CASTING DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, AUTHOR, ENTREPRENEUR
Susan McCray is the daughter of Academy Award Winning composer and concert pianist Harry Sukman and artist Pianist, organist composer, Francesca Paley Sukman. She attended University High School and then attended UCLA. studying both art history and psychology.She began her career as a singer after being discovered by Fred Foster President of Monument Records touring with other Monument artists and recorded several records in Nashville. She returned home to California and then went on to be a prominent casting director eventually being named VP of Talent for Michael Landon Productions. Married to Producer and Landon Partner Kent McCray, their marriage was an amazing partnership and working relationship working together in the industry. She has been involved in radio for the past 15 years hosting and producing radio shows as well as being an entrepreneur.
Susan was VP of talent casting all Michael Landon projects: Little House on the Prairie, Highway To Heaven, Father Murphy plus the original cast Hawaii 5-0 series and major movies of the week including Diary of Anne Frank, Where Pigeons Go to Die, Rodeo Girl, The Loneliest Runner, The Five of Me and Sam’s Son. After Michael Landon’s passing Kent and Susan produced the acclaimed highly rated tribute to Michael Landon: Memories of Laughter and Love”. Susan cast and Kent produced two Bonanza movies for NBC starring Ben Johnson and Richard Roundtree Michael Landon Jr Dirk Blocker with guest stars including Leonard Nimoy Linda Gray Dennis Farina. Susan is Exec Producer of the newly released tribute to her husband, production partner and best friend, Kent McCray, Remembering Kent McCray - Laughter, Love, and Television which features Kent’s career in his own words as well as remembrances by Melissa Gilbert, Jack Lilley, Don Collier, Leslie Landon Matthews and Susan.
Susan’s children’s book and audio book Harry’s Piano, documents the childhood and career of her Academy Award winning dad composer Harry Sukman and the CD she produced Warm Heart, Cool Hands with music arranged and performed of her father’s music by Sinatra musical director Vincent Falcone has been a sell out.
Susan is also a philanthropist hosting fundraisers on behalf of the ALS Assoc "Francesca’s Fashion Fantasy" to honor her pianist organist composer mother Franceska Paley Sukman and “Sticking Your Neck Out” for The Council on Aging to raise Funds for Meals on Wheels..
Among her radio projects is Getting To Know You as well as her new syndicated one hour radio show Morning Magazine: Kaleidoscope and her radio feature Hollywood Hotline as well as the hour long specials: “Club Suzanne" all acclaimed and can be heard ON DEMAND at ksav.org. Susan is presently producing her Morning Magazine: Kaleidoscope as a Podcast. She has also been the voice for numerous commercials.
As a successful entrepreneur, Susan has developed a no chemical natural perfume line called Susan McCray’s Nightfall which has a body lotion and body wash. The fragrance line has been featured in the gift bags at the Oscars and Country Music Awards. Susan is in the process of designing her new perfume called Susan McCray which will also be chemical free.
Still the entrepreneur, Susan is presently developing many new film projects.
PRODUCER and CASTING DIRECTOR
Although Susan McCray is best known as a casting director for Little House on the Prairie, Highway To Heaven, Diary of Anne Frank and Hawaii Five-O. her list of accomplishments stretches way beyond these notables.
Susan McCray started her career as Casting Director as a secretary/receptionist at Paramount Studios then became assistant in the casting and the production office for the NBC shows Bonanza and The High Chaparral. After a few years of experience working for the two shows casting director and production manager, McCray joined Warner Brothers casting Dept working on such TV shows as Kung Fu and The New Land.
After a short stint at Warners, McCray returned to Paramount to work in their casting department for such series as Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Manix, and The Odd Couple. After her return to Paramount, she received a call of a lifetime from Michael Landon offering her the position of casting director for his new NBC series, Little House on the Prairie. During the nine years Susan spent casting for Little House, her additional casting assignments included the series Hawaii 5-0, Father Murphy, Freestyle and television movies such as Diary of Anne Frank, The Five of Me, Rodeo Girl, The Loneliest Runner, Mark Twain: Beneath the Laughter and for PBS. Susan also cast the feature film Sam's Son, a semi-biographical story about Michael Landon, and was in charge of casting the NBC series Highway To Heaven.
McCray cast Art Carney in the film Where Pigeons Go to Die, for which role Carney received an Emmy nomination.
After the passing of her best friend, Michael Landon, Susan with partner/husband Kent McCray, under the banner of their production Company Ten-K Productions, produced a tribute to Michael Landon, Memories with Laughter and Love which was a critically acclaimed, highly rated NBC special.
After its premiere on NBC, The McCray’s two hour tribute to their friend, was released on video. Proceeds are donated to the Michael Landon Children’s Cancer Research Fund, set up by the McCray’s in memory of their dear friend at the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. Susan has also produced the tribute to Kent McCray, Memories of love, laughter, and Television and continues to develop new projects.
