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Empowering Theatre Arts Professionals through Performance, Education, Networking, Service, and Outreach in Southern California | |
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Academy of New Musical Theatre
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 Lee Meriwether Adapter-performer Lee Meriwether first leapt to fame as Miss America 1955. Still radiantly beautiful, she is now an icon of mature glamour as well as a star of stage, screen and television. She has appeared on the long running TV series All My Children, and is especially noted for her role in Barnaby Jones, for which she was nominated for an Emmy® and two Golden Globes®. Her films include features with such stars as John Wayne, Rock Hudson, James Garner and Andy Griffith. She is always remembered as the first feature film Catwoman in Batman (1966). Live theatre, however, continues to be Lee's first love. Trained by Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio, Ms. Meriwether has appeared extensively on the stage. In Los Angeles, she has been active at Theatre West in Hollywood. Recalling her countless appearances there, three stand out to her: Spoon River Anthology with Betty Garrett, Aesop in Central Park with Richard Dreyfuss and Ladies of Hanover Towers with Carroll O'Connor. She also acted in the 40thth Reunion production of Spoon River in the role Ms. Garrett originally portrayed. An assortment of national stage credits include: the female version of The Odd Couple, Last Summer at Blue Fish Cove, for which she received the Drama Logue Award for Best Actress as well as the San Francisco Critics Award and Sondheim's Follies, featuring seven former Miss Americas. Her musical appearances include Hello Dolly, Mame, and The King and I. Lee is happiest around family, whether it's at work or play. Some of Lee’s fondest memories are working and appearing with her husband Marshall Borden and her daughters, Kyle Oldham and Lesley Aletter in various productions. Lee has served as Honorary Chairman of ABILITY FIRST (formally the Crippled Children's Society) and is an honorary member of Women in Show Business, and has twice been named their "Angel of the Year". She has also served as National Education Chairman of the American Cancer Society and as the Los Angeles Chairman for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The Blind Children's Center and the pet organization, “Actors and Others for Animals” have a special place in her heart.
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