Editing Lee Meriwether

{{short description|American actress and former model}}
{{For|the author|Lee Meriwether (author)}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Lee Meriwether
| image              = Lee Meriwether 2008.png
| caption            = Meriwether in 2008
| birth_name         = Lee Ann Meriwether
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1935|5|27}}
| birth_place        = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| alma_mater         = [[City College of San Francisco]]
| known_for          = ''[[Barnaby Jones]]''<br>''[[Batman (1966 film)|Batman]]''<br>''[[The Time Tunnel]]''
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actress}}
| years_active       = 1954–2020
| title              = Miss San Francisco 1954<br />[[Miss California]] 1954<br />[[Miss America]] 1955
| predecessor        = [[Evelyn Margaret Ay]]
| successor          = [[Sharon Ritchie]]
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[Frank Aletter]]|1958|1974|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Marshall Borden|1986}}
}}
| children           = 2
| website            = {{URL|leemeriwether.com}}
}}
'''Lee Ann Meriwether''' (born May 27, 1935)<ref>{{Cite news|title=Almanac|author=|date=May 27, 2023|work=The Dubuque Telegraph-Herald|page=A3|quote=Today's Birthdays: Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is 100. Author John Barth is 93. '''Actor Lee Meriwether is 88.''' Actor Louis Gossett Jr. is 87.|id={{ProQuest|2820801879}}}}  See also:
*{{Cite news|title=Almanac|author=|date=May 27, 1988|work=The Hartford Courant|page=C6|quote=Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is 65. '''Actress Lee Meriwether is 53.''' Actor Louis Gossett Jr. is 52.|id={{ProQuest|1469627269}}}}</ref> is an American actress and the winner of the [[Miss America 1955|1955 Miss America]] pageant. She has appeared in many films and television shows, notably as Betty Jones, the title character's secretary and daughter-in-law in the 1970s [[Crime film|crime drama]] ''[[Barnaby Jones]]'' starring [[Buddy Ebsen]]. The role earned her two [[Golden Globe Award]] nominations in 1975 and 1976, and an [[Emmy Award]] nomination in 1977. She is also known for her portrayal of [[Catwoman]], replacing [[Julie Newmar]] in the theatrical film ''[[Batman (1966 film)|Batman]]'' (1966), and for a co-starring role on the [[science-fiction]] series ''[[The Time Tunnel]]''. Meriwether had a recurring role as [[List of All My Children characters#M|Ruth Martin]] on the daytime [[soap opera]] ''[[All My Children]]'' until the end of the series in September 2011.

==Early life==

Meriwether was born in [[Los Angeles]], California, to Claudius Gregg Meriwether and Ethel Eve Mulligan. She has one brother, Don Brett Meriwether. She grew up in San Francisco after the family moved there from [[Phoenix, Arizona]]. She attended [[George Washington High School (San Francisco)|George Washington High School]], where one of her classmates was [[Johnny Mathis]]. She later attended [[City College of San Francisco]], where one of her classmates was fellow actor [[Bill Bixby]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bergman |first1=Julia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H-iKPb5rKzwC&q=bixby |title=City College of San Francisco: The Campus History Series |last2=Mathes |first2=Valerie Sherer |last3=White |first3=Austin |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4396-2526-2 |location=Charleston, South Carolina |page=X |language=en-us |access-date=2021-10-06}}</ref>

After winning Miss San Francisco, Meriwether won [[Miss California]] 1954,<ref name="mscahist">{{cite web |publisher=[[Miss California]] |title=Miss California History |url=http://www.misscalifornia.org/miss-california/history/ |access-date=August 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013082256/https://www.misscalifornia.org/miss-california/history/ |archive-date=October 13, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> then was crowned [[Miss America]] in 1955 with her recital of a [[John Millington Synge]] [[monologue]]. She then appeared that Sunday on ''[[What's My Line?]]'', hosted by [[John Charles Daly]] (who also emceed the pageant that year).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7WX18IhR4k | title=What's My Line? - Lee Meriwether; Alfred Hitchcock (Sep 12, 1954) | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref> Following her reign as Miss America, she joined the ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'' show.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://movies.nytimes.com/person/48556/Lee-Meriwether/biography| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102222807/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/48556/Lee-Meriwether/biography|url-status=dead| archive-date=November 2, 2012| department=Movies & TV Dept.| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| first=Hal| last=Erickson| author-link=Hal Erickson (author)| year=2012| title=Lee Meriwether Biography| access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref>

