If you grew up in the 1970s, Sunday nights had a specific rhythm. You had the ticking clock of 60 Minutes, and then you had the NBC Mystery Movie. It was a "wheel series," which basically meant you got a different detective every week—Columbo one Sunday, McCloud the next. But for a lot of people, the real draw was the playful, sophisticated banter of the stars of McMillan and Wife.
Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James had this chemistry that you just can't fake. He was the tall, dashing San Francisco Police Commissioner, and she was his much younger, incredibly sharp, and slightly kooky wife. They were like a modern-day Nick and Nora Charles from The Thin Man.
Honestly, looking back at it now, the show was a bit of an anomaly. It managed to be a gritty-ish police procedural and a lighthearted romantic comedy at the same time. But then, almost overnight, the "Wife" part of the title vanished. The show was rebranded, the cast was gutted, and fans were left wondering what the heck happened to the magic.
The Leading Man: Rock Hudson’s Second Act
By 1971, Rock Hudson was already a legend. We're talking about the guy from Giant and those iconic rom-coms with Doris Day. But his movie career was cooling off. Taking a TV gig back then was kind of a gamble for a "serious" movie star; it was often seen as a step down.
Hudson played Stuart "Mac" McMillan with a wink and a smile. He was 45 when it started, and he brought a certain old-school Hollywood gravitas to the role. What most people didn't know at the time—and what makes watching the show today feel a little bittersweet—was the secret life he was leading.
While Mac and Sally were the "it" couple on screen, Hudson was living as a closeted gay man in an era that was incredibly unforgiving. He stayed with the show until the very end in 1977, even after the massive cast exodus. Sadly, as most of us know, Hudson became the first major celebrity to die of AIDS-related complications in 1985. His death was a massive turning point for public awareness of the disease, but for fans of the show, he’ll always be the guy in the trench coat solving murders in the Presidio.
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Why Susan Saint James Really Walked Away
If Rock was the anchor, Susan Saint James was the spark. She was only 25 when the show launched, playing Sally McMillan with this "hip" 70s energy that perfectly balanced Rock’s traditionalism.
But then came 1976.
The story you usually hear is that she just wanted to do movies. That's partially true. But the nitty-gritty of it was a classic Hollywood contract dispute. She wanted more money for the sixth season, and the studio wouldn't budge. So, she left.
The writers' solution? They killed her off. In a plane crash.
It was a brutal way to handle a beloved character. To make it even darker, they also killed off their infant son (who had been born in an earlier season) in that same crash. Overnight, the show became McMillan, and Mac was a grieving widower. It was a total vibe killer.
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Saint James did fine for herself, though. She eventually landed Kate & Allie in the 80s, which was a massive hit. But she’s dealt with real-life tragedy that mirrors her character's exit; her own son, Teddy, died in a plane crash in 2004. These days, she’s mostly retired from the spotlight, focusing on her work with the Special Olympics.
The Supporting Players: Mildred and Enright
You can't talk about the stars of McMillan and Wife without mentioning the comedic backbone of the show: Nancy Walker and John Schuck.
Nancy Walker played Mildred, the sarcastic, sharp-tongued housekeeper. You probably recognize her as "Rosie" from the Bounty paper towel commercials—the "quicker picker-upper" lady. She was juggle-acting, appearing on McMillan and Wife and Rhoda at the same time. When she left in 1976 to lead her own (very short-lived) sitcom, the show lost its funniest edge. Walker passed away from lung cancer in 1992, leaving behind a legacy of being one of the best character actresses in the business.
Then there’s John Schuck as Sgt. Charles Enright. He was the lovable, slightly dim-witted right-hand man. Schuck is a fascinating guy—did you know he was the first person to ever say the "F-word" in a major studio film (MASH*)?
He left the show around the same time as the others to star in a weird show called Holmes & Yoyo (about a cop and his robot partner). It didn't work. He eventually found a huge second act under a lot of makeup, playing Herman Munster in The Munsters Today and various Klingons in Star Trek. He’s still active today, often appearing in stage productions and guest spots on shows like Law & Order: SVU.
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What We Get Wrong About the Show's Ending
There’s a common misconception that the show was canceled because it stopped being good. In reality, it was still pulling decent numbers, but the "retooling" for Season 6 was just too much for the audience to swallow.
When you lose the wife, the maid, and the sergeant all at once, you aren't watching the same show anymore. Martha Raye was brought in to play Mildred’s sister, Agatha, but the chemistry just wasn't there. The show had lost its heart.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to revisit the series or are a collector of 70s TV memorabilia, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Watch the Rotation: If you're looking for the show on streaming or DVD, remember that episodes were actually 90 minutes to two hours long because they functioned like weekly movies.
- The "McMillan" Season: Season 6 is often sold separately or labeled differently. Just be prepared—it is significantly darker and lacks the "cozy mystery" feel of the first five seasons.
- Check the Guest Stars: One of the best parts of the show is the "who's who" of 70s guest stars. Look for early appearances by people like Barbara Feldon and even a young Kim Basinger.
The stars of McMillan and Wife created a specific kind of television magic that relied entirely on their interpersonal dynamics. While the show's ending was messy and the real-life stories of the cast are a mix of triumph and tragedy, the five seasons they spent together remain a high-water mark for 1970s detective drama.
To dive deeper into the history of the NBC Mystery Movie wheel, you might want to compare the production styles of McMillan with its sister show Columbo—the difference in how they handled "the reveal" is a masterclass in TV writing.