Lee Meriwether facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lee Meriwether
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Meriwether in 2008
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Lee Ann Meriwether
May 27, 1935 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | City College of San Francisco |
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| Years active | 1954–2020 |
| Known for | Barnaby Jones Batman The Time Tunnel |
| Title | Miss San Francisco 1954 Miss California 1954 Miss America 1955 |
| Predecessor | Evelyn Margaret Ay |
| Successor | Sharon Ritchie |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Lee Ann Meriwether is an American actress. She was born on May 27, 1935. She won the Miss America pageant in 1955.
Lee Meriwether has been in many movies and TV shows. She is well-known for playing Betty Jones in the 1970s crime drama Barnaby Jones. She also played Catwoman in the 1966 Batman movie. Another famous role was in the science-fiction series The Time Tunnel. She also appeared on the soap opera All My Children as Ruth Martin.
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Early Life and Pageant Wins
Lee Meriwether was born in Los Angeles, California. Her parents were Claudius Gregg Meriwether and Ethel Eve Mulligan. She has one brother named Don Britt Meriwether. Her family moved to San Francisco, where she grew up.
She went to George Washington High School. The famous singer Johnny Mathis was one of her classmates there. Later, she attended City College of San Francisco. Another classmate there was actor Bill Bixby.
After winning Miss San Francisco, Lee Meriwether won Miss California in 1954. Then, she was crowned Miss America in 1955. She performed a speech from a play to win the title. After her time as Miss America, she joined The Today Show on TV.
Lee Meriwether's Acting Career
Starting in the 1950s
Lee Meriwether was a "Today Girl" on NBC's The Today Show from 1955 to 1956. Her first movie role was in 1959. She played Linda Davis in the film 4D Man. She also appeared in an episode of The Phil Silvers Show.
TV Roles in the 1960s
In 1961, Lee Meriwether guest-starred on Bringing Up Buddy. This was her first husband's TV show. She also appeared in an episode of Leave It To Beaver. In 1962, she was in The Lloyd Bridges Show. She played Nurse Dickens in I'm Dickens, He's Fenster that same year.
From 1963 to 1965, she had different roles on the medical drama Dr. Kildare. She also appeared on Route 66 and The Jack Benny Program. She played Lieutenant Amy Patterson in 12 O'Clock High.
Lee Meriwether was a regular on the science-fiction TV series The Time Tunnel. She starred with James Darren and Robert Colbert from 1966 to 1967.
She played Dr. Egret on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in 1965. She also played Miss Wilson on Hazel. Lee Meriwether became famous for playing Catwoman in the 1966 Batman movie. She also appeared in two episodes of the Batman TV series in 1967.
In the late 1960s, she guest-starred on many TV shows. These included The Fugitive, Mannix, and Star Trek. She was also in Perry Mason and F Troop.
In movies, she joined John Wayne and Rock Hudson in The Undefeated. She also starred with Andy Griffith in Angel in My Pocket (both 1969). In the same year, she played spy Tracey in six episodes of Mission: Impossible.
Roles in the 1970s
Lee Meriwether started her award-nominated role in 1973. She played Betty Jones in the CBS series Barnaby Jones. She starred opposite Buddy Ebsen. She was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award for this role. During the show, she reunited with her old classmate Bill Bixby. She became very good friends with Buddy Ebsen.
She also starred in TV movies like True Grit: A Further Adventure (1978). She was a regular on game shows like Match Game and "The $20,000 Pyramid".
Work in the 1980s and 1990s
Lee Meriwether played Lily Munster in The Munsters Today. This was a new version of the 1960s TV show The Munsters. She also made guest appearances on The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.
In the 1990s, she appeared on Space Ghost Coast to Coast. In 1993, she guest-starred on Murder, She Wrote. In 1996, Meriwether took over the role of Ruth Martin on the soap opera All My Children. She continued in this role until the show ended in September 2011.
Recent Work in the 2000s and 2010s
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In 2002, she was in the documentary film Miss America. She also appeared in the TV movie Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt in 2003. She voiced Big Mama in the video game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. She also voiced President Winters in the video game Vanquish.
In 2006, she joined James Garner and Abigail Breslin in The Ultimate Gift. In 2008, she had a small role on Wizards of Waverly Place. In 2010, she worked with Bill Cobbs again in No Limit Kids: Much Ado About Middle School.
Lee Meriwether continued to act on stage, TV, and in movies. She made guest appearances on Desperate Housewives, Hawaii Five-0, and The League. She also returned to her role as Miss Hastings in The Ultimate Life (2013). She starred in the short film Kitty. She often attends fan conventions to talk about her famous roles.
Personal Life
Lee Meriwether married Frank Aletter on April 20, 1958. They had two daughters. They divorced in 1974. On September 21, 1986, Lee Meriwether married Marshall Borden.
Awards and Nominations
- 1975: Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actress (Drama)
- 1976: Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actress (Drama)
- 1977: Nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
See also
In Spanish: Lee Meriwether para niños