An August 1, 1956, international news [[wirephoto]] of Meriwether and [[Joe DiMaggio]] announced their engagement. According to DiMaggio biographer Richard Ben Cramer, however, it was a rumor started by [[Walter Winchell]].<ref name="cramer">{{cite book| last=Cramer| first=Richard Ben| title=Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life| pages=[https://archive.org/details/joedimaggioheros00cram/page/376 376–378]| publisher=Simon and Schuster| location=New York| date=May 2000| isbn=978-0-6848-5391-8| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/joedimaggioheros00cram/page/376}}</ref>

==Career==

===1950s===
Meriwether was a "Today Girl" on NBC's ''[[Today (American TV program)|The Today Show]]'' from 1955 to 1956. Her [[feature film|feature-film]] debut came in 1959 as Linda Davis in ''[[4D Man]]'', starring [[Robert Lansing (actor)|Robert Lansing]]. She appears in ''[[The Phil Silvers Show]]'' episode, "Cyrano de Bilko".
[[File:Lee Meriwether - Studio portrait (1955).png|thumb|upright|left|Publicity photo for ''[[Today (American TV program)|The Today Show]]'' (1955)]]

===1960s===
In 1961, Meriwether guest-starred once as Gloria in the episode "Buddy and the Amazon" on her first husband's ([[Frank Aletter]]) one-season [[CBS]] [[sitcom]], ''[[Bringing Up Buddy]]''. She also appeared in ''[[Leave It To Beaver]]'' episode "Community Chest" in season four. In 1962, she was cast as Martha Elweiss in the episode "My Child Is Yet a Stranger" on the CBS [[anthology series]], ''[[The Lloyd Bridges Show]]''. She played Nurse Dickens in a 1962 episode of the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] sitcom, ''[[I'm Dickens, He's Fenster]]''. From 1963 to 1965, she was cast in different roles in eight episodes of the [[NBC]] medical drama, ''[[Dr. Kildare (TV series)|Dr. Kildare]]''. In 1964, she played the character Jeanelle in "This Is Going to Hurt Me More Than It Hurts You" on the CBS adventure series, ''[[Route 66 (TV series)|Route 66]]''. In 1965, she appeared in an episode on ''[[The Jack Benny Program]]'' as the Secretary. In a 1965 episode of ''[[12 O'Clock High (TV series)|12 O'Clock High]]'', "Mutiny at Ten Thousand Feet", she played Lieutenant Amy Patterson, and in the episodes "The Idolator" (also 1965) and "The Outsider" (1966), she played Captain Phyllis Vincent. She also guest-starred in the season-two episode "Big Brother". She was a regular on the single season, science-fiction, television series ''[[The Time Tunnel]]'' with [[James Darren]] and [[Robert Colbert]] in 1966–1967.
[[File:Lee Meriwether The Time Tunnel.jpg|thumb|upright|Meriwether in a publicity photo for ''[[The Time Tunnel]]'' (1966)]]

[[File:Catwoman Lee Meriwether 1966.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Meriwether as Catwoman in the film ''Batman'' (1966) replacing [[Julie Newmar]], who originated the role in the television series.]]
Meriwether appeared as Dr. Egret on the NBC series, ''[[The Man from U.N.C.L.E.]]'' ("The Mad, Mad Tea Party", 1965) and in an episode of ''[[Hazel (TV series)|Hazel]]'' ("How to Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Minutes", also 1965) she played Miss Wilson, the owner of an exercise studio. Meriwether portrayed [[Catwoman]] for the ''[[Batman (1966 film)|Batman]]'' movie (1966), and also appeared in two episodes of the ''Batman'' TV series in 1967 as Lisa Carson, a love interest to Bruce Wayne in the episodes "King Tut's Coup" and "Batman's Waterloo". In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she had guest-starring roles in numerous TV series, including ''[[The Fugitive (1963 TV series)|The Fugitive]]'', ''[[Mannix]]'', ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' episode "[[That Which Survives]]" (1969), ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' episodes #245 "The Case of the Cheating Chancellor" and "The Case of the Frustrated Folksinger" (both 1965), and the ''[[F Troop]]'' episode "O'Rourke vs. O'Reilly".

