Jayne Meadows biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Actress Jayne Cotter, better known as Jayne Meadows, was born on September 27, 1920, in Wu-ch’ang, China. Intelligent and funny, Jayne Meadows is a versatile actress who has appeared in both dramatic and comedic roles. While she is often best known as the wife of comedian Steve Allen, she has had a long and varied career, including serving as a longtime panelist on the popular 1950s television quiz show, I’ve Got a Secret, and playing a leading role on the dramatic series Medical Center.

One of four children born to missionary parents, Meadows spent her early years in China. Later, after returning to the United States with her family, she started her theatrical career while in her teens and made her Broadway debut in Spring Again in 1941. Two years later, Meadows had another Broadway role in the comedy Another Love Story.

Entry into Showbiz

Making the leap to the big screen, Meadows first appeared in the noir thriller Undercurrent (1946) with Katharine Hepburn and Robert Mitchum. She tackled another thriller, Lady in the Lake (1947), this time with Robert Montgomery and appeared in The Song of the Thin Man (1947), with William Powell and Myrna Loy. She also recorded some records with her younger sister, Audrey, as the Meadows Sisters. But she found her greatest acclaim for her work on the small screen.

From 1952 to 1959, Meadows appeared as a panelist on I’ve Got a Secret. The show featured four panelists who tried to guess the contestant’s secret by asking him or her questions. This format showcased Meadows’ wit and intelligence. During her long run on the show, the bright redhead met and fell in love with comedian Steve Allen. When they first met, Meadows was recovering from a bad breakup while Allen was still married to his first wife, as the couple told the Los Angeles Times in 1995. He got divorced and the two married in 1954. It was a wondrous partnership with the two often working together.

Allen, the original host of what is now called The Tonight Show, had his own self-titled comedy series and Meadows made several guest appearances on his program in the late 1950s. She also had roles on a slew of other programs such as General Electric Theater and Studio One. Also around this time, Meadows returned to Broadway to star in the popular comedy, The Gazebo.

Television Roles

In the late 1960s, Meadows showed television audiences her dramatic side.