This article is about the American actress. For the Canadian politician, see Suzanne Anton.
Susan Anton | |
|---|---|
 Anton in 2001 | |
| Born | October 12, 1950 Oak Glen, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | San Bernardino Valley College |
| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse(s) | Jack Stein ( m. 1975; div. 1980) |
| Website | http://www.susananton.com |
Susan Anton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Susan Ellen Anton October 12, 1950 Yucaipa, California, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Title | Miss California 1969 |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Hair color | Auburn |
| Eye color | Hazel |
| Major competition(s) | Miss America (2nd runner-up) |
Susan Ellen Anton (born October 12, 1950) is an American actress and singer.
Life and career[edit]
Youth[edit]
Anton attended Yucaipa High School in Yucaipa, California, and graduated in 1968. After high school, Anton attended San Bernardino Valley College. She first experienced fame by winning the nearby Miss Redlands and later the Miss California beauty contests in 1969[1][2] and tied as second runner-up in the 1969 Miss America Scholarship Pageant held September 6 that year.[3] She appeared on the game show Password (game show) when she was 19 but did not win the game.[citation needed]
Career[edit]
Starting in 1976, Anton developed a following for her Muriel Cigar commercials[4][5] where she sang, "Let Muriel turn you on / That is my desire / Muriel lights a flame in me / Where there's Muriel smoke, there's fire". Later in the 1970s, Anton appeared approximately 30 times on Merv Griffin's TV show.[6] She was frequently seen and heard in television, print and radio ads for the Perfect Sleeper mattress by Serta. In these ads, she announced her name and sang the company's jingle.
In 1978, ABC gave her and country singer Mel Tillis a summertime variety series, Mel and Susan Together, produced by the Osmond Brothers. The pairing of Anton and Tillis was an unlikely one: he was popular in country music circles but hardly a national household name while Susan was barely known at all. The show disappeared after four weeks;[7] nevertheless, she was later chosen as one of Time Magazine's "Most Promising Faces of 1979."
She later starred in her own variety show, Presenting Susan Anton, Stop Susan Williams (one of three serials in the Cliffhangers series), and in the films Goldengirl,[8] Spring Fever,[9] and Cannonball Run II. She also recorded music, her biggest hit being "Killin' Time" in 1980, a duet with country singer Fred Knoblock. The record made Top 10 on the country charts and hit #28 on Billboard's Hot 100. In 1990, Anton appeared on the TV comedy series Night Court in an episode called "The Talk Show" where she played talk show producer Margo Hunter.
Anton is on the cover of the mass trade paperback edition of Goldengirl, written by Peter Lovesey (using the pen name Peter Lear). She had appeared as the title character in the film version which starred James Coburn[10] and was directed by Joseph Sargent.
Anton was the host of the successful "Great Radio City Music Hall Spectacular" show at the Flamingo Hilton in Las Vegas for over 5,000 performances until July 31, 2000. She also appeared in the Las Vegas company of the musical Hairspray and on Broadway in The Will Rogers Follies, Hurlyburly, and All Shook Up.[11][12]
She had a recurring role on the TV series Baywatch from 1992 to 1994[13] and has appeared as herself on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2006), The Larry Sanders Show (1993) and It’s Garry Shandling's Show (1987), as well as in several films.
Anton appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit which aired on March 31, 2010.[14]
She was scheduled to reprise her role as Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray at the Hollywood Bowl production slated to run from August 5 to August 7, 2011.[15]
Personal life[edit]
Anton was involved in a much publicized relationship with English film and TV star Dudley Moore in the early 1980s, with much being made of their height difference: Moore being 5 feet 2.5 inches (1.588 m) and Anton 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m). Anton married television actor Jeff Lester on August 15, 1992, her second marriage. She lives in Las Vegas.