In films, Meriwether joined [[John Wayne]] and [[Rock Hudson]] for ''[[The Undefeated (1969 film)|The Undefeated]]'',<ref name="King latimes">{{cite news |last=King |first=Susan |date=August 19, 2013 |title=There she is .... Lee Meriwether |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-xpm-2013-aug-19-la-et-st-lee-meriwether-classic-hollywood-20130819-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> and Andy Griffith in ''[[Angel in My Pocket]]'' (both 1969).<ref>{{cite news |last=Michalski |first=Jennifer |date=December 13, 2013 |title=Where Are They Now: The 22 Most Influential Former Beauty Queens |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/beauty-pageant-queens-where-are-they-now-2013-12 |journal=[[Business Insider]] |access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> In the same year as those two films, she played IMF spy Tracey in six ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' episodes during season four after [[Barbara Bain]]'s departure.

===1970s===
[[File:Andy Griffith Lee Meriwether 1971.JPG|thumb|upright|Meriwether co-starred in two productions with [[Andy Griffith]]: the movie ''[[Angel in My Pocket]]'' (1968) and the short-lived sitcom ''[[The New Andy Griffith Show]]'' (1971). ]]
Meriwether began her award-nominated role as secretary and daughter-in-law Betty Jones in the 1973&ndash;1980 CBS series ''[[Barnaby Jones]]'', opposite [[Buddy Ebsen]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fakuda |first1=Eiko |last2=Gritten |first2=David |date=September 22, 1980 |title=Lee Meriwether Lost 'Barnaby' but Gained a Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze |url=https://people.com/archive/lee-meriwether-lost-barnaby-but-gained-a-daring-young-man-on-the-flying-trapeze-vol-14-no-12/ |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> During the series' eight-year run, she enjoyed an on- and off-screen chemistry with the elder Ebsen.<ref name="King latimes" /> During the series' run, she was reunited with her former classmate and best friend Bill Bixby during one episode. After her stint on ''Barnaby Jones'', Meriwether became best friends with Ebsen, keeping in touch for many years until his death on July 6, 2003. She starred in the 1978 television movies ''[[True Grit: A Further Adventure]]'' with [[Warren Oates]] as Rooster Cogburn and ''[[Cruise Into Terror]]'' with an all-star ensemble cast, appeared on ''[[Circus of the Stars]]'' four times, and was a regular panelist on the [[game show]] ''[[Match Game]]''.

===1980s===
Meriwether portrayed [[Lily Munster]] in the 1988–1991 revival of the 1960s television sitcom ''[[The Munsters]]'', titled ''[[The Munsters Today]]'', in which she starred alongside [[Jason Marsden]], [[John Schuck]], [[Howard Morton]], and [[Hilary Van Dyke]].<ref name="King latimes"/> She also made several guest appearances on ''[[The Love Boat]]'' and ''[[Fantasy Island]]''.

===1990s===
In the 1990s, she appeared as herself on an episode of ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]''. In 1993, she guest starred on ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'', episode "Ship of Thieves". In 1996, Meriwether took over for [[Mary Fickett]] in the role of [[Ruth Martin (AMC)|Ruth Martin]] on the [[soap opera]] ''[[All My Children]]'', Fickett having played the role since its inception in 1970.<ref>{{cite news |last=Noland |first=Claire |date=September 12, 2011 |title=Mary Fickett dies at 83; longtime actress on 'All My Children' |url=https://www.latimes.com/health/la-xpm-2011-sep-12-la-me-mary-fickett-20110912-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> After 26 years, Fickett wanted to go into semiretirement as a recurring cast member. Negotiations with the network broke down and Meriwether was cast as Ruth Martin. In 1998, ABC deemed that they were at an impasse with Meriwether's agents and Mary Fickett was brought back as a recurring cast member. Fickett retired again, this time for good in December 2000. ABC decided to bring back the character of Ruth Martin in 2002, but Fickett remained in retirement. Meriwether was hence brought back and remained a featured recurring performer on the show until it ended.

