate Christmas Present | Mrs. Claus | TV film |
| 2000 | Popular | Joy Ferrara | "Citizen Shame", "Ur-ine Trouble", "Are You There God? It's Me Ann-Margret" |
| 2001 | Judging Amy | Lyla Myles | "Romeo and Juliet Must Die - Well, Maybe Just Juliet" |
| 2001 | Gideon's Crossing | Dr. Grace Tarpon | "The Lottery" |
| 2001 | Any Day Now | Marietta Pryor | "Blinded by the White" |
| 2001 | Yes, Dear | Aunt Betty | "Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner" |
| 2002 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Doris Kroeger | "Gone" |
| 2002 | Maybe It's Me | Mrs. Finn | "The Crazy-Girl Episode" |
| 2002 | L.A. Law: The Movie | Roxanne Melman | TV film |
| 2002 | The Agency | Mrs. Barnes | "Home Grown" |
| 2004 | The Division | Mrs. Evans | "Book of Memories" |
| 2004 | Helter Skelter | Mrs. Kasabian | TV film |
| 2004 | CSI: NY | Mrs. Moreland | "American Dreamers" |
| 2005 | Strong Medicine | Dr. Offenbach | "Differentials" |
| 2005 | Monk | Mrs. Ledsky | "Mr. Monk and Little Monk" |
| 2005 | Boston Legal | Jeanie Biddle | "Truly, Madly, Deeply" |
| 2006 | The Legend of Butch & Sundance | Mrs. Place | TV film |
| 2009 | Prayers for Bobby | Betty Lambert | TV film |
| 2009 | Private Practice | Nora | "Nothing to Fear" |
| 2009 | Ghost Whisperer | Mrs. Blakelock | "Thrilled to Death" |
| 2009 | Castle | Mrs. Pike | "Ghosts" |
| 2009 | Hannah Montana | Grandma | "Promma Mia" |
| 2009 | Hawthorne | Dolores Kramer | "Yielding" |
| 2009-10 | The Forgotten | Horsemama | "Railroad Jane", "Patient John" |
| 2011 | Grey's Anatomy | Mrs. Swork | "Disarm" |
| 2013 | Good Luck Charlie | Mrs. Dobbs | "Futuredrama", "Weekend in Vegas" |
| 2015 | Battle Creek | Carole | "Heirlooms" |
| 2015 | I Didn't Do It | Ada | "The Bite Club" |
| 2015 | Grimm | Betty Frame | "Clear and Wesen Danger" |
| 2018 | American Vandal | Patricia McClain | Netflix Series |
| 2018 | Mom | Lucy | Reoccurring role |
| 2019 | Weird City | Linda Maxsome | "The One" |
References[edit]
- ^ Profile, filmreference.com; accessed April 26, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Susan Ruttan- Biography". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2013-04-14.
- ^ "Susan Ruttan at Emmys.com". Retrieved 2013-04-14.
External links[edit]
- Susan Ruttan on IMDb
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