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Wizards | Princess Elinore / The Balladeer | singing voice (uncredited) |
| 1979 | Goldengirl | Goldine Serafin | |
| 1982 | Spring Fever | Stevie Castle | |
| 1984 | Cannonball Run II | Jill, Lamborghini Babe | |
| 1987 | Making Mr. Right | Soap Opera Actress | (uncredited) |
| 1989 | Options | Princess Nicole (in telefilm epilogue) | |
| 1991 | Lena's Holiday | Sara | |
| 1999 | New Jersey Turnpikes | ||
| 2004 | Whistlin' Dixie | Dixie Dawson | (short) |
| 2008 | Playing with Fire | Sandra Nevell |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | The Great American Beauty Contest | Betty Sue Allen – Last Year's Queen | TV Movie |
| 1976 | Serpico | Model | Episode: "Strike!" (1.5) |
| 1976 | Police Story | Party Girl #2 | Episode: "Monster Manor" (4.8) |
| 1977 | Hunter | Cissy | Episode: "The Costa Rican Connection" (1.5) |
| 1977 | Switch | Marcy | Episode: "Go for Broke" (3.7) |
| 1978 | Hollywood Squares | Guest Appearance | 3 episodes |
| 1978 | The Mike Douglas Show | Herself – Vocalist | (17.33) |
| 1979 | American Music Awards of 1979 | Herself – Presenter | |
| 1979 | The Mike Douglas Show | Herself – Vocalist | (17.90) |
| 1979 | Stop Susan Williams | Susan Williams | 10 episodes |
| 1979 | Presenting Susan Anton | Herself – Host | 4 episodes |
| 1979 | The Girls Who Saved the World | Susan Williams | TV Movie |
| 1980 | American Movie Awards | Herself – Performer | TV Special |
| 1982 | American Music Awards of 1982 | Herself | |
| 1982 | Golden Globe Award | Herself | |
| 1982 | Academy Awards | Herself | |
| 1983 | The Love Boat | Leslie Webb | Episode: "The Pledge/East Meets West/Dear Roberta/My Dumplings: Part 1" (7.1) |
| 1983 | The Love Boat | Leslie Webb | Episode: "The Pledge/East Meets West/Dear Roberta/My Dumplings: Part 2" (7.2) |
| 1984 | The Boy Who Loved Trolls | Kalotte | TV Movie |
| 1984 | Mike Hammer | Noelle Roberts | Episode: "The Deadly Prey" (2.8) |
| 1985 | Placido Domingo: Stepping Out with the Ladies | Herself | TV Special |
| 1985 | 39th Tony Awards | Herself – Presenter & Performer | TV Special |
| 1986 | 40th Tony Awards | Herself – Performer & Presenter: Best Book of a Musical | TV Special |
| 1986 | Super Password | Herself | 5 episodes |
| 1986 | Hardesty House | Charlotte Montgomery | TV Movie |
| 1986 | Murder, She Wrote | Christine Clifford | Episode: "Corned Beef and Carnage" (3.5) |
| 1987 | Making Mr. Right | Soap Opera Actress | (uncredited) |
| 1987 | Mr. Belvedere | Herself | Episode: "Separation" (3.20) |
| 1987 | Hotel | Linda Davis | Episode: "All the King's Horses" (4.22) |
| 1987 | Jonathan Winters: On the Ledge | TV Movie | |
| 1987 | It's Garry Shandling's Show | Herself | Episode: "No Baby, No Show" (2.2) |
| 1988 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Diane Lewis | Episode: "Animal Lovers" (3.2) |
| 1988 | My Secret Identity | Susan Anderson | Episode: "Memories" (1.5) |
| 1989 | The Pat Sajak Show | Herself | (1.66) |
| 1989 | The Home Show | Herself – Co-Host | |
| 1989 | Murder, She Wrote | Celia James | Episode: "Jack and Bill" (6.5) |
| 1989 | The Famous Teddy Z | Esther Luna | Episode: "Baking with Esther Luna" (1.7) |
| 1990 | Night Court | Margo Hunter | Episode: "The Talk Show" (7.17) |
| 1990 | Quantum Leap | Helen Le Baron | Episode: "One Strobe Over the Line – June 15, 1965" (3.4) |
