Susan Dey

NBC's The Today Show features another "big family" in its "Great TV Families reunited" series. This morning, its the The Partridge Family, with the cast of the popular television families reuniting after several decades. But where's Susan Dey?

Susan Dey (not Susan Day), isn't joining the rest of her former castmates as the Partridge Family reunites.

Susan Dey has had, at least in public, a personal life free of the problems that so often plague child stars.

Dey was a big television star (and the object of adolescent lust) during her run as Laurie Partridge and then went on to even bigger stardom in her role as Judge Grace Van Owen on the 1980's hit drama LA Law. While Dey was a popular figure among the boys (and girls) while on The Partridge Family, her role on LA Law made her a darling of the critics.

After her run on LA Law ended in the early 1990's, however, Dey has maintained a relatively low profile. Dey's most recent television role, in fact, came in 2004 when she appeared on two episodes of Third Watch.

For a star who bridged two eras, and did it brilliantly, and for one who seemed to live a scandal free personal life, Susan Dey was an actress that seemed poised to continue acting forever. Beautiful, talented, and even blessed with a show business name, Dey had 'sure thing' written all over her. The fact that she has had no major roles since the demise of LA Law is one of the great mysteries of modern entertainment.

It could be that Susan Dey decided to duck out of the limelight to enjoy life with her husband. It could be that she just got tired of the business. It could be that the offers did not come the way most assumed that they would.