[Deathwatch] Susan Peretz, actress and acting coach, 59

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

SUSAN PERETZ
Mon Sep 6

(Variety) Actress and acting coach Susan Peretz died Aug. 27 in Los
Angeles of breast cancer. She was 59.

Born in New York, Peretz graduated from SUNY Buffalo. She began her
acting career after joining the Actors Studio, where she later served
on the executive board.

On Broadway she was seen in Paul Zindel's "Ladies at the Alamo," "42
Seconds From Broadway" and a Joseph Papp production of "A Comedy of
Errors." Her Off Broadway credits include "Hillbilly Women," "American
Gothics" and "Susan Peretz at the Manhattan Theater Club."

Moving to Los Angeles, she expanded her career into motion pictures and
TV, playing Al Pacino's wife in Sidney Lumet's "Dog Day Afternoon." Her
later films include Jonathan Demme's "Melvin and Howard," "Swing Shift"
and Clint Eastwood's "Honky Tonk Man."

Peretz was a series regular on "A.E.S. Hudson Street" and starred in
her own TV series for Fox television, "Babes." She also guested on
series including "Murder, She Wrote," "L.A. Law," "E.R.," "Cagney &
Lacey" and "Married With Children" as well as appearing in several TV
movies.

She returned to her theater roots when she founded the Third Street
Theater, where she taught acting and directed numerous productions,
winning Drama-Logue Awards for her direction of Leonard Melfi's play
"Birdbath" and her perf in "A View From the Bridge."

Peretz was invited to participate in the AFI Directors Workshop for
Women.

Her last role was a recent guest spot on "My Wife and Kids."

She is survived by a sister, two nephews and a niece.