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Singer-actress Susanna Foster, who starred opposite Claude Rains and Nelson Eddy in the 1943 Universal production of "Phantom of the Opera," died Jan. l7 of heart failure in Englewood, N.J. She was 84.

Born Suzanne DeLee Flanders Larson in Chicago and raised in Minneapolis, she started singing as a young child and was performing in vaudeville at the age of 5.

MGM execs signed her to a contract sight unseen after hearing a recording of her singing, where she was groomed alongside Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. But she turned down the lead in "National Velvet," which then went to Elizabeth Taylor, because it was not a singing part, and her MGM contract ended.

She made her film debut at 14 with the new name Susanna Foster in 1930 in Paramount's "The Great Victor Herbert." She went on to appear in "There's Magic in Music" and "Glamour Boy."

When she moved to Universal Studios to star in "Phantom of the Opera," columnist Louella Parsons wrote, "Susanna Foster establishes herself as one of the great stars of today."

The studio booked her in back-to-back pictures from 1942-1945, including "Star Spangled Rhythm," "Top Man," "This is the Life," "The Climax," "Bowery to Broadway," "Frisco Sal" and "That Night With You."

She abruptly left Universal in l945 to care for her two teenage sisters, but was lured back to Hollywood after the studio financed her opera training in Europe. She went on to make "Top Man," with Donald O'Connor and Lillian Gish; "Follow the Boys" with George Raft; and "This Is the Life," again opposite O'Connor.

When she decided to leave films, she accepted the lead role in the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera production of "Naughty Marietta," and in 1948, married her leading man, baritone Wilbur "Wib" Evans. The couple performed in musicals, operettas and toured extensively.

Following a divorce from Evans, she chose to work at a variety of non-entertainment jobs while raising her family.

She is survived by a son and two grandchildren.

Donations may be made to The Actors Fund for Everyone in Entertainment, 729 Seventh Ave., New York, N.Y. 10019.