Susan Diane Ruttan (née Dunrud; 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, twice for a Golden Globe Award, and four times for a Viewers for Quality Television Award, winning once in 1989.
Susan Ruttan | |
|---|---|
 Ruttan in Common Census short film, 2020 | |
| Born | Susan Diane Dunrud September 16, 1948 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1981–present |
Early years
editA native of Oregon City, Oregon,[1] Ruttan is an Oregon logger's daughter,[2] born Susan Diane Dunrud on September 16, 1948,[3][4][5] Her mother worked for a hospital, and she has a brother,[3] Her education included five years at a boarding school.[2] She graduated from University of Oregon and University of California, Santa Cruz.[6]
Career
editBefore Ruttan found success in acting she worked in casting at Universal Studios.[2]
Ruttan played Roxanne Melman on L.A. Law from 1986 to 1993.[6] 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.[7]
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, 3rd 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),[6] 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
editFilmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Bad Dreams | Miriam | |
| 1990 | Funny About Love | Claire | |
| 1998 | Krippendorf's Tribe | Mrs. O'Brian | |
| Love Kills | Lela | ||
| 2004 | The Sure Hand of God | Lucy Trotter | |
| 2008 | Half-Life | Lorraine Parker | |
| 2009 | Donna on Demand | Rose | |
| Dead Air | Maggie | ||
| 2014 | The Quota | Lucy | Short |
| 2015 | Come Simi | Jeannie | |
| 2025 | The Addiction of Hope | Dr. Winter | |
| 2026 | House Cat | Mrs. Myerson | Short |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Bosom Buddies | Esther Crane | "What Price Glory?" |
| Quincy, M.E. | Helen | "Sugar and Spice" | |
| 1983 | Amanda's | Sister Mary Elizabeth | "Oh, Promise Me" |
| Packin' It In | Mrs. Estep | TV film | |
| After George | Marge | TV short | |
| AfterMASH | Doris Gardena | "September of '53/Together Again" | |
| 1984 | Second Sight: A Love Story | Robin | TV film |
| Buffalo Bill | Katherine Zawicki Shub | "A Hero", "Have Yourself a Very Degrading Christmas" | |
| Benson | Rita | "The Scandal" | |
| Remington Steele | Miss Livermore | "Lofty Steele" | |
| Scorned and Swindled | Margie | TV film | |
| Newhart | Sarah | "Georgie's Girl" | |
| 1985 | Kicks | Rosemary | TV film |
| The Jeffersons | Mrs. Cunningham | "That Blasted Cunningham" | |
| Do You Remember Love | Julie Myers | TV film | |
| What's Happening Now!! | Jane | "A Horse Is Not a Home" | |
| Murder: By Reason of Insanity | Judge M. Tyson | TV film | |
| Night Court | Mrs. Blake | "Wheels of Justice: Part 1" | |
| 1986 | Under the Influence | Ms. Morgan | TV film |
| The New Leave It to Beaver | Mrs. Livermore | "Heavy Metal", "A Day in Mayfield" | |
| The $25,000 Pyramid | Herself | 5 episodes airing December 22, 1986 to December 26, 1986 | |
| The $100,000 Pyramid | Herself | 5 episodes airing November 17, 1986 to November 21, 1986 | |
| 1986–1993 | L.A. Law | Roxanne Melman | Main role |
| 1987 | Bay Cove | Debbi McGwin | TV film |
| The New Hollywood Squares | Herself | 5 episodes airing June 8, 1987 to June 12, 1987 | |
| The $25,000 Pyramid | Herself | 10 episodes airing April 6, 1987 to April 10, 1987 and October 26, 1987 to October 30, 1987 | |
| The $100,000 Pyramid | Herself | 5 episodes airing June 1, 1987 to June 5, 1987 | |
| Super Password | Herself | 5 episodes airing May 27-29 and June 1-2, 1987 | |
| 1988 | Take My Daughters, Please | Courtney | TV film |
| The New Hollywood Squares | Herself | 20 episodes airing February 22 to February 26, 1988; June 13 to June 17, 1988; October 10 to October 14, 1988; and November 7 to November 11, 1988 | |
| The $25,000 Pyramid | Herself | 5 episodes airing May 16, 1988 to May 20, 1988 | |
| The $100,000 Pyramid | Herself | 5 episodes airing February 8, 1988 to February 12, 1988 | |
| Super Password | Herself | 5 episodes airing April 25 to April 29, 1988 | |
| 1989 | Fire and Rain | Sandra Thompson | TV film |
| The New Hollywood Squares | Herself | 5 episodes airing May 8 to May 12, 1989 | |
| 1990 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Ms. Morales | "Malcolm Takes a Shot" |
| A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder | Judy Hecker | TV film | |
| Sweet 15 | Mrs. Zavala | TV film | |
| 1991 | A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story | Carol Blankenship | TV film |
| Deadly Medicine | Genene Jones | TV film | |
| The $100,000 Pyramid | Herself | Episodes airing January 28, 1991 to February 1, 1991 and November 18, 1991 to November 22, 1991 | |
| 1992–1996 | Jack Reed | Arlene Reed | TV films |
| 1993 | Without Warning: Terror in the Towers | Anne Marie Tesoriero | TV film |
| The Mommies | Anne | "Much I Do About Nothing" | |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel | Joanne Peters | "Cassie's Choice" |
| 1995 | Sweet Justice | Marilyn Craig | "Pledges" |
| Courthouse | Stefanie Dale | "Mitigating Circumstances" | |
| Family Values | Melody Huck | TV film | |
| 1996–1997 | Chicago Hope | Linda Fortin | "Higher Powers", "Verdicts" |
| 1997 | Touched By Evil | Madge Jaynes | TV film |
| 1997–1998 | Suddenly Susan | Nectarine Stites | "It's My Nana and I'll Cry If I Want To", "Oh, How They Danced: Parts 1 "1 & 2" |
| 1998 | Life of the Party: The Pamela Harriman Story | Janet | TV film |
| The Love Boat: The Next Wave | Doris Werner | "All Aboard" | |
| 1999 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Cathy | "Citizen Solomon" |
| 2000 | Gideon's Crossing | Dr. Grace Tarpon | "The Lottery" |
| The Ultimate Christmas Present | Mrs. Claus | TV film | |
| 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" |
| Gilmore Girls | Bed & Breakfast Wife | "The Road Trip to Harvard" | |
| Any Day Now | Marietta Pryor | "Blinded by the White" | |
| Yes, Dear | Aunt Betty | "Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner" | |
| 2002 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Doris Kroeger | "Gone" |
| Maybe It's Me | Mrs. Finn | "The Crazy-Girl Episode" | |
| L.A. Law: The Movie | Roxanne Melman | TV film | |
| The Agency | Mrs. Barnes | "Home Grown" | |
| 2004 | The Division | Mrs. Evans | "Book of Memories" |
| Helter Skelter | Mrs. Kasabian | TV film | |
| CSI: NY | Mrs. Moreland | "American Dreamers" | |
| 2005 | Strong Medicine | Dr. Offenbach | "Differentials" |
| Monk | Mrs. Ledsky | "Mr. Monk and Little Monk" | |
| 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 |
| Private Practice | Nora | "Nothing to Fear" | |
| Ghost Whisperer | Mrs. Blakelock | "Thrilled to Death" | |
| Castle | Mrs. Pike | "Ghosts" | |
| Hannah Montana | Grandma | "Promma Mia" | |
| Hawthorne | Dolores Kramer | "Yielding" | |
| 2009–2010 | 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" |
| I Didn't Do It | Ada | "The Bite Club" | |
| Grimm | Betty Frame | "Clear and Wesen Danger" | |
| 2018 | American Vandal | Patricia McClain | Netflix Series |
| Mom | Lucy | 3 episodes | |
| 9-1-1 | "Dosed" | ||
| 2019 | Weird City | Linda Maxsome | "The One" |
| 2020 | Bob Hearts Abishola | Mrs. Clark | "On a Dead Guy's Bench" |
| 2021 | Shameless | Nurse Nun | "Cancelled" |
| 2022 | The Good Doctor | Patient | "Hot and Bothered" |
| 2024 | A Man on the Inside | Gladys Montrose | Recurring role |
References
edit- ↑ Alexander, Randy (November 17, 1988). "Susan Ruttan adjusts to life in spotlight as the popular secretary on 'L.A. Law'". The Star-Ledger. Newark, New Jersey. p. 99. Retrieved May 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 "Actress knows both sides of casting". Pensacola News Journal. Gannett News Service. November 11, 1991. p. 23. Retrieved May 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 LeBaron, Gaye (September 3, 1987). "Gaye LeBaron's Notebook: That's no victim; that's my wife". The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa. p. 2. Retrieved April 22, 2025. "Susan Ruttan lived in Santa Rosa until her husband died in a motorcycle accident [...] She was Susan Dunrud when she came to Santa Rosa from Oregon in the late '60s to live with her family. Her mother, Helen Manis, is a retired Memorial Hospital employee who still lives in Santa Rosa. [...] Susan is the widow of Mel Ruttan Jr., the Vietnam vet son of the late Santa Rosa insurance adjuster Mel Ruttan. They were living in Novato when Mel was killed in 1970 or '71."
- ↑ "Births, Marriages, Divorces, Deaths". The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa. August 27, 1967. p. 10A. Retrieved April 22, 2025. "RUTTAN-DUNRUD—Vevlen [sic] Ruttan Jr., 22, and Susan Diane Dunrud, 18, both of Santa Rosa."
- ↑ "Look Who Shares Your Birthday". New York Sunday News Spotlight. June 25, 1995. p. 20. Retrieved April 22, 2025. "Marie Osmond October 13, 1959. Gene Wilder June 11, 1935. Susan Ruttan September 16, 1948. Boomer Esiason April 17, 1961. Vanessa Williams May 18, 1963."
- 1 2 3 "Susan Ruttan- Biography". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2013-04-14.[dead link]
- ↑ "Susan Ruttan". Television Academy. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
External links
edit- Susan Ruttan at IMDb