Susan Buckner (1952–2024), cheerleader Patty Simcox from Grease
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2 min readSusan Buckner was a model, actress, and former Miss America contestant who later played the glasses-wearing cheerleader Patty Simcox in "Grease."
- Died: May 2, 2024 (Who else died on May 2?)
- Details of death: Died in Miami at the age of 72.
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Susan Buckner’s legacy
Before Seattle-born Susan Buckner got into acting, she was a model who was crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and finished in the top 10 in the 1972 Miss America pageant. She got her start in acting in the mid-1970s, appearing in “The Brady Bunch Hour” and “Starsky and Hutch” and playing Jean Harlow (1911– 1937) in the TV movie “The Amazing Howard Hughes.”
Buckner’s best-known role came in 1978 when she played the vivacious cheerleader Patty Simcox in “Grease,” a part in which she was the most, to say the least. She was recognizable for her bold horn-rimmed glasses and wide smile. Buckner appeared in a few other productions before leaving acting, including “The Love Boat,” “B.J. and the Bear,” and the Wes Craven (1939–2015) slasher film, “Deadly Blessing.”
After acting, she raised a family and then taught dance and kids’ theater. She also had a brief music career prior to acting, performing as part of a group called Fantasy and as one half of the duo Buckner & Pratt.
Tributes to Susan Buckner
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
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