===2000s===
[[File:Lee Meriwether 2005 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Meriwether in 2005]]
In 2002, she appeared in the documentary film ''[[Miss America (2002 film)|Miss America]]''. In 2003, Meriwether appeared in the TV-Movie ''[[Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt]]''. She also appeared [[off-Broadway]] in the interactive comedy, ''Grandma Sylvia's Funeral''. She voiced [[EVA (Metal Gear)|Big Mama]] in the video game ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]]'' for the [[PlayStation 3]]. She also appears in one of the game's opening videos as a talkshow host having an interview with [[David Hayter]], who voices [[Solid Snake]] in the game.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hanson |first=Ben |date=February 28, 2014 |title=Channeling Creativity: The Story Behind Metal Gear Solid 4's Intro |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/02/28/the-story-behind-metal-gear-solid-4-39-s-bizarre-intro.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304080319/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/02/28/the-story-behind-metal-gear-solid-4-39-s-bizarre-intro.aspx |url-status=live |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> In 2006, she joined [[James Garner]], [[Abigail Breslin]], [[Bill Cobbs]], and others in ''[[The Ultimate Gift]]''. In 2008, Meriwether had a brief cameo as comic-book character Battle Diva in the episode "Harper Knows" of the [[Disney Channel]] original series ''[[Wizards of Waverly Place]]''. In 2010, she was once again reunited on screen with Hollywood veteran Bill Cobbs in ''[[No Limit Kids: Much Ado About Middle School]]''. She voices President Winters in the video game ''[[Vanquish (video game)|Vanquish]]'' by PlatinumGames.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kellams |first=J. P. |date=October 25, 2010 |title=Narrative Design in Vanquish |url=http://platinumgames.com/2010/10/25/narrative-design-in-vanquish/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905235422/http://platinumgames.com/2010/10/25/narrative-design-in-vanquish/ |archive-date=September 5, 2014 |access-date=August 21, 2014 |website=[[PlatinumGames]]}}</ref>

===2010s===
Meriwether continued to work on stage, television, game voice-overs, and feature films. She has made guest appearances on ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'', ''[[Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]'', ''[[The League]]'', and ''[[Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23]]''. Most recently, she revisited her role as Miss Hastings in the sequel/prequel to ''The Ultimate Gift'', ''The Ultimate Life ''(2013), directed by [[Michael Landon Jr.]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Scheck |first=Frank |date=September 5, 2013 |title=The Ultimate Life: Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/ultimate-life-film-review-622361 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> She is also starring in the short film ''[[Kitty (2016 film)|Kitty]]''.

She made appearances at [[Comic Con]]s, where she spoke about her roles in ''Batman'', ''Star Trek'', and ''Time Tunnel''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Costello |first=Alex |date=May 24, 2017 |title=Eternal Con Returns July 1 And 2, This Time At The Nassau Coliseum |url=https://patch.com/new-york/gardencity/eternal-con-returns-july-1-2-time-nassau-coliseum |journal=[[Patch (website)|Patch]] |access-date=May 24, 2017}}</ref>

