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Susan Gordon

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For persons of a similar name, see Susan Gordon (disambiguation).

Susan Gordon
Gordon in Tormented (1960)
Born
Susan Lynn Gordon

(1949-07-27)July 27, 1949
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedDecember 11, 2011(2011-12-11) (aged 62)
Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1958–1992; 2002–2011
Height5 ft 0 in (1.5m)
Spouse
Avraham Aviner
​
(m. 1977)​
Children6[1]
FatherBert I. Gordon

Susan Lynn Gordon[citation needed] (July 27, 1949 – December 11, 2011)[2] was an American child actress who appeared in films and numerous episodes of television programs such as The Twilight Zone, My Three Sons, and The Donna Reed Show.[3]

Life and career

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Gordon was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the daughter of film director Bert I. Gordon and his wife, Flora (Lang) Gordon. She began her career, at age eight, as a last-minute substitute for another young actress in 1958's Attack of the Puppet People, directed by her father, who subsequently directed her in three additional films — The Boy and the Pirates, Tormented (both 1960) and 1966's Picture Mommy Dead, her final film.[4][5] In 1959, she acted and sang in the semi-biographical film, The Five Pennies, playing the daughter of musician, composer and bandleader Red Nichols, portrayed by Danny Kaye.

J. Pat O'Malley and Susan Gordon in "The Fugitive", a 1962 episode of The Twilight Zone

On television, Gordon appeared in The Twilight Zone episode "The Fugitive", as Jenny, a child with a leg brace who befriends an alien. Other series included Gunsmoke (1961 Episode “Little Girl” – S6E28), Alfred Hitchcock Presents,[6] My Three Sons, The Danny Thomas Show, Route 66, Ben Casey, 77 Sunset Strip and The Donna Reed Show. On November 27, 1959, Gordon appeared in the live NBC Television broadcast of Miracle on 34th Street.

Coming out of a decade-long retirement, Ms. Gordon appeared Off-Broadway in 2002 in A Magic Place in a New Time. Previous to that, she was an understudy for the long-running hit Nunsense.

Death

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She was a resident of the New Jersey township of Teaneck, where she had settled after returning to her Jewish roots and marrying Avi Aviner, who had been a leader of the Jewish community in Tokyo. She died on December 11, 2011, of thyroid cancer, aged 62. She was buried in Kedumim, an Israeli settlement.[7][8]

Selected Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ Toussi1, Elnaz (December 14, 2011). "Former Child Star Susan Gordon Dies at 62". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on February 3, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Simonson, Robert. "Susan Gordon, Stage and Child Film Actress, Dies at 62". Playbill. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  3. ^ Barnes, Mike (December 14, 2011). "Susan Gordon, Child Actress of the '50s and '60s, Dies at 62". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  4. ^ "Susan Gordon dies at 62". Variety. December 14, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  5. ^ "Actress Susan Gordon Dies at 62". contactmusic.com. December 15, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  6. ^ Cohen, Noah (December 15, 2011). "Actress, Resident Susan Gordon Dies at 62". Teaneck Patch. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  7. ^ Simonson, Robert (December 21, 2011). "Susan Gordon, Stage and Child Film Actress, Dies at 62". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  8. ^ Levin, Jay (December 19, 2011). "Susan Aviner, child star and Teaneck businesswoman, at 62". The Record. Woodland Park, NJ. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
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