She captured America’s imagination first as a breathtaking pageant queen, and later as a familiar face on screens big and small. Behind the glimmer and celebrity, however, her story has always been shaped by deep love, painful trials, and a resilient heart that refused to break. This is the extraordinary arc of an actress who reinvented herself again and again.
She began as a young woman in Phoenix with dreams of performing. The daughter of an accountant, she imagined a career on the stage long before fame ever found her. While studying theater in college, a friend persuaded her—almost on a whim—to enter a local beauty competition. That one spontaneous decision launched her into national spotlight and eventually earned her the title of Miss America 1955. The crown shaped how the public saw her, but never how she saw herself.
“I still don’t know why I won,” she once said. “Maybe people noticed my talent piece. I performed as a seventy-year-old Irish widow grieving her last son lost at sea. I wiped off all my makeup, wrapped myself in a shawl, and wore my father’s black stockings—just like I did in my high school play. Acting was all I knew. That’s who I wanted to be.”
Her reign brought many firsts. She became the inaugural Miss America to be serenaded by Bert Parks with the iconic “There She Is, Miss America.” She traveled the country, earning over $60,000 in cash and gifts, and encountered influential figures, including Juan Perón. Even a brief romance with baseball legend Joe DiMaggio occurred—though closely monitored by her mother and columnist Walter Winchell.
Despite the glamour, she understood the stigma attached to pageants. Many assumed beauty queens lacked intelligence, but she was determined to prove otherwise. Halfway through her national tour, producers from “The Today Show” invited her to join as a regular. The opportunity thrilled her—and opened the door to television.
The show’s salary allowed her to pursue formal acting training with the renowned Lee Strasberg. She threw herself into developing her voice, presence, and physical skills, preparing for a lifelong career in entertainment.
Her transition from beauty queen to full-fledged actress was swift. She made her small-screen debut on “The Philco Television Playhouse” before landing her first film role in “The 4-D Man.” Hollywood soon embraced her, especially after her standout work as Catwoman in “Batman.” Other memorable credits included Angel in My Pocket and The Undefeated.
In 1958, she married actor Frank Aletter. They had two daughters, Kyle and Lesley. Although the marriage ended in 1973, she remained devoted to her children. Kyle often performed alongside her mother in stage productions, while Lesley chose a different path—becoming a professional stunt artist.
Their shared love of performing even led the trio to appear together on “Circus of the Stars.” Years later, during a production of Angel Street, she met actor Marshall Borden. Their connection grew through their mutual devotion to the stage. They married in 1986 while performing together in San Francisco, continuing to appear as acting partners long after.
But a devastating chapter arrived unexpectedly. Both she and her daughter Kyle were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Kyle spoke openly about the struggle in interviews, maintaining a sense of humor even as the illness progressed. She joked that her brain tumor years earlier was “the easiest medical battle” she had ever faced. Eventually, she realized that her own failing health aligned with the moment her mother needed her most.
Kyle devoted herself to caregiving, navigating conservatorship and round-the-clock support. “I just try not to overstep,” she had said. “It’s about balancing her needs and mine. And—somehow—I’m grateful.”
Tragically, Kyle later died from Alzheimer’s complications. News of her passing in July 2024 devastated fans who had followed her journey.
Yet her mother—ever the fighter—pressed on. Even before Kyle’s death, she had insisted that she wasn’t ready to retire. “I’m writing a memoir called From the Boardwalk to the Catwalk,” she shared. She continued touring with her one-woman show The Women of Spoon River, performing twenty-three characters in a single hour. Even in her seventies, she auditioned energetically, including for a voice role on “Tom and Jerry.” She laughed at the idea of slowing down. “I love it too much.”
This remarkable woman is Lee Meriwether.
When asked about her youthful glow even in later life, she credited good genetics, optimism, and simple daily habits—especially her signature upward skincare motions “to fight gravity.” Staying active was essential, too; she visited the gym three times a week. “Smile lines will show up no matter what,” she joked. “Better to let them stay.”
Her compassion extended far beyond entertainment. Lee served as honorary chair of Ability First, supporting people with disabilities. She worked with the American Cancer Society, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Blind Children’s Center. She was also deeply committed to animal welfare through Actors and Others for Animals.
But the role she cherished most was being a grandmother. Through every triumph and heartbreak, Lee Meriwether has remained a symbol of classic beauty, grace, and unbreakable determination. At 89, admirers continue to flood her social media with praise—celebrating her shining smile, striking eyes, and the timeless radiance she carries.
From the Miss America stage to battling the same devastating illness that claimed her daughter, Lee Meriwether has lived a life marked by courage, compassion, and resilience. Her legacy shines brightly across film, theater, charity work, and the hearts of viewers everywhere