Legendary Actress Jayne Meadows Allen Dies at 95

ET ^ | April 27, 2015 | Alex Ungerman

[EveningStar]

Jayne Meadows Allen, award winning stage and screen actress, died peacefully of natural causes in her Encino, Calif. home Sunday night at age 95, ET has learned.

Jayne -- who was born in Wuchang, China to missionary parents -- enjoyed more than six decades in the entertainment industry, from Broadway roles like The Gazebo in 1958 to her Emmy-nominated role on CBS' High Society in 1995. Jayne was also a regular panelist on the CBS hit program, I've Got a Secret. During her run on the show, Jayne was the highest rated actress on CBS, second only to Lucille Ball.

[Steve_Seattle]

The reasons people weren’t offended by Gleason/Kramden’s “to the moon” comments was that they knew he would never do it, and that she could give it back even better than he gave it to her.

[greene66]

I think that “haughty, superior demeaner” was one of those old affectations learned through the old-time charm schools that young gals used to go to. Always found it a bit of a turn-off, but on the other hand, not always indicative of actual elitism in someone’s character.

[Leep]

What’s My Line?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV8_Eb9NxS0

[SES1066]

I remember her in The Meeting of the Minds. That was a great show and spurred my interest in history at an impressionable age. RIP Miss Meadows.

Agree for both - RIP Miss Meadows / Mrs Allen. Meeting of Minds was a great intellectual show not seen anywhere these days of 500 channels showing dreck!

[yarddog]

I wonder if the reason today’s TV is basically garbage is because there are so many channels.

When there were only 3 networks, each show could have a lot more effort put into it.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Jayne always seemed sort of empty-headed and bland in comparison to her sister Audrey to me - but she was married to the brilliant and very talented Steve Allen, so she must have had something really good going for her......

[drewh]

most of Steve’s haughtiness was an act, she would never let him get too far off base... :)

[EveningStar]

I once hired their kid to build a house for me...it went well. He was part of a cultist foundation in Seattle, I think he called himself “Love Israel” at that point. Life is funny.

I remember hearing about the son's name change:

Steve Allen's Son Brian Saw God on An Acid Trip: It Turned Him into Logic Israel

[Steve_Seattle]

"She was a Republican and her hubby, Steve Allen, was a Dem."

He was a Dem back in the days when there were a lot of decent Dems, and he was one of them.

I always liked his goofy sense of humor:

Host: Steve, it's nice to have you.

Allen: It's nice to be had.

RIP to Jayne.

[Steve_Seattle]

I had a grade-school/high-school acquaintance who also joined the Love Israel group. I think I also remember hearing about the Steve Allen kid.

[Steve_Seattle]

"When there were only 3 networks, each show could have a lot more effort put into it."

And the talent wasn't spread so thin.

[Jane Long]

Yes...hubby and I were talking about that. Dems - before they were completely conquered by Marxist Socialists.

[JennysCool]

I think you’re right. It was very much “charm school.” What an antiquated notion that is, alas...

[JennysCool]

Completely agree, Steve. Steve Allen was one of the good guys, Dem or not, and came out of that fantastic era of radio becoming TV. We just lost Stan Freberg; there aren’t many of those pioneers left.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[Bob Ireland]

¦:˳^(

I had forgotten... what a memory!

Hot Tabasco - LOL! I saved that pic and sent it to a few friends.