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Susan Buckner, the actor best known for playing cheerleader Patty Simcox in Grease (1978), has died. She was 72.
“Susan died peacefully on May 2 surrounded by loved ones,” Melissa Berthier, a publicist for the family, said in a statement. A cause of death has not been shared.
“The light she brought into every room will be missed forever,” Buckner’s daughter, Samantha Mansfield, told People. “She was magic, and I was very lucky to call her my best friend.”
Buckner was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1952. Prior to her acting career, she was a beauty pageant queen, crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and a top ten finalist in Miss America 1972.
Her foray into the entertainment world started with The Dean Martin Show as one of the Golddiggers, an all-female singing and dancing group.
She also appeared on variety shows such as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and as a synchronized swimmer on The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
Actress Susan Buckner (Getty Images)© Provided by The Independent
In 1977, she landed her signature role of Patty Simcox, one of Sandy’s (Olivia Newton-John) cheerleading friends in the cult musical classic.
She shouted the memorable cheer for the fictional Rydell High School: “Do the splits, give a yell! Show a little spirit for Old Rydell! Way to go, red and white! Go Rydell, fight, fight, fight!”
Her death follows that of Newton-John in 2022. The British-born Australian actor died from breast cancer at the age of 73.
“Susan died peacefully on May 2 surrounded by loved ones,” Melissa Berthier, a publicist for the family, said in a statement. A cause of death has not been shared.
“The light she brought into every room will be missed forever,” Buckner’s daughter, Samantha Mansfield, told People. “She was magic, and I was very lucky to call her my best friend.”
Buckner was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1952. Prior to her acting career, she was a beauty pageant queen, crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and a top ten finalist in Miss America 1972.
Her foray into the entertainment world started with The Dean Martin Show as one of the Golddiggers, an all-female singing and dancing group.
She also appeared on variety shows such as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and as a synchronized swimmer on The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
Actress Susan Buckner (Getty Images)© Provided by The Independent
In 1977, she landed her signature role of Patty Simcox, one of Sandy’s (Olivia Newton-John) cheerleading friends in the cult musical classic.
She shouted the memorable cheer for the fictional Rydell High School: “Do the splits, give a yell! Show a little spirit for Old Rydell! Way to go, red and white! Go Rydell, fight, fight, fight!”
Her death follows that of Newton-John in 2022. The British-born Australian actor died from breast cancer at the age of 73.