==Personal life==
On April 20, 1958, Meriwether married [[Frank Aletter]]. They had two daughters and divorced in 1974. On September 21, 1986, Meriwether married Marshall Borden.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://actordatabase.com/leemeriwether/bio.htm| title=Lee Meriwether Biography| website=Actor Database| access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Photo Flash: Lee Meriwether Honored By Theatre West |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Photo-Flash-Lee-Meriwether-Honored-By-Theatre-West-20180214 |website=[[BroadwayWorld]] |date=February 14, 2018 |access-date=February 14, 2018}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1959
| ''[[4D Man]]''
| Linda Davis
|
|-
| 1963
| ''[[The Courtship of Eddie's Father (film)|The Courtship of Eddie's Father]]''
| Lee, Tom's Receptionist
| Uncredited
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Batman (1966 film)|Batman]]''
| [[Catwoman|Selina Kyle / Catwoman]], Kitka
|
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Namu, the Killer Whale]]''
| Kate Rand
|
|-
| 1968
| ''[[The Legend of Lylah Clare]]''
| Young Girl
|
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Angel in My Pocket]]''
| Mary Elizabeth Whitehead
|
|-
| 1969
| ''[[The Undefeated (1969 film)|The Undefeated]]''
| Margaret Langdon
|
|-
| 1973
| ''[[The Brothers O'Toole]]''
| Paloma Littleberry
|
|-
| 2005
| ''Gone Postal''
| Fran
| Short film
|-
| 2006
| ''[[The Ultimate Gift]]''
| Miss Hastings
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Say It in Russian]]''
| Party guest
|
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Touching Home (film)|Touching Home]]''
| Grandma Eleanor
|
|-
| 2008
| ''Twisted Faith''
| Mother Clare
| Short film
|-
| 2010
| ''[[No Limit Kids: Much Ado About Middle School]]''
| Katie
| Direct-to-video
|-
| 2011
| ''Secret Identity''
| Faye Florence
| Short film
|-
| 2012
| ''Sunset Stories''
| Marie
|
|-
| 2012
| ''Silent But Deadly''
| Vivian
|
|-
| 2013
| ''Remember to Breathe''
| Alice
| Short film
|-
| 2013
| ''Birthday Cake''
| Opal Hunt
|
|-
| 2013
| ''The Ultimate Life''
| Miss Hastings
|
|-
| 2013
| ''The Curse of the Un-Kissable Kid''
| Gypsy
| Short film
|-
| 2014
| ''Waiting in the Wings: The Musical''
| Ethel
|
|-
| 2014
| ''Abaddon''
| Old Ana
|
|-
| 2014
| ''Heaven Help Us''
| Helen
| Short film
|-
| 2015
| ''A Horse for Summer''
| Patsy
|
|-
| 2015
| ''Sunny in the Dark''
| Dorothy
|
|-
| 2015
| ''In Memory''
| Beth Sawyer
| Short film
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Kitty (2016 film)|Kitty]]''
| Mrs Tinsley
| Short film
|-
| 2016
| ''A Christmas in New York''
| Irene Burgess
|
|-
| 2017
| ''Diary of a Lunatic''
| Trew's Mother
|
|-
| 2017
| ''Breaking Legs''
| GG
|
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Batman vs. Two-Face]]''
| Lucilee Diamond
| Voice, direct-to-video<ref name="btva3">{{cite web |title=Lee Meriwether (visual voices guide) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Lee-Meriwether/ |access-date=October 6, 2023 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Hell's Kitty]]''
| Grandma Kyle
|
|-
| 2018
| ''Still Waiting In The Wings''
| Ethel
|
|-
| 2018
| ''Love & Debt''
| Mrs Markson
|
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1954–1955
| ''[[The Philco Television Playhouse]]''
| Diane
| 3 episodes
|-
| 1956
| ''[[Matinee Theatre]]''
| 
| Episode: "Sincerely Yours, Charlie Fisher"
|-
| 1957
| ''[[The Alcoa Hour]]''
| Girl in the Sketch
| Episode: "Protégé"
|-
| 1957
| ''[[Men of Annapolis]]''
| The Girl
| Episode: "The Challenge"
|-
| 1958
| ''[[The Millionaire (TV series)|The Millionaire]]''
| Nancy McKuehn
| Episode: "The Rod Matthews Story"
|-
| 1958
| ''[[The Phil Silvers Show]]''
| Natalie Rumplemeyer
| Episode: "Cyrano De Bilko"
|-
| 1958
| ''[[Dragnet (1951 TV series)|Dragnet]]''
