She captured America’s attention first as a beauty queen, then went on to impress audiences for decades as a film and television star. Behind the glamour, though, her life has been shaped by love, hardship, and remarkable resilience. Here’s a look at this actress’s journey through the years.
Long before the spotlight, she was simply a young woman with big dreams. Raised in Phoenix as the daughter of an accountant, she always wanted to be an actress — but she never imagined one spontaneous choice would make her famous nationwide.
While studying theatre in college, a friend encouraged her to enter a local beauty pageant. That single decision led to her being crowned Miss America in 1955, a title that brought her huge public attention without ever changing what she truly wanted: a career in acting.
She later admitted she still didn’t know exactly why she won, but suspected it was because her talent performance surprised everyone. Instead of choosing something predictable, she played a 70-year-old Irish mother grieving her last son lost at sea.
To fully become the character, she removed all her makeup, wrapped herself in a shawl, and wore her father’s black stockings — the same costume she had used in a high school play. As she explained, she wasn’t trying to be glamorous. She was trying to act.
During her year as Miss America, she became the first winner to be serenaded with “There She Is, Miss America” by Bert Parks. Her reign was filled with memorable experiences, including receiving more than $60,000 in cash and prizes and meeting major public figures such as Juan Perón.
She also dated baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, though the relationship was closely monitored by her mother and journalist Walter Winchell. Even with all the excitement, she understood that the Miss America crown came with stereotypes.
Many people assumed pageant winners weren’t intelligent, and she was determined to prove that wrong. After her reign ended, she joined “The Today Show” as a commentator alongside Dave Garroway.
She later recalled how thrilled she was when the offer came during her Miss America tour. That opportunity didn’t just boost her television career — it also allowed her to use her scholarship money to study acting with the legendary Lee Strasberg.
She trained hard, developing skills in acting, singing, and even fencing, laying the foundation for a long career in entertainment.
Her transition from beauty queen to actress happened quickly. She made her television debut on “The Philco Television Playhouse” and landed her first film role in “The 4-D Man.”
Soon, she became a well-known Hollywood name through roles in films like “Batman” (where she played Catwoman), “Angel in My Pocket,” and “The Undefeated.”
In 1958, she married actor Frank Aletter, and the couple had two children, Kyle and Lesley. Although their marriage ended in divorce in 1973, she stayed closely involved in her children’s lives.
Kyle later performed alongside her mother on stage in “The Gingerbread Lady” and “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove.” Lesley chose a different direction, working as a stunt double.
Their shared love of entertainment even led the actress and her children to appear together on “Circus of the Stars,” showing their adventurous spirit. Years later, the former Catwoman found love again when she met actor Marshall Borden while performing in “Angel Street.”
Their shared passion for theatre deepened their connection, and they married in 1986 while acting together in a play in San Francisco. They continued performing side by side, proving their love story was also a creative partnership.
Sadly, her life took a painful turn when she and her daughter Kyle were both diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease — a heartbreaking reality Kyle later shared in an interview.
Despite everything, Kyle held onto her sense of humor, once calling a brain tumor “the easiest one” she had dealt with. As her mother’s illness progressed, Kyle came to feel that everything in her life had led her to that moment: being there for her mother.
She spoke openly about how difficult it was to support her mom without overstepping, and about finding balance between caregiving, her own life, and conservatorship. Still, she expressed gratitude for being able to stand by her mother.
Tragically, Kyle later passed away from Alzheimer’s, bringing a heartbreaking end to their mother-daughter journey. In 2024, social media posts confirmed her death and offered condolences to the family.
Even after that loss, her mother refused to give up. Long before Kyle’s passing, the former Miss America made it clear she had no plans to step away from performing. She shared that she was working on a memoir titled “From the Boardwalk to the Catwalk.”
She also continued her one-woman show, “The Women of Spoon River,” portraying 23 different women in just one hour. Even in her seventies, she continued auditioning, including for a voiceover role on “Tom and Jerry.” When asked if she planned to slow down, she said she loved it and still found it fun.
That actress is Lee Meriwether.
When asked about the secret to her youthful appearance, she credited genetics, a positive mindset, and a few simple habits. She joked about applying skincare upward to fight gravity.
Staying active also mattered to her, and she kept a routine of going to the gym three times a week. She also believed attitude played a role, saying laugh lines are going to appear no matter what — so you might as well keep them.
Beyond entertainment, Lee dedicated herself to many charitable causes. She served as honorary chairperson of Ability First, which supports children and adults with disabilities. She also worked with organizations like the American Cancer Society, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Blind Children’s Center.