| 1990 | Out of This World | Sandy Martin | Episode: "Best Friends" (4.6) |
| 1991 | Blossom | Suzy | Episode: "Expectations" (2.10) |
| 1992 | Dangerous Curves | Ellen Tarbuck | Episode: "Deadlier Than the Male" (1.8) |
| 1992 | The Ben Stiller Show | Susan Anton | Episode: "With Dennis Miller" (1.10) |
| 1993 | Civil Wars | Cassie Strait | Episode: "Dances with Sharks" (2.13) |
| 1993 | The Larry Sanders Show | Susan Anton | Episode: "The Breakdown: Part 2" (2.2) |
| 1992–1994 | Baywatch | Jackie Quinn | 13 episodes |
| 1997 | City Guys | Mrs. Anderson | Episode: "For the Love of Mother" (1.2) |
| 1997 | City Guys | Mrs. Anderson | Episode: "Red Ferrari" (1.7) |
| 2002 | Hollywood Squares | Guest Appearance | |
| 2002 | TVography: Suzanne Somers – Mastering Success | Herself | TV Movie Documentary |
| 2006 | CMT: Greatest Miss America Moments | Herself | TV Special |
| 2006 | Queer Eye for the Straight Guy | Herself | Episode: "Turn a Poker Dud Into a Five Card Stud: Ed M" (4.3) |
| 2009 | Sex in '69: The Sexual Revolution in America | Herself | TV Special |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Jenny Coswold | Episode: "Bedtime" (11.18) |
| 2016 | Sharknado: The 4th Awakens | Betty | Television film |
Discography[edit]
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | One Night | Varese Sarabande |
| Year | Single |
|---|---|
| 1980 | "Killin' Time" (with Fred Knoblock) |
References[edit]
- ^ "Community shares happiness as Susan Anton wins crown". Redlands Daily Facts. June 23, 1969. p. 3.
- ^ "Miss California History". Miss California. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ "Michigan Girl Chosen Miss America". The New York Times. 1969-09-07.
- ^ Reilly, Sue (April 14, 1980). "It's More Than a Vegas Act When Susan Anton Sings Lost-Love Blues Over Sly Stallone". People. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
Then in 1976 she got her shot, replacing Edie Adams as the Muriel cigar girl.
- ^ Kleinschmidt, Janice (November 30, 2009). "Forever Young: Susan Anton comes home for Christmas to perform with The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies". Arts & Entertainment. Palm Springs Life. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ^ "Susan Anton Hopes To Hit Record Charts". St. Petersburg Times. 1980-12-26. p. 20D.
- ^ Associated Press (1980-12-26). "Susan Anton Hopes To Hit Record Charts". St. Petersburg Times. p. 20D.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (June 15, 1979). "Goldengirl (1979) Screen: A Witty 'Goldengirl':Nurtured to Win". The New York Times.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (January 15, 1983). "The Last American Virgin (1982) FROLICS IN FLORIDA AND OTHER ANTICS". The New York Times.
- ^ Associated Press (1981-01-06). "Anton Now Tries Recording Career". The Sumpter Daily Item. p. 8.
- ^ Associated Press (1993-11-19). "Get Your Kicks". Sarasota Herald Tribune.
- ^ New York Times News Service (1985-03-04). "Anton strives for solid image". Winnipeg Free Press. p. 26.
- ^ "Susan Anton". Internet Movie Database.
- ^ "Exclusive: Ann-Margret to Guest on SVU". TVGuide.com.
- ^ Susan Anton Joins Hairspray at the Hollywood Bowl Archived 2012-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
External links[edit]
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sharon Terrill | Miss California 1969 | Succeeded by Karin Kascher |
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