| Vicki Tearson
| Episode: "The Big Rip"
|-
| 1958
| ''[[Omnibus (U.S. TV series)|Omnibus]]''
| Beautiful Witch
| Episode: "Mrs McThing"
|-
| 1960–1962
| ''[[The Clear Horizon]]''
| Enid Ross
| 
|-
| 1961
| ''[[Bringing Up Buddy]]''
| Gloria Arnold
| Episode: "Buddy and the Amazon"
|-
| 1961
| ''[[Leave It to Beaver]]''
| Young Woman Neighbor
| Episode: "Community Chest"
|-
| 1962
| ''[[The Lloyd Bridges Show]]''
| Martha Elweiss
| Episode: "My Child Is Yet a Stranger"
|-
| 1962
| ''[[I'm Dickens, He's Fenster]]''
| 2nd Hospital Receptionist
| Episode: "Nurse Dickens"
|-
| 1962
| ''[[Alcoa Premiere]]''
| Kerry
| Episode: "Whatever Happened to Miss Illinois?"
|-
| 1963–1965
| ''[[Dr. Kildare (TV series)|Dr. Kildare]]''
| Nurse Bonnie Tynes / Nurse Angela Springer / Nurse Harper / Nurse Adams / Nurse Betty Johnson
| 8 episodes
|-
| 1964
| ''[[Route 66 (TV series)|Route 66]]''
| Jeanelle
| Episode: "This Is Going to Hurt Me More Than It Hurts You"
|-
| 1964
| ''[[The Young Marrieds]]''
| Ann Reynolds #1
| 4 episodes
|-
| 1964–1965
| ''[[The Jack Benny Program]]''
| Secretary / Mother With Baby w/ Andy Williams
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]''
| Evelyn Wilcox / Natalie Graham
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre]]''
| Piper's Secretary
| Episode: "Double Jeopardy"
|-
| 1965
| ''[[The Man from U.N.C.L.E.]]''
| Dr. Egret
| Episode: "The Mad, Mad Tea Party Affair"
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Hazel (TV series)|Hazel]]''
| Miss Wilson
| Episode: "How to Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Minutes"
|-
| 1965
| ''[[F Troop]]''
| Lily O'Reilly
| Episode: "O'Rourke vs. O'Reilly"
|-
| 1965–1966
| ''[[Twelve O'Clock High (TV series)|Twelve O'Clock High]]''
| Capt. Phyllis Vincent / Lt. Amy Patterson
| 3 episodes
|-
| 1965–1971
| ''[[The F.B.I. (TV series)|The F.B.I.]]''
| Joanna Lauren / Liz / Marian Converse / Joanna Laurens
| 5 episodes
|-
| 1966
| ''[[The Fugitive (1963 TV series)|The Fugitive]]''
| Willis Hempstead
| Episode: "Not with a Whimper"
|-
| 1966
| ''[[My Three Sons]]''
| Phyllis Allen
| Episode: "What About Harry?"
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Vacation Playhouse]]''
| Doris
| Episode: "My Son, the Doctor"
|-
| 1966–1967
| ''[[The Time Tunnel]]''
| Dr. Ann MacGregor
| 30 episodes
|-
| 1967
| ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]''
| Lisa Carson
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1967
| ''[[Iron Horse (TV series)|Iron Horse]]''
| Anne Daugherty
| Episode: "Dealer's Choice"
|-
| 1967–1970
| ''[[Family Affair]]''
| Claudia Wells / Lise Lowell
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]''
| Losira
| S3:E17, "[[That Which Survives]]"
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Land of the Giants]]''
| Mother – Mrs Bara
| Episode: "Rescue"
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Mannix]]''
| Reva Daniels
| S3-Episode 05: "A Question of Midnight"
|-
| 1969–1970
| ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]''
| Anna Rojak / Tracey
| 8 episodes
|-
| 1970
| ''[[The Name of the Game (TV series)|The Name of the Game]]''
| Bridget
| Episode: "Island of Gold and Precious Stones"
|-
| 1970
| ''[[My World and Welcome to It]]''
| Mrs Bessinger
| Episode: "The Middle Years"
|-
| 1970
| ''[[Insight (American TV series)|Insight]]''
| Miriam
| Episode: "The 7 Minute Life of James Houseworthy"
|-
| 1970
| ''[[Nanny and the Professor]]''
| Marrijane Finley
| Episode: "An Element of Risk"
|-
| 1970
| ''[[The Immortal (1970 TV series)|The Immortal]]''
| Sigrid Bergen
| Episode: "The Queen's Gambit"
|-
| 1971
| ''[[The New Andy Griffith Show]]''
| Lee Sawyer
| 10 episodes
|-
| 1971
| ''[[Dan August]]''
| Miranda Lewis
| Episode: "The Law"
|-
| 1971
| ''[[Love, American Style]]''
| 
| Segment: "Love and the Sweet Sixteen"
