Susan Buckner, best known to moviegoers as Grease‘s bubbly cheerleader Patty Simcox, died peacefully surrounded by loved ones in Miami on May 2.
Her death was announced by family.
Buckner’s Grease character was the Rydell High cheerleading pal of Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy. The 1978 film also starred John Travolta and Stockard Channing.
Born on January 28, 1952, in Seattle, Washington, Buckner was crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and represented the state in the Miss America pageant the following year. Soon after, she became one of The Dean Martin Show’s Golddiggers dancers, and that led her to become part of the all-girl group Fantasy and the musical duo Buckner and Pratt.
She also appeared on such variety shows as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and, as a dancer and synchronized swimmer, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
In 1977, she landed her signature role of perky Patty Simcox, Grease‘s embodiment of pep and school spirit. “Do the splits, give a yell!” she cheered alongside Newton-John. “Show a little spirit for old Rydell! Way to go, red and white! Go Rydell, fight, fight, fight!”
Grease was the top-grossing movie of 1978 with $132.4 million in box office. Its soundtrack spawned four Top 5 singles, earned an Album of the Year Grammy nom and has sold more than 8 million units in the U.S. alone.
Buckner later was featured in several TV shows, including The Love Boat, B.J and the Bear, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, and co-starred in the ABC series When the Whistle Blows. She starred in the 1981 Wes Craven horror film Deadly Blessing alongside Sharon Stone and in 1989’s Police Academy 6: City Under Siege. She later stepped away from show business to raise a family.
Buckner is survived by her son Adam Josephs, daughter Samantha Mansfield, grandchildren Oliver, Riley, Abigail and Ruby as well as her sister Linda, daughter-in-law Noel Josephs, son-in-law Adam Mansfield and longtime partner Al.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Miami’s Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Susan’s honor.
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