Susan Buckner, who played Patty Simcox in ‘Grease,’ dies at 72

Susan Buckner, an American actor finest identified for her position as Patty Simcox within the 1978 musical “Grease,” died Could 2. She was 72. Her dying was confirmed by her publicist.

On the age of 25, Buckner was solid within the position of the Rydell Excessive cheerleader, becoming a member of a solid that included John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. As Simcox, Buckner performed a solider of faculty spirit, with an iconic cheer cemented into followers’ minds: “Do the splits, give a yell! Present just a little spirit for outdated Rydell! Option to go, crimson and white! Go Rydell, struggle, struggle, struggle!”

Buckner continued working as an actor with visitor credit throughout a number of tv exhibits, together with “The Love Boat,” “B.J and the Bear” and “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.” She co-starred within the ABC sequence “When the Whistle Blows.” Amongst different notable function credit, Buckner appeared in Wes Craven’s 1981 horror movie “Lethal Blessing” reverse Sharon Stone, in addition to the 1989 comedy sequel “Police Academy 6: Metropolis Underneath Siege.”

Buckner spent the latter a part of her life instructing, directing a number of kids’s theater productions at Pinecrest Elementary Faculty and main dance courses at Physique and Soul Gymnasium in Coral Gables, Fla.

Born on Jan. 28, 1952 in Seattle, Wash., Buckner was a embellished magnificence queen, topped Miss Washington in 1971 and represented the state within the Miss America pageant the next yr. She later grew to become a part of Dean Martin’s Golddiggers and would go on to affix the all-girl group Fantasy and based her personal music duo, Buckner and Pratt. Buckner additionally appeared as a dancer on exhibits like “The Mac Davis Present,” “Sonny and Cher” and the “Telly Savalas Stay Touring Present,” in addition to performing as a synchronized swimmer on “The Brady Bunch Selection Hour.”

Buckner is survived by her two kids, son Adam Josephs and daughter Samantha Mansfield; her 4 grandchildren; her sister, Linda; her daughter-in-law and son-in-law; and her longtime companion, Al.