|-
| 1972
| ''[[Longstreet (TV series)|Longstreet]]''
| Miss Cooper
| Episode: "Through Shattering Glass"
|-
| 1973
| ''[[The Doris Day Show]]''
| Lois Frazier
| Episode: "Hospital Benefit"
|-
| 1973–1980
| ''[[Barnaby Jones]]''
| Betty Jones
| 178 episodes<br />Nominated—[[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama]] <small>(1975–1976)</small><br />Nominated—[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series]] <small>(1977)</small>
|-
| 1975
| ''[[Cannon (TV series)|Cannon]]''
| Betty Jones
| Episode: "The Deadly Conspiracy: Part 1"
|-
| 1977
| ''Having Babies II''
| Martha Cooper
| Television film
|-
| 1978
| ''[[Cruise Into Terror]]''
| Lil Mather
| Television film
|-
| 1978
| ''[[True Grit: A Further Adventure]]''
| Annie Sumner
| Television film
|-
| 1979
| ''[[Time Express]]''
| Vanessa Cartwright
| Episode: "The Copy-Writer/The Figure Skater"
|-
| 1979
| ''[[Mirror, Mirror (1979 film)|Mirror, Mirror]]''
| Vanessa Wagner
| Television film
|-
| 1979–1980
| ''[[CHiPs]]''
| 
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1980
| ''Tourist''
| Lulu Flemington
| Television film
|-
| 1981–1984
| ''[[The Love Boat]]''
| Jessica Elliott / Barbara Braden / Ann Marshall
| 3 episodes
|-
| 1983
| ''[[Fantasy Island]]''
| Leslie Darnell
| Episode: "The Butler's Affair/Roarke's Sacrifice"
|-
| 1984
| ''[[Finder of Lost Loves]]''
| Julia Bennett Parsons
| Episode: "Portraits"
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Hotel (U.S. TV series)|Hotel]]''
| Addie Meredith
| Episode: "Cry Wolf"
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Glitter (American TV series)|Glitter]]''
| 
| Episode: "The Runaway"
|-
| 1985
| ''True Confessions''
| 
| Episode: "He's So Young"
|-
| 1985–1995
| ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]''
| Vanessa Thorpe / Leslie Hunter / Grace Overholtz
| 3 episodes
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Mr. Belvedere]]''
| Donna Flannagan
| Episode: "Reunion"
|-
| 1987
| ''You Are the Jury''
| Marjorie Forrest
| Episode: "The State of Oregon vs. Stanley Manning"
|-
| 1987
| ''Jonathan Winters: On the Ledge''
| 
| Television film
|-
| 1988–1991
| ''[[The Munsters Today]]''
| [[Lily Munster]]
| 73 episodes
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Jake and the Fatman]]''
| Ellen Kurtin
| Episode: "Nevertheless"
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Dark Justice]]''
| Lee Marshall
| Episode: "Happy Mothers Day"
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Duckman]]''
| Widow Liebner (voice)
| Episode: "Pig Amok"
|-
| 1996–2011
| ''[[All My Children]]''
| Ruth Martin
| 52 episodes
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Touched by an Angel]]''
| Karla
| Episode: "The Face on the Bar Room Floor"
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt]]''
| Waitress in Diner
| Television film
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Wizards of Waverly Place]]''
| Battle Diva
| Episode: "Harper Knows"
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Desperate Housewives]]''
| Doris
| Episode: "What's to Discuss, Old Friend"
|-
| 2012
| ''Hell's Kitty''
| Grandma Kyle
| Episode: "Catwoman vs. Hell's Kitty"
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]''
| Helen Tilton
| Episode: "Mohai"
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23]]''
| Marjorie Meyers
| Episode: "Sexy People..."
|-
| 2012
| ''[[The League]]''
| Gumma Eve
| Episode: "Bro-Lo El Cordero"
|-
| 2012–2014
| ''Project: Phoenix''
| Birdie Spencer
| 6 episodes
|-
| 2015
| ''The Ultimate Legacy''
| Miss Hastings
| Television film
|-
| 2017
| ''Suspense''
| Ellen Kirk
| Episode: "'Keepers of the Twilight'"
|-
| 2018
| ''Rise of the Catwoman''
| Nana
| Episode: "The Night Shift"
|-
| 2018
| ''Kaplan's Korner''
| Auditioner
| Episode: "He's Gone"
|}

