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Jayne Meadows Biography (1920?-)

Original name, Jayne Cotter; born September 27, 1920 (some sources cite 1926), in Wu-ch'ang (now Wuchang), China; daughter of Francis James Meadows Cotter(an Episcopal priest and missionary) and Ida (a missionary; maiden name, Miller) Cotter; sister of Audrey Meadows (an actress); married Steve Allen (an actor, comedian, composer, and writer), July 31, 1954 (died, October 20, 2000); children: William Christopher Allen. Addresses: Publicist: Kevin Sasaki, Warren Cowan and Associates Public Relations, 8899 Beverly Blvd., Suite919, Los Angeles, CA 90048.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress, writer

Birth Details

September 27, 1920?

Wu-ch'ang, China

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Panelist, I've Got a Secret, CBS, 1952-1959
• The Steve Allen Show (also known as The Steve Allen Plymouth Show), NBC, 1956-1961, ABC, 1961
• Lynn Allen, a recurring role, Man and the Challenge, NBC, 1959-1960
• The Art Linkletter Show, NBC, 1963
• The Steve Allen Comedy Hour, CBS, 1967
• Nurse Chambers, Medical Center, CBS, 1969-1972
• Steve Allen's Laugh-Back, syndicated, 1976
• Multiple roles, Meeting of Minds (also known as Steve Allen's Meeting of Minds), PBS, 1977-1981
• Ruth Long, It's Not Easy, ABC, 1983
• Alice Morgan-DuPont-Sutting-Cushing-Ferruke, High Society, CBS, 1995-1996
• Miniseries
• Queen of Hearts, Alice in Wonderland (musical; also known as Alice through the Looking Glass), CBS, 1985
• Movies
• Ida, Now You See It, Now You Don't, NBC, 1968
• Reva Randall, James Dean (also known as The Legend), NBC, 1976
• Irma Caddish, Sex and the Married Woman, NBC, 1977
• Herself, The Gossip Columnist, syndicated, 1979
• Gertrude Hunnicutt, Miss All-American Beauty, CBS, 1982
• Herself, The Ratings Game (also known as The Mogul), The Movie Channel, 1984
• Matilda Hussey, A Masterpiece of Murder (also known as A Nice Deadly Weekend), NBC, 1986
• Charlotte Brink, "Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon" (also known as "ParentTrap IV: Hawaiian Honeymoon"), The Magical World of Disney, NBC, 1989
• Specials
• Anna Ella Carroll, "Woman with a Sword," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1952
• Mistress of ceremonies, Miss Universe Pageant, CBS, 1960
• Mistress of ceremonies, Miss Universe Pageant, 1961
• Rita, "Have I Got a Christmas Present for You," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1977
• The 38th Annual Emmy Awards, NBC, 1986
• Grand marshal, The 54th Annual King Orange Jamboree Parade, NBC, 1987
• Lifetime Salutes Mom, Lifetime, 1987
• The Hollywood Christmas Parade, syndicated, 1989
• Judge, The 1990 Miss Universe Pageant, CBS, 1990
• Night of 100 Stars III (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), NBC, 1990
• Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth 2, HBO, 1992
• Addicted to Fame, NBC, 1994
• James Dean: A Portrait, 1996
• Love, Lust, & Marriage: Why We Stray and Why We Stay, ABC, 1997
• Steve Allen's 75th Birthday Celebration, PBS, 1997
• The 67th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, UPN, 1998
• Episodic
• "Eva? Caroline?," Robert Montgomery Presents (also known as Robert Montgomery Presents Your Lucky Strike Theatre), NBC, 1952
• "Indian Summer," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1952
• "Love Trap," Danger, CBS, 1952
• "Melville Goodwin, U.S.A.," Pulitzer Prize Playhouse, ABC, 1952
• "End of the Line," The Web, CBS, 1953
• "Five Minutes to Die," Danger, CBS, 1953
• "Flamingto," Danger, CBS, 1953
• Suspense, CBS, 1953
• Guest, The Tonight Show, NBC, between 1953 and 1956
• Guest, The Arthur Godfrey Show, CBS, 1954
• Guest, The Jackie Gleason Show, CBS, 1954
• Guest, Your Show of Shows, NBC, 1954
• The Chesterfield Hour, CBS, 1954
• "The Old Maid," Kraft Television Theatre, ABC, 1954
• Guest panelist, What's My Line?, CBS, multiple appearances, between 1954 and 1967
• Alice, "The Sport," Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre (alsoknown as The Jane Wyman Show), NBC, 1955
• Cora, "Red Gulch," The U.S. Steel Hour, ABC, 1955
• Guest, The Dorsey Brothers, NBC, 1955
• Leslie Abbott, "The Drop of a Hat," Studio One, CBS, 1956
• "Steve Allen," This Is Your Life, NBC, 1958
• Guest, The Arthur Murray Show, NBC, 1958, 1959
• Liza Vincent, "Top Executive," The Ann Sothern Show, CBS, 1959
• Jean Fletcher, "The Man Who Thought for Himself," General Electric Theater, CBS, 1960
• Guest, The Red Skelton Show, CBS, 1960, 1963
• Celebrity guest, I've Got a Secret, CBS, 1961
• Myra, "Seven Keys to Baldpate," The DuPont Show of the Week, NBC,1962
• Guest, Password, CBS, 1962, 1964, 1965
• Guest, The Judy Garland Show, CBS, 1964
• Mrs. Bredan, "Does My Mother Have to Know?: Parts 1 & 2," The Eleventh Hour, NBC, 1964
• Guest, The Milton Berle Show, ABC, multiple appearances, 1965
• Guest, The Hollywood Palace, ABC, 1968, 1969, 1970
• Eleanor, "Next Week, East Lynne," Here Come the Brides, ABC, 1969
• Lil, "Through a Stained Glass Window," The Outsider, NBC, 1969
• Guest, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, CBS, 1969
• Laura Trenton, "Lucy Stops a Marriage," Here's Lucy, CBS, 1970
• "Love and the Many Married Couple," Love, American Style, ABC, 1970
• Ida Huntington, "Harbor Division," Adam-12, NBC, 1973
• Guest, $10,000 Pyramid, 1974
• Guest, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1974
• Guest, Vaudeville, syndicated, 1974
• Myrna Foster, "The Business of Love/Crash Diet Crisis/I'll Never Fall inLove Again," The Love Boat, ABC, 1978
• Jessica Humboldt, "Sign of the Ram," Hawaii Five-0, CBS, 1979
• Marlene Baker, "Sighting 4026: The Atlantic Queen Incident," Project U.F.O., NBC, 1979
• Nadine Winslow, "Cowboy/The Second Mrs. Winslow," Fantasy Island,ABC, 1979
• "The Cheerleaders/Marooned," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1979
• Edwina Garth, "Til Life Us Do Part," Trapper John, M.D., CBS, 1980
• (As Jayne Meadows Allen) Gertrude Benson, "Dumb Luck/Tres Amigos/Hey, Jealous Lover," The Love Boat, ABC, 1980
• Contessa, "Night in the Harem/Druids," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1981
• Gwen Finley, "April in Boston/Saving Grace/Breaks of Life," The Love Boat, ABC, 1982
• Melissa, "Cause for Concern," Trapper John, M.D., CBS, 1982
• Holly Harkins, "The Beverly Hills Social Club," Matt Houston, ABC,1983
• "Naughty Marietta/The Winning Ticket," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1983
• "What's the Matter with Kids?/Island of Horrors," Fantasy Island,ABC, 1983
• Mrs. Tate, "Soap Gets in Your Eyes/A Match Made in Heaven/Tugs of the Heart," The Love Boat, ABC, 1984
• (As Allen) Fran Clark, "Detours," Hotel, ABC, 1985
• Lila Lee Amberson, "Murder by Appointment Only," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1986
• Rosie, Crazy Like a Fox, CBS, 1986
• Olga Osoranski, "Russian Roulette," St. Elsewhere, NBC, 1987
• Olga Osoranski, "Visiting Daze," St. Elsewhere, NBC, 1987
• Olga Osoranski, "The Abby Singer Show," St. Elsewhere, NBC, 1988
• Uncle Buck, CBS, 1990
• Lady Astute, "Despair in Monterey Bay," Mathnet segment, SquareOne TV, PBS, 1991
• Herself, "The Triumph of DeVille," Civil Wars, ABC, 1992
• (As Allen) Ida Benbow, "A Kick in the Caboose," Sisters, NBC, 1993
• Herself, "Steve Allen: Hi-Ho, Steverino!," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1994
• Marianne, "Daddyshack," Tom, CBS, 1994
• Herself, "No Muse Is Good Muse," The Nanny, CBS, 1997
• Mrs. Cochran, "Shaggy Dog, City Goat," Homicide: Life on the Street (also known as Homicide and H: LOTS), NBC, 1998
• Guest, TVography, Arts and Entertainment, c. 1998
• Connie Masters, "The Roast," Diagnosis Murder, CBS, 1999
• "The Honeymooners," Inside TV Land, TV Land, 2000
• Herself, "Jackie Gleason: The Great One," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
• Herself, "Tribute to Katharine Hepburn," Larry King Live, Cable News Network, 2003
• Appeared in Dr. Kildare, NBC; Matlock, NBC and ABC; appeared as a guest in several talk shows and variety programs.
• Pilots
• Ruth, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, ABC, 1980
• Mrs. Moffett, Rise and Shine, CBS, 1981
• Voice of Mrs. St. Fawn, The Jackie Bison Show (animated short pilot), NBC, 1990
• Film Appearances
• Sylvia Burton, Undercurrent, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1946
• Janet Thayar Brant, Song of the Thin Man, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1947
• Mildred Haveland, Lady in the Lake, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1947
• Mrs. Selkirk, Dark Delusion (also known as Cynthia's Secret), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1947
• Frances Augur, The Luck of the Irish, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1948
• Selina Dane, Enchantment, RKO Radio Pictures, 1948
• Michal, David and Bathsheba, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1951
• Nurse Jane Adams, The Fat Man, Universal, 1951
• Panelist, It Happened to Jane (also known as Jane from Maine and Twinkle and Shine), Sony Pictures Releasing, 1959
• Betty Duquesne, College Confidential (also known as Campus Confidential), MCA/Universal, 1960
• Adele Hobart, Norman ... Is That You?, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1976
• Mrs. Thomas, Da Capo, Adams Filmi, 1985
• Pamela, Murder by Numbers (also known as Murder 1, Murder 2), Video Ban, 1990
• Voice of Mitch's mother, City Slickers, Columbia, 1991
• Herself, The Player, Fine Line, 1992
• It's Not My Fault, 1992
• Mitch's mother, City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (alsoknown as City Slickers: The Legend of Curly's Gold and City Slickers II), Columbia, 1994
• Herself, Casino, Universal, 1995
• Dot, The Story of Us, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, 1999
• Stage Appearances
• Millicent Cornish, Spring Again, Henry Miller's Theatre, New YorkCity, 1941-1942, then Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1942
• Another Love Story, Fulton Theatre, New York City, 1943-1944
• The Odds on Mrs. Oakley, 1944
• Gwynneth, Kiss Them for Me, Belasco Theatre, New York City, then Fulton Theatre, both 1945
• Many Happy Returns, Playhouse Theatre, 1945
• Nell Nash, The Gazebo, Playwrights' Company, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1958-1959
• The Four Poster, Chicago, IL, 1960
• Helen Hobart, Once in a Lifetime, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1977, then Circle in the Square, New York City, 1978
• Lost in Yonkers, 1990
• Night of 100 Stars III (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1990
• Also appeared in Hello from Bertha, Los Angeles production.
• Major Tours
• Over 21, U.S. army camps in the United States and Bermuda, 1944
• Tonight at 8:30, U.S. cities, 1970-1971
• Melissa Gardner, Love Letters, U.S. cities, 1989-2000
• Toured in the solo show Powerful Women in History.
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Everything You Wanted to Know about Computers, c. 1984
• Other albums include Alice in Wonderland, For Children Only, and Shakin' Loose with Mother Goose. Also recorded with sister Audrey Meadows as the Meadows Sisters, RCA Victor.
• Singles
• (With Steve Allen) "What Is a Husband?"/"What Is a Wife," Dot, 1956
• WRITINGS
• Teleplays
• (With others) Meeting of Minds (series; also known as Steve Allen's Meeting of Minds), PBS, 1977-1981
• (Story) "What's the Matter with Kids?/Island of Horrors," Fantasy Island (episodic), ABC, 1983
• Stage Plays
• Author of The Eternal Bed, Stop-Gap Theatre, Los Angeles.
• Columns for Periodicals
• Author of a column for Carte Blanche.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Kennedy, Harold K., No Pickle, No Performance: An Irreverent Theatrical Excursion from Tallulah to Travolta, Doubleday, 1978

Periodicals

• Reader's Digest, July, 1988, p. 129

Electronic

• Jayne Meadows Official Site, http://www.jaynemeadows.com, September 5, 2004