Jayne Meadows

Actress
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In her three-hour interview, Jayne Meadows (1919-2015) 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 her late 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 Steve Allen's lasting television legacy as the creator of the long-running late-night program 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, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I've Got a Secret was my favorite. The next day after the show I would go to the grocery store and the cab drivers: 'Jaynie, great show last night! How's Steve O?' It was the medium that came to every living room. Didn't matter if it was the Rockefellers or the guy who was struggling to pay the bills in the Bronx, I wasn't Miss Meadows from the movies, I was Jaynie."

People Talking About ...
Jayne Meadows
Highlights
Jayne Meadows on marrying Steve Allen and appearing on What's My Line?
05:58
Jayne Meadows on appearing on her husband's show, The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
04:22
Jayne Meadows on starring in her husband's acclaimed PBS series Meeting of Minds
06:14
Jayne Meadows on her favorite show she's worked on, I've Got a Secret
01:19
Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
03:42
Jayne Meadows on guest-starring with her husband Steve Allen on St. Elsewhere
01:54
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On her early life and influences; on her early interest in acting; on moving from China to America as a child
On deciding to become an actress; on being under contract in Hollywood; on her early stage experience

Chapter 2
On performing on Broadway; on her singing career; on her MGM feature films
On the challenges of working in live television; on becoming a panelist on I've Got a Secret and meeting Steve Allen

Chapter 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
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

Chapter 4
On the Hollywood Blacklist; on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners; on appearing on General Electric Theater
On appearing on The Steve Allen Comedy Hour; on working with her husband Steve Allen; on acting in the drama Medical Center

Chapter 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 
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
On the cancellation of Meeting of Minds; on guest-starring on St. Elsewhere and on Homicide: Life on the Street

Chapter 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
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

Chapter 7
On how she'd like to be remembered
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
Shows

Danger

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Jayne Meadows on her first professional role on television on the series Danger
03:06

Diagnosis Murder

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Jayne Meadows on appearing as a guest star on Diagnosis Murder
01:24

Fantasy Island

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Jayne Meadows on writing and starring in an episode of Fantasy Island
02:16

General Electric Theater, The

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Jayne Meadows on appearing on the General Electric Theater episode "The Man Who Thought For Himself"
05:22

Here's Lucy

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Jayne Meadows on guest-starring on an episode of Here's Lucy
02:57

High Society

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Jayne Meadows on acting in the series High Society
03:50

Homicide: Life on the Street

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Jayne Meadows on guest-starring on Homicide: Life on the Street
00:59

Honeymooners, The

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Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
03:42
Jayne Meadows on the legacy of her sister Audrey Meadows
01:57

I've Got a Secret

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Jayne Meadows on getting a job as a panelist on I've Got a Secret and meeting Steve Allen
06:38
Jayne Meadows on appearing as a panelist on I've Got A Secret and projects she turned down
07:36
Jayne Meadows on memorable moments on I've Got a Secret
04:53
Jayne Meadows on leaving I've Got a Secret for Broadway
02:28
Jayne Meadows on her favorite show on which she's worked, I've Got a Secret
01:19

Medical Center

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Jayne Meadows on appearing as "Nurse Chambers" in the series Medical Center
06:10
Jayne Meadows on Medical Center and a story about bubonic plague
01:00

Meeting of Minds

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Jayne Meadows on starring in her husband's acclaimed PBS series Meeting of Minds
06:14
Jayne Meadows on playing different historical characters on the series Meeting of Minds
09:04
Jayne Meadows on the cancellation of Meeting of Minds
01:36
Jayne Meadows on why she believes Meeting of Minds was cancelled
04:11
Jayne Meadows on the accomplishments her husband Steve Allen was most proud of and his legacy
06:03

St. Elsewhere

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Jayne Meadows on guest-starring with her husband Steve Allen on St. Elsewhere
01:58

Steve Allen Comedy Hour, The

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Jayne Meadows on appearing on her husband's show, The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
04:22

Suspense

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Jayne Meadows on appearing with Walter Matthau on Suspense
01:48

Tonight

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Jayne Meadows on the accomplishments her husband Steve Allen was most proud of and his legacy
06:03

What's My Line?

