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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Joel Leaver

Grease star from iconic scene unrecognisable 40 years after film's release

It's been more than forty years since the film adaptation of the musical Grease was first released, with it remaining beloved by fans decades since its debut back in 1978.

The award-winning film followed the students of Rydell High School, who included Sandy Olsson (played by the late Olivia Newton-John) and Danny Zuko (John Travolta).

It centred on the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds, two cliques within the school, that also included Betty Rizzo (Stockard Channing) and Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) respectively.

The cast had also included Susan Buckner, now 70, who played one of the supporting roles alongside co-stars such as Didi Conn, who played Frenchy Facciano in the project.

Susan Buckner, pictured in 2018, was among the cast of Grease (1978) (Getty Images)
She starred alongside the likes of Olivia Newton-John (left) and John Travolta (right) (Paramount Pictures/Fotos International/Getty Images)

Susan is best known for having played the over-enthusiastic Patty Simcox in the film, with the cheerleader having been mocked by some of her fellow students at Rydell.

The actor reunited with some of her former co-stars back in 2018 to celebrate the film's 40th anniversary, with the project celebrating its 45th anniversary this year.

She had already been in a few projects prior to the role, like having played a member of synchronised swimming team the Krofftettes in multiple episodes of The Brady Bunch Hour.

Susan played Patty Simcox in the film, with the character pictured alongside Olivia's Sandy Olsson (CBS via Getty Images)

Her other credits include playing George Fayne in the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, a role in Starsky & Hutch and an appearance in Return Engagement.

She was also among the main cast of the ABC comedy series When the Whistle Blows, which ran for 10 episodes in 1980. She also appeared in shows like The Love Boat.

Susan is however understood to have taken a step back from her acting career more recently, with her credited as having last appeared in horror film Deadly Blessing (1981).

Susan, pictured with former co-stars like Didi Conn (front centre), at a reunion back in 2018 (Getty Images)

According to People magazine back in 1998, she relocated to Miami with her then-husband following her acting career and has since directed children's theatre productions.

It was reported that this included a production of Grease, which had launched as a stage musical back in 1971 before being adapted into the beloved film of the same name.

The former actor is understood to be a parent to Adam and Samantha, both now in their forties. According to the Daily Mail, she was previously married to Michael R. Josephs, with whom she is understood to share her two children.

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