Ellen Weston, the veteran actress best known for her roles on The Young and the Restless, Guiding Light and Get Smart, has died. She was 87.
Weston died on May 28 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, her friend and manager Susan Zachary confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
To longtime soap fans, Weston was instantly recognizable as Suzanne Thurston on The Young and the Restless, where she played the ex-wife of slick conman Derek Thurston, portrayed by Joe DiSazio, from 1979 to 1981.
But her television career stretched back decades.
Weston’s earliest major role came on Guiding Light, where she played Robin Fletcher from 1963 to 1964. She later appeared on Another World and also popped up on the classic spy comedy Get Smart as Dr. Steele.
Her work made her a familiar face during a golden era of daytime and network television, when soap operas and sitcoms ruled American living rooms.
Friends remembered Weston as far more than just a talented actress. In a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, they described her as “beyond a loyal friend” and called her a “fierce advocate” for the people she loved.
“She was our consigliere dispensing advice, wisdom, compassion and care in equal measure — especially when we most needed an ear, a shoulder and a true confidante,” the statement read.
Those close to Weston said she carried herself with elegance until the very end.
“She took excellent care of herself, always tastefully put together with gorgeous outfits, the perfect makeup and more,” her friends said. “Up until the very end, she was still dancing and taking new classes.”
According to the statement, one of her final passions was a pottery class taught by a close friend, which ended just one month before her death.
Weston also appeared alongside Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched in 1972, adding another beloved TV classic to her long list of credits.
Later in life, she stepped behind the camera as a writer and producer. One of her most notable projects was the 1999 TV movie And the Beat Goes On: The Sonny and Cher Story. She also returned to Guiding Light in 2003, this time as a writer.
Weston is survived by her son, Jon Weston.