Some Well-Known Accomplishments
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Casting Director
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1976 1983
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1977 1978
Hawaii Five-O (TV series)
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1980 1980
Diary of Anne Frank
Director: Boris Sagal
Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film,
Starring Maximilian Schell - 1980 1980
Rodeo Girl
Director: Jackie Cooper
Starring Kathryn Ross - 1984 1989
Highway to Heaven (TV series)
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1993 1995
Bonanza (TV movies)
Susan has produced
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Plays
The Runner Stumbles
Don Collier: Confessions of an Acting Cowboy -
DVDs
Michael Landon - Memories with Laughter and Love
Remembering Kent McCray - Laughter Love and Television -
CDs
Warm Heart Cool Hands
(music composed by Harry Sukman, arranged and played by Vincent Falcone) -
Event With Husband, Kent
The 50th Anniversary of Television series, High Chaparral
Given at several venues: Warner Bros, Autry Museum, Marriott Burbank
Little House on the Prairie is an American Western historical drama television series, starring Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle, and Melissa Sue Anderson, about a family living on a farm in Plum Creek near Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s. The show is an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books.
This DVD Documentary chronicles an historic six decade career of Kent McCray that spans early live television through the dawn of the digital age.
Hawaii Five-0 is an American action police procedural television series that centers around a special police major crimes task force operating at the behest of the governor of Hawaii.
Michael Landon: Memories With Laughter & Love is a poignant tribute to one of Hollywood's most beloved and respected actors. Hosted by Michael Landon Jr., Leslie Landon Matthews, Melissa Gilbert, and David Canary, this magnificent profile takes a nostalgic look at Landon's work in television and film, from his starring role in I Was a Teenage Werewolf and the early days as Little Joe on Bonanza to the Emmy-winning Little House on the Prairie and his last role on Highway to Heaven. A losing battle with cancer ended Landon's legendary career, which was marked by an undaunted commitment to family-oriented prime-time programming. Through rare interviews and precious clips, viewers can once again experience the magic Landon brought to the screen.
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PERFORMER
Born to a musically gifted family, Susan Sukman grew up on the West Side of Los Angeles. As a singer, she was discovered and signed to a recording contract by Fred Foster, President of Monument Records. Foster nicknamed her "Susan Sands" and signed her to a contract to record four sides for the company. She toured with other Monument performers including Boots ( yakety sax) Randolph Roy Orbison and performed with them at the Playboy Club on Sunset in Hollywood. Her recording of Say A Prayer for Michael appeared on the charts nationwide and was on the Billboard chart in the Midwest. Susan's touring increased her popularity but because of the grueling schedule, she rejected the life "on the road" and returned to California. It was there she started her new career of Casting Director after getting a job working at Paramount studios for NBC as an assistant in the casting and production office for two NBC TV series- Bonanza and High Chaparral.
PERFUMER
Susan McCray, celebrity casting director of Michael Landon and his many successful productions, introduced her perfume line, Nightfall by Susan McCray, in 2010. Susan has launched the careers of some of the most famous actors like Jason Bateman, Christina Applegate, Paul Walker and Melissa Gilbert. The line "Nightfall", named after a musical composition of her Oscar-winning father Harry Sukman, is melodious like the memories of his music. Her successful Hollywood career was always in the first place, but from the time when she was eight, she began to develop a passion for creating and experimenting with perfumes. The inspiration was her mother Francesca Paley, a musician, painter and fashion designer, from whom she inherited a keen sense of style.
Nightfall is 100% natural Eau De Parfum and is also a body lotion. Like the notes of a musical composition, Nightfall is a beautiful melody of white flowers, accompanied by citruses and fresh basil. Being gentle and alluring, this fragrance can be worn on any occasion, day or night, helping to highlight and draw a woman's inner beauty and confidence. The smell is like a breath of spring, refreshing and sophisticated, seductive and mysterious. Susan remembers her mother's advice never to reveal the name of the fragrance she wears and created her own perfume for people to wonder what it is. Nightfall by Susan McCray was given to celebrities in gift bags at the academy awards and The Country Music Awards.
Nightfall by Susan McCray Perfume - Never Know Where The Night Will Take You
CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR
Susan authored “Harry’s Piano” the charming tale of the young life of her father, Academy Award-winning composer, concert pianist. Harry Sukman and his great love of the piano and his dreams of becoming a great composer, conductor and pianist which all came true. The book tells the story of when he began playing piano at the age of five, to his numerous appearances performing at many concert halls including Orchestra Hall and the famous Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood California.
The book has received beautiful reviews and is enjoyed by children and their families. A timeless story of hard work and determination, Harry's Piano is a gift that will inspire young people to reach for their dreams. Harry reached many of his dreams as a film and television composer conductor being nominated and winning Emmy awards. Golden Globe Awards and the coveted Academy Award. Harry’s Piano is now being developed as an animated short subject film. Click here to see the trailer/promotion for the animated film.