===Video games===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]]''
| [[Eva (Metal Gear)|Big Mama (EVA)]]
| <ref name="btva3" />
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Vanquish (video game)|Vanquish]]''
| President Elizabeth Winters
|<ref name="btva3" />
|}

==Awards==
*1975 Golden Globe Award nomination, Best TV Actress (Drama)
*1976 Golden Globe Award nomination, Best TV Actress (Drama)
*1977 Emmy Award nomination, Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography|California|Arizona|New York City|Film|Television}}
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{official website|http://www.leemeriwether.com}}
* {{cite web |url= https://www.missamerica.org/title-year/1955/ |title= 1955 Lee Meriwether |publisher= Miss America |url-status= dead |archive-date= Dec 12, 2009 |archive-url= <!-- NOTE: archive version has very more detailed bio --> https://web.archive.org/web/20091212075829/http://www.missamerica.org/our-miss-americas/1950/1955.aspx }}
* {{cite web |url= https://www.66batmania.com/bios/villains/catwoman-lee-meriwether/ |title= Lee Meriwether as Catwoman |website= 1966 Batmania }}
* {{cite web |url= https://texasarchive.org/2008_00062 |format= B&W |date= 1966 |first= Jean |last= Boone |title= Interview with Cast of Batman, The Movie (1966) |publisher= CBS |location= Texas affiliate |website= [[Texas Archive of the Moving Image]] (TAMI) |quote= Including: Lee Meriwether (Catwoman), [[Cesar Romero]] (joker), [[Adam West]] (Batman), [[William Dozier]] (producer)  }}
* {{IMDb name|0580886}}
* {{iobdb name|17735}}
* {{Tcmdb name|130176%7C96655}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Evelyn Margaret Ay]]
| title = [[Miss America]]
| years = 1955
| after = [[Sharon Ritchie]]
}}
{{succession box
| before = Patricia Johns
| title = [[Miss California]]
| years = 1954
| after = Barbara Harris
}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Julie Newmar]]
| title = [[Catwoman|Catwoman Actress]]
| years = 1966
| after = [[Julie Newmar]]
}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Yvonne De Carlo]]
| title = [[Lily Munster|Lily Munster Actress]]
| years = 1988–1991
| after = [[Veronica Hamel]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{MissAmericas 1940–1959}}
{{California Pageant Winners}}
{{Miss America}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meriwether, Lee}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American soap opera actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American video game actresses]]
[[Category:American voice actresses]]
[[Category:Miss America winners]]
[[Category:Actresses from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Actresses from San Francisco]]
[[Category:Actresses from New York City]]
[[Category:City College of San Francisco alumni]]
[[Category:Miss America Preliminary Swimsuit winners]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]