AUDREY MEADOWS

February 8, 1922

Audrey Meadows was born as Audrey Cotter in New York City. She was the youngest of four children. After she was born, her family returned to China, where they worked as missionaries. Her family returned to the US and settled in New England when Audrey was age 6, and she and sister Jayne attended an all-girls boarding school. 

After high school, Jayne went to NYC with the goal of becoming an actress and convinced Audrey to join her as a singer. Audrey appeared in the Broadway musical Top Banana with Phil Silvers. 

She next replaced Pert Kelton as the most famous and best-loved Alice Kramden of “The Honeymooners” (1955-56). Her collaboration with Jackie Gleason earned her four Emmy nominations and one win. 

Like Lucy Ricardo, Alice Kramden was a red-headed housewife in New York City during the 1950s.  Although both the Ricardos and Kramdens were struggling, it was clear that Ralph and Alice were living closer to the poverty line than the Ricardos. Both couples also had best friends and neighbors – the Mertzes and the Nortons.  The shows even had episodes that were eerily similar. 

After “The Honeymooners” ended, Meadows went on to do films, such as Take Her, She’s Mine (1963) and That Touch of Mink (1962) with Doris Day (above).

In 1965, Lucille Ball and Audrey Meadows appeared on “Salute to Stan Laurel” although the pair did not share any screen time together.  Meadows was featured in the segment titled “The Perils of Pearl’ while Lucille Ball did a silent movie sketch with her mentor, Buster Keaton. 

In her final regular role on television, Meadows portrayed Ted Knight’s mother-in-law on the sitcom “Too Close for Comfort” (1982-86).

She didn’t collaborate with Lucille Ball again until 1986, when she played Lucy Barker’s only sister Audrey on Ball’s ill-fated series “Life With Lucy” (LWL S1;E8). 

Meadows is granted ‘special guest star’ status in the opening credits. The character says she is the social director on a cruise ship.  

Audrey: “Darling, nobody but nobody serves Swedish meatballs anymore.”
Lucy: “Not even the Swedes?”

This was the twelfth episode filmed, although it was aired eighth, on November 15, 1986. This was Lucille Ball’s final performance as  scripted character on television. There was talk about changing the show’s format and adding Audrey Meadows to the permanent cast, but by that time the network had canceled the show. It was the last episode to be aired by ABC. 

Her final screen appearance was on a 1995 episode of “Dave’s World” starring Harry Anderson as Dave Barry.  

“You as you are better by far than the you that you are trying to be.” ~ Audrey Meadows

Meadows died on February 3, 1996 at age 73.