Currently available in book stores and online stores is Susan's children’s book: Paddy Platuypus: (This One’s For You). The story of Paddy Platypus encourages the acceptance of others, the significance of self-confidence in order to achieve goals we set for ourselves, and the importance of having positive self-esteem. Recognizing everyone is different and those differences make us special in our own way.
For more on Paddy Platypus, go to Paddy Platypus Website.
Just released From the pen of Susan McCray comes a fanciful children’s story that will delight audiences of all ages - The Story of Sammy and Zelda. After convincing her pal, Captain Stan (actor Stan Ivar from the Little House on the Prairie television series) and Skipper of the Kristina, to introduce his harbor friends Sammy and Zelda to the world, comes this heartwarming story of a sea lion who got lost in a place where she didn’t belong.
If you have ever been in those shoes, or shall we say, in those “flippers”, you’ll want to experience this fun-filled adventure where seagulls come to the rescue. It will take a very special stray dog to bravely save the day. Will he do it? And what will happen to him if he does? Hop aboard the Kristina for a harbor cruise like no other and meet Sammy Zelda and their friends.
For more on Sammy and Zelda, go to The Story of Sammy and Zelda Website.
Susan has recently completed writing her moving and insightful poetry book: Bouquet of Poetry by Susan McCray. The book includes photos of paintings done by her beautiful mom Franceska Paley This book will be a special gift for all or keep for yourself as a lovely coffee table book.
RADIO PERSONALITY
Kaleidoscope with Susan McCray airs every Sunday morning on KJEWEL radio in San Luis Obispo and as a Podcast on demand at MixCloud.com
“Kaleidoscope” Guest list includes legends from the music, television and film industry including Shirley Jones, Brenda Lee, Melissa Gilbert, Vikki Carr, and many more.
Hollywood Hotline with Susan McCray - On KJewel and syndicated featuring the latest in Entertainment news.
FUNDRAISER
Susan has great passion for her favorite charities and produces and serves as mistress of ceremonies for numerous fundraising events.
Susan has produced and hosted Francesca’s Fashion Fantasy, an annual luncheon celebrity fashion show fundraiser to benefit the ALS Association, featuring fashion designer David Hayes. All proceeds go towards purchasing augmentative communication devices for those affected by ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). The event is held in honor of her late mother Francesca Paley Sukman who lost her battle with the disease in 1990.
A reunion to honor cast and crew of Little House on the Prairie was produced by Susan. The fundraising event took place as part of a gala evening in Sonora, CA (where the show shot numerous episodes) during the Tuolumne County Film Festival. Susan arranged for all the show’s cast and crew members to attend the dinner and Festivities held at a beautiful winery. Proceeds were given to the Michael Landon Children’s Cancer Research Fund at the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona.
Susan produces and hosts an annual fundraising event in Tucson, Arizona. The Sticking Your Neck awards dinner and celebrity show benefits the Council On Aging programs for seniors in Arizona. Among the celebrities who have appeared and been honored are: Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Red Buttons, Phyllis Diller, Jack Jones, The Modernaires with Paula Kelly Jr. and The Ink Spots. Alongside the celebrities local community leaders and supporters are recognized and honored.
In 2002 Susan and Kent McCray in association with their production company Ten-K Productions produced a fundraiser on behalf of the University of Hartford Magnet school - The Magic of Reading (an Evening of Fantasy and Illusion). The evening raised over $60,000 enabling the school to fill the children’s library with books, a librarian and more. Thru Susan's support, Madam MooCray seen below was put in their library along with a Harry Potter made of legos 5 feet tall that was donated from the company. Madam MooCray is part of CowParade, an international public art exhibit seen in major world cities. Fiberglass sculptures of cows such as this are decorated by local artists and distributed over the city centre, in public places such as train stations, important venues, and parks. They often feature artwork and designs specific to local culture, as well as city life and other relevant themes. Susan continues being responsible for filling the library shelves with many books. She has Readers Digest sending them books every year.
Susan also contributed to The Harry Sukman Foyer which was named at the University of Hartford Hartt School and furnished with her father's memorabilia and life/career history.
Eastern Connecticut State University awarded Susan McCray an Honorary Doctorate Of Humane Letters degree. The commencement program included a complete biography of Susan. Their Fine Arts Center’s beautiful new foyer is named The Susan Sukman McCray Foyer. Within the Foyer is a Steinway concert grand piano donated by Susan.
Each year the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University is proud to award the Susan Sukman McCray Scholarship to students of the School pursuing a degree in voice who have a special interest in musical theater. Susan also donated a new Steinway Grand Piano to the School of Music which has a dedication plaque to her father Harry Sukman.
The Hartt School at University of Hartford is proud to award the Susan McCray Scholarships to students in dramatic arts and music composition. Susan continues to support the endowments her husband Kent established at Hartt in Opera and music - and she continues to support the Kent McCray Television Studio and Kent McCray Theatre at the University of Hartford.
GALLERY
The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.
The pictures in my gallery help relive wonderful memories with stories and people. I will never forget these special times.
As photographer Ty Holland once said: “A photograph is the pause button of life."
CONTACT INFO
