Sheila MacRae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheila MacRae
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MacRae in 1974
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| Born |
Sheila Margaret Stephens
24 September 1921 London, England, UK
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| Died | 6 March 2014 (aged 92) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Other names | Sheila Margaret Stevens |
| Occupation | Actress, producer, singer |
| Years active | 1950–1993 |
| Spouse(s) |
Gordon MacRae
(m. 1941; div. 1967)Ronald Wayne
(m. 1967; div. 1970) |
| Children | 4; including Heather MacRae and Meredith MacRae |
Sheila MacRae was a talented actress, singer, and dancer. She was born in England but later became an American citizen. She was well-known for her roles in movies and on television.
Becoming an Actress
Sheila Margaret Stephens was born in London, England, in 1921. When she was 18, in 1939, she moved with her parents to Long Island, New York. This happened just before World War II began. She finished high school when she was 15 years old.
She became a naturalized United States citizen in California on March 20, 1959. This meant she officially became a citizen of the U.S.
Her Acting Career
Sheila MacRae appeared in several movies early in her career. These included films like Caged and Backfire, both from 1950.
Television Roles
Sheila MacRae also appeared on popular TV shows. She played herself in an episode of the famous show I Love Lucy. In this episode, called "The Fashion Show," she asked the character Lucy to be part of a fashion show in Hollywood. This show was put together by Don Loper and featured the wives of actors as models.
Her most famous TV role was playing Alice Kramden on The Jackie Gleason Show. She took on this role from 1966 to 1970, appearing in 52 episodes. She was the second actress to play Alice Kramden, taking over from Audrey Meadows. After this, she had her own short TV show called The Sheila MacRae Show. Later, in 1991, she played Madelyn Richmond on the long-running soap opera General Hospital.
Family Life
In 1941, Sheila married actor and singer Gordon MacRae. They often performed together on stage in musicals. Some of their shows included Bells Are Ringing in 1964 and Guys and Dolls. In Guys and Dolls, Sheila played the character Miss Adelaide, even taking the role to Broadway in 1965.
Sheila and Gordon had four children together. Their two daughters, Heather and Meredith MacRae, also became actresses. They also had two sons, William Gordon MacRae and Robert Bruce MacRae. Sadly, one of her daughters, Meredith, passed away before Sheila did. Sheila and Gordon divorced in 1967.
Later, Sheila married Ronald Wayne, who was a television producer.
Later Years
Sheila MacRae passed away on March 6, 2014, in Englewood, New Jersey. She was 92 years old. She died peacefully from natural causes.
