Susan Richardson
Encyclopedia
Susan Richardson is an American
actress, best known for her role as Susan Bradford on the television series Eight is Enough
, which she played from 1977 to 1981.
Richardson first started acting in plays in high school. She graduated from Coatesville Area Senior High School in 1969, and moved to Hollywood in 1971. In the six years between moving to the West Coast
and being cast on Eight is Enough, she played bit roles in the films
American Graffiti
and A Star is Born
, and guest-starred on the television series Happy Days
and The Streets of San Francisco
. Shortly before her 25th birthday, Richardson was picked to play the fourth-oldest child in the Bradford family on Eight is Enough
.
On March 15, 1978, Richardson married Michael Virden, and shortly thereafter became pregnant, which was also written into the show. She gave birth to their daughter, Sarah, on March 27, 1980. After her pregnancy, a rumor was spread that Richardson would lose her job if she did not shed her pregnancy weight; she had gained 90 pounds and found it very hard to slim down by normal means, so she started using cocaine
as a weight loss aid, and became addicted. (She later kicked the habit.) After Eight is Enough was canceled, she started a band called Harmony, and battled potential addiction to morphine
following a debilitating tailbone injury (see http://www.eightisenough.com/08bio007.htm).
In her Eight is Enough heyday, Richardson appeared in two installments of Battle of the Network Stars
(May 1979 and December 1980), as well as numerous appearances on The $20,000 Pyramid
, Password Plus
, and Match Game
, in addition to a one-hour All-Star episode of Family Feud
in 1978 and a 3-episode celebrity tournament on the daytime version in May 1979.
As of 2000 Richardson was working as a caregiver at a retirement home in Pennsylvania.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, best known for her role as Susan Bradford on the television series Eight is Enough
Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...
, which she played from 1977 to 1981.
Richardson first started acting in plays in high school. She graduated from Coatesville Area Senior High School in 1969, and moved to Hollywood in 1971. In the six years between moving to the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and being cast on Eight is Enough, she played bit roles in the films
American Graffiti
American Graffiti
American Graffiti is a 1973 coming of age film co-written/directed by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford...
and A Star is Born
A Star Is Born (1976 film)
A Star Is Born is a 1976 American rock music musical film telling the story of a young woman, played by Barbra Streisand who enters show business, and meets and falls in love with an established male star, played by Kris Kristofferson, only to find her career ascending while his goes into decline...
, and guest-starred on the television series Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
and The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
. Shortly before her 25th birthday, Richardson was picked to play the fourth-oldest child in the Bradford family on Eight is Enough
Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...
.
On March 15, 1978, Richardson married Michael Virden, and shortly thereafter became pregnant, which was also written into the show. She gave birth to their daughter, Sarah, on March 27, 1980. After her pregnancy, a rumor was spread that Richardson would lose her job if she did not shed her pregnancy weight; she had gained 90 pounds and found it very hard to slim down by normal means, so she started using cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
as a weight loss aid, and became addicted. (She later kicked the habit.) After Eight is Enough was canceled, she started a band called Harmony, and battled potential addiction to morphine
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
following a debilitating tailbone injury (see http://www.eightisenough.com/08bio007.htm).
In her Eight is Enough heyday, Richardson appeared in two installments of Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars is the name of 19 US television specials featuring competitions among teams of popular television performers representing the three major broadcast networks at that time: ABC, CBS, and NBC.- History :...
(May 1979 and December 1980), as well as numerous appearances on The $20,000 Pyramid
Pyramid (game show)
Pyramid is an American television game show which has aired several versions. The original series, The $10,000 Pyramid, debuted March 26, 1973 and spawned seven subsequent Pyramid series...
, Password Plus
Password Plus and Super Password
Password Plus and Super Password are American game shows that are revivals of the game show Password. Both Password Plus and Super Password had the same format other than some subtle changes....
, and Match Game
Match Game
Match Game is an American television game show in which contestants attempted to match celebrities' answers to fill-in-the-blank questions...
, in addition to a one-hour All-Star episode of Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
in 1978 and a 3-episode celebrity tournament on the daytime version in May 1979.
As of 2000 Richardson was working as a caregiver at a retirement home in Pennsylvania.