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Jayne Meadows
Actress
About This Interview
In her three-hour Archive interview, Jayne Meadows talks about her early years growing up in China where her parents were missionaries. She speaks about her move to the United States and breaking into show business in New York City. She describes her work in television on various live anthology dramas and elaborates on her appearances as a celebrity panelist on several game shows, including I've Got A Secret, on which she was a regular from 1952-59. Meadows outlines her professional work with husband Steve Allen on the acclaimed PBS series Meeting of Minds and recalls numerous television appearances they made as a couple (including guest spots on Fantasy Island and St. Elsewhere). She chronicles her late husband Steve Allen's lasting television legacy as the creator of the long running The Tonight Show. Additionally, she discusses the life and career of her sister Audrey Meadows, who played "Alice Kramden" on the classic series The Honeymooners. Jim Colucci conducted the interview on May 20, 2005 in Encino, California.
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Video clip: Watch Jayne Meadows as the mystery guest on What's My Line?:
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Highlights
Jayne Meadows on marrying Steve Allen and appearing on What's My Line?
Clip begins at: 17:24, Duration: 05m 58s
Jayne Meadows on appearing on her husband's show, The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
Clip begins at: 13:38, Duration: 04m 21s
Jayne Meadows on starring in her husband's acclaimed PBS series Meeting of Minds
Clip begins at: 06:30, Duration: 06m 14s
Jayne Meadows on her favorite show she's worked on, I've Got a Secret
Clip begins at: 15:23, Duration: 01m 19s- Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
Clip begins at: 04:33, Duration: 03m 42s
Interview
- Part 1
- On her early life and influences; on her early interest in acting; on moving from China to America as a child
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On deciding to become an actress; on being under contract in Hollywood; on her early stage experience
Clip begins at: 16:40 - Part 2
- On performing on Broadway; on her singing career; on her MGM feature films
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On the challenges of working in live television; on becoming a panelist on I've Got a Secret and meeting Steve Allen
Clip begins at: 13:37 - Part 3
- On appearing as a panelist on I've Got a Secret; on memorable moments on I've Got a Secret and leaving the show
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On marrying Steve Allen; on appearing as a panelist and mystery guest on What's My Line?; on various other game shows on which she appeared
Clip begins at: 17:24 - Part 4
- On the Hollywood Blacklist; on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners; on appearing on General Electric Theater
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On appearing on The Steve Allen Comedy Hour; on working with her husband Steve Allen; on acting in the drama Medical Center
Clip begins at: 13:37 - Part 5
- On appearing as a regular on Medical Center and guest-starring on Here's Lucy; on playing a gossip columnist in the made-for-television movie James Dean
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On creating and acting on the acclaimed PBS series Meeting of Minds with her husband Steve Allen; on the challenges of playing different historical characters on Meeting of Minds
Clip begins at: 06:30 - On the cancellation of Meeting of Minds; on guest-starring on St. Elsewhere and on Homicide: Life on the Street
Clip begins at: 22:48 - Part 6
- On the cancellation of Meeting of Minds; on appearing in the series High Society and as a guest star on Diagnosis Murder; on her retirement and advice to aspiring actors
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On I've Got a Secret being the favorite show on which she's worked; on how television has changed since the '50s; on the legacies of her husband Steve Allen and her sister Audrey Meadows
Clip begins at: 13:35 - Part 7
- On how she'd like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 0:0 - B-roll of pictures from her career - with Lloyd Nolan on the set of "Lady in the Lake"; on the set of "Lady in the Lake"; on the set of I've Got a Secret; the panel of I've Got a Secret with Faye Emerson, Bill Cullen and Henry Morgan; the panel of I've Got a Secret; on the set of Person to Person with Edward R. Murrow; Steve Allen in a nightclub; doing the "baby nurse" sketch with Audrey Meadows and Steve Allen; with Jackie Gleason at his birthday party; with Ed Sullivan; at the premiere of "The Benny Goodman Story" with Steve Allen; with Steve Allen, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme in Hollywood; Steve Allen with Elvis Presley; as "Margaret Sanger" on Meeting of Minds; as "Cleopatra" on Meeting of Minds; on the set of Meeting of Minds as "Marie Antoinette"; on the set of St. Elsewhere with Jennifer Savage, Steve Allen, Tom Poston and Louis Nye; with Steve Allen on stage; on the set of Steve Allen's Music Room with Steve Allen
Clip begins at: 01:50
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Professions
Jayne Meadows....thank you so much for this wonderful visit! You not only enlightened me to the what the early years in television were like, but you gave me a first row seat to your very own story and your wonderful success. Thank you for allowing me into a small part of Audrey's career and sharing your most intimate thoughts about her. Thank you for including Steve as well....your honesty and love for him was quite evident. Allow me to also say, he was a very lucky man to have you in his life.
Well spoken, full of good humor, full of spark and simply delightful in every way....Mrs Allen you're quite a lady. It's been an honor :)
Jeramy ,
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Jsinopoli@live.com
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