Suzanne Pleshette (January 31, 1937 – January 19, 2008) was an American actress. After beginning her career in the theatre, she began appearing in films in the early 1960s, such as Rome Adventure (1962) and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963). She later appeared in various television productions, often in guest roles, and played the role of Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 until 1978, receiving Emmy Award nominations for her work. She continued acting until 2004, and died from respiratory failure as a result of lung cancer in 2008. Pleshette was born in Brooklyn Heights, New York City, of Jewish Russian heritage. Her mother, Geraldine (née Kaplan), was a dancer and artist who performed under the stage name Geraldine Rivers. Her father, Eugene Pleshette, was a stage manager, network executive and manager of the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn. She graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts and then attended Syracuse University for one semester before transferring to Finch College. Reviewers described her appearance and demeanor as sardonic and her voice as sultry. Pleshette began her career as a stage actress.