Lee Meriwether's historic 1955 crowining as Miss America in the iconic pageant's first televised edition might have sealed her fate as the answer to a Trivial Pursuit question, but Meriwether is even better known as a high-profile actress of stage and screen. More specifically, she will forever be known as Catwoman, the sexiest of curvacious criminals in the 1966 "Batman" movie as well as Betty Jones, a girl-next-door turned capable sleuth, in the long-running CBS crime series "Barnaby Jones," co-starring Buddy Ebsen. Then there were her memorable turns in what are now considered classic TV shows: "Star Trek," "Perry Mason," and "Dragnet," and, more recently, "The League" and "Desperate Housewives."
On Sunday Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. EST, the 2015 Miss America pageant will air live on ABC from Atlantic City – marking the contest's 60th anniverary as an annual broadcast must-see. Meriwether will serve as a celebrity judge, along with model and entrepreneur Kathy Ireland, former Green Bay Packer Donald Driver, Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and "Desperate Housewives" producer Marc Cherry.
Still exhibiting an amazing figure and altogether elegant beauty – how miraculous at 81! – tempered with a charming sense of humility, Meriwether talks about her entire career as if it were all just one long lucky break, recalling how she thought it was a mistake when the Miss America sash was placed on her lap and referring to her decades-long acting career as merely "a gift."
"I've judged the pageant, I think, four times – and it's not easy," Meriwether said in an exclusive interview with HNGN.com. "I know what the job entails, and I care very, very much about the girls and what they're going through. I understand when they're nervous. I have a wonderful time."
Officials at Miss America could not have asked for a better ambassador than Meriwether.
"Lee Meriwether's place in Miss America's history is ironclad," Miss America Chairman and CEO Sam Haskell told HNGN. "Lee successfully transitioned her year as the first Miss America crowned on national television into a career that has spanned 60 years. She made the most of the opportunity that set her ultimate destiny in motion. Having Lee Meriwether judge the 2015 Miss America Competition is exciting to me on several levels. She completely understands our program, and her class, integrity and grace are impeccable. She understands exactly what the relevant 'girl next door' looks like."
With the 60th anniversary of the first televised Miss America just days away, Meriwether the always classy lady graced HNGN by allowing us an interview about her unparalleled career.
HNGN.com: Looking back on your 1955 Miss America victory, how did you prepare before the pageant?
Lee Meriwether: There was little or no preparation. It was such a last-minute decision on my part to actually take part. My father passed away just after I won Miss California, and I wasn't going to go. My mother had a letter from Lenora Slaughter, who was then the head of the pageant, reminding me that I owed it to the people who were working for the pageant and that I'd have to turn in my scholarships, which I'd already won. My mother said that with Daddy gone, there's really no money for college. So I pulled myself up and said, "OK, I'll go," but it was very little time to prepare, and I didn't even think I'd be close to winning. I was hoping I'd get a chance to be in the Top 10, because the Miss California people said, "Just realize, Miss California every year has gotten into the Top 10." (laughs) So no pressure.
HNGN.com: What was your immediate reaction when your name was called as the winner?
LM: I had been paired with Ann Daniel, who was Miss Florida. The minute I saw her demonstrate her talent, I thought, "She's going to win it." They put the banner on my lap backstage - this was the first year it was televised, so they didn't think about the (live) audience really, they thought about the television audience. So they had a camera backstage, and they actually let me know there. When Lenora Slaughter put the banner on my lap, and I looked at her, I put it on Ann, because I really thought she had won. But Lenora said, "No dear, it's yours." I went into some kind of state of, well, certainly disbelief and horror almost. I started crying, and I probably didn't stop until it was all over.
Mother was pulled out of the audience and brought backstage, and I was still crying, and she said, "Stop your sniveling." Bess Myerson put the microphone over to my mother and said, "What was that Mrs. Meriwether?," and she realized she was on camera and she