Meredith Lynn MacRae was born on May 30, 1944, in San Antonio, Texas, on the military base Fort Sam Houston, where her father was stationed. This marked the beginning of her journey in the world of show business, which would become an integral part of her life.
Meredith's parents, Gordon MacRae and Sheila MacRae, were both pioneers in the entertainment industry. Her father, Gordon, was a renowned singer and movie idol of the 1950s, having starred in iconic productions such as Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956). Her mother, Sheila, is an actress, comedienne, and author, best known for her role as Alice Kramden during the 2nd incarnation of Jackie Gleason's The Jackie Gleason Show (1966),also known as "The Honeymooners".
At the tender age of eight, Meredith started her own acting career, making her film debut in the 1953 production By the Light of the Silvery Moon, which starred her father.
Meredith's academic pursuits led her to attend UCLA, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. In 1964, she married Richard Berger, the former president of MGM, but the union ended in divorce four years later.
Meredith's impressive acting career included starring roles in two popular television sitcoms: Petticoat Junction (1963) and My Three Sons (1960). She also made numerous guest appearances in other television shows, such as Fantasy Island (1977),Magnum, P.I. (1980),The Rockford Files (1974),and Webster (1983),which remains the highest-rated episode ever. Additionally, she appeared in several movies and had a brief singing career.
In 1969, Meredith married actor Greg Mullavey, best known for his roles in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976) and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1973). The couple had a daughter, Allison, born in 1974. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1992, but they remained close friends.
Meredith's second marriage was to Philip Neal, Chairman and CEO of Avery-Dennison, in 1995.
In 1999, Meredith was diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, due to complications from multiple surgeries and allergic reactions to medications, which caused her brain to swell, Meredith Lynn MacRae passed away in 2000.
