Remember '70s Star Susan Dey? Here's What She Looked Like Decades After The Partridge Family

This article includes discussions of addiction and sexual assault.

Despite starring in one of the biggest sitcoms of the 1970s, Susan Dey is remarkably difficult to keep up with. She was just 17 when she became incredibly famous playing Laurie in "The Partridge Family," despite having no acting experience. However, her natural talent and good looks soon had viewers hooked. She had brown hair, stunning blue eyes, and a natural beauty that made fans describe her as the ultimate girl next door. It also didn't hurt that she was incredibly photogenic.

Dey maintained her brunette locks until 1986, when she snagged the role of district attorney Grace Van Owen in "L.A. Law," another super-popular television series. This role had her swap out her brown locks for a chic blond bob. Dey continued to star in many other highly rated movies until 2004, when she ditched Hollywood for good. One of her last public appearances came in 2006, 36 years after "The Partridge Family" first aired. 

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Dey, who was 54 at the time, made a rare public appearance at a New York Gala Dinner, showing off incredibly smooth skin, an even complexion, and her iconic blue eyes, which were as stunning as ever. The actor still wore her hair in a blond bob — one of the most flattering low-maintenance haircuts for women over 40. However, some of its pigment had begun to fade, making us wonder if she's currently in the league of celebrities who proudly show off their gray hair. After the pictures hit Reddit in 2022, users took to the platform to share their thoughts. "[She] has aged better than almost everyone else in Hollywood, and if she's had any work done, I can't tell. She basically looks exactly the same, just older. Amazingly beautiful," one Redditor gushed.

Like many stars who found fame at a young age, Susan Dey was forced to grow up too quickly, which led to personal problems. She battled anorexia and addiction, and had to deal with all of it while the invasive press followed her. "After I had been sober for a year, I was given a cake at [an AA] meeting. The tabloids ran a big story about it. I was furious that they had planted an informant in my AA group," she told Parade (via Hello!).

After starring in "Third Watch" in 2004, Dey ditched acting for a more private life with her second husband, Bernard Sofronski. However, the actor revealed that her decision wasn't without some regrets. "I miss acting as much as I miss my mom, as much as I miss my little girl, as much as I miss my first home," she said in a currently private 2013 interview with WSKG Public Media. "I do miss acting, but I'm really happy with what's going on in my life right now. It's full. It's so full."

Dey has largely remained out of the spotlight, but she's thrown her weight into finding various ways to support survivors of sexual assault. She worked on a documentary on campus rape and was even a board member at UCLA's Medical Center for rape treatment. 

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).