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Jayne Meadows on marrying Steve Allen and appearing on What's My Line?
05:58
Jayne Meadows on appearing on the panel of What's My Line? and on other game shows
05:22
Topics

Advice

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Jayne Meadows on advice she'd give to aspiring actors
02:17

Anthology Drama

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Jayne Meadows on the challenges of working in live television
05:00

Characters & Catchphrases

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Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
05:39

Comedy-Variety

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Jayne Meadows on the challenges of working in live television
05:00
Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
05:39

Hollywood Blacklist

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Jayne Meadows on the Hollywood Blacklist: on her sister Audrey meeting Sen. McCarthy and how Mark Goodson protected his actors
04:27
Jayne Meadows on how her sister Audrey Meadows got hired on The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason because of the Hollywood Blacklist
01:57

Industry Crossroads

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Jayne Meadows on the Quiz Show Scandals
02:26

Pop Culture

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Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
05:39

Quiz Show Scandals

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Jayne Meadows on the Quiz Show Scandals
02:26

TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

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Jayne Meadows on the challenges of working in live television
05:00
Jayne Meadows on getting a job as a panelist on I've Got a Secret and meeting Steve Allen
06:37
Jayne Meadows on being a panelist on I've Got a Secret
17:23
Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
05:39
Jayne Meadows on how television has changed since the '50s
02:05

Television Industry

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Jayne Meadows on the Quiz Show Scandals
02:26
Jayne Meadows on how television has changed since the '50s
02:05
Jayne Meadows on advice she'd give to aspiring actors
02:17
Professions

Actress

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Jayne Meadows on her early stage experience and deciding to become an actress
03:36
Jayne Meadows on playing different historical characters on the series Meeting of Minds
09:07
Jayne Meadows on advice she'd give to aspiring actors
02:17

Performers

View Profession
Jayne Meadows on her early stage experience and deciding to become an actress
03:36
Jayne Meadows on playing different historical characters on the series Meeting of Minds
09:07
Jayne Meadows on advice she'd give to aspiring actors
02:17
Genres

Comedy Series

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Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
05:39
Jayne Meadows on appearing on her husband's show, The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
04:22
Jayne Meadows on guest-starring on an episode of Here's Lucy
02:57

Game Shows

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Jayne Meadows on getting a job as a panelist on I've Got a Secret and meeting Steve Allen
06:35
Jayne Meadows on being a panelist on I've Got a Secret
17:23

Medical Dramas

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Jayne Meadows on appearing as "Nurse Chambers" in the series
06:12

Talk Shows

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Jayne Meadows on acting in and writing for Meeting of Minds
17:54
People

Audrey Meadows

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Jayne Meadows on her early singing career
03:08
Jayne Meadows on how her sister Audrey Meadows got hired on The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason because of the Hollywood Blacklist
01:57
Jayne Meadows on her sister Audrey Meadows as "Alice Kramden" on The Honeymooners
03:42
Jayne Meadows on the legacy of her sister Audrey Meadows
01:51
Jayne Meadows on working with her sister Audrey Meadows
01:56

Bill Cullen

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Jayne Meadows on appearing as a panelist on I've Got A Secret and projects she turned down
07:36

Bill Todman

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Jayne Meadows on appearing as a panelist on I've Got A Secret and projects she turned down
07:36

Ed Sullivan

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Jayne Meadows on Ed Sullivan and his problems with Steve Allen, and forming a New York branch of The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
02:35

Garry Moore

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Jayne Meadows on appearing as a panelist on I've Got A Secret and projects she turned down
07:36

Jean Smart

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Jayne Meadows on acting in the series High Society
03:50

Leslie Moonves

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Jayne Meadows on acting in the series High Society
03:49

Lucille Ball

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Jayne Meadows on guest-starring on an episode of Here's Lucy
02:59

Mark Goodson

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Jayne Meadows on appearing as a panelist on I've Got A Secret and projects she turned down
07:36

Milton Berle

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Jayne Meadows on the accomplishments her husband Steve Allen was most proud of and his legacy
06:05

Pert Kelton

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Jayne Meadows on how her sister Audrey Meadows got hired on The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason because of the Hollywood Blacklist
01:57

Ricardo Montalban

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Jayne Meadows on writing and starring in an episode of Fantasy Island
02:16

Sid Caesar

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Jayne Meadows on the accomplishments her husband Steve Allen was most proud of and his legacy
06:05

Steve Allen

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Jayne Meadows on getting a job as a panelist on I've Got a Secret and meeting Steve Allen
06:37
Jayne Meadows on appearing on her husband's show, The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
04:22
Jayne Meadows on appearing on the General Electric Theater episode "The Man Who Thought For Himself"
05:22
Jayne Meadows on working with her husband Steve Allen
04:22
Jayne Meadows on starring in her husband's acclaimed PBS series Meeting of Minds
06:14
Jayne Meadows on playing different historical characters on the series Meeting of Minds
09:07
Jayne Meadows on guest-starring with her husband Steve Allen on St. Elsewhere
01:54
Jayne Meadows on the physical qualities of her husband Steve Allen
02:15

Walter Matthau

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Jayne Meadows on appearing with Walter Matthau on Suspense
01:48

All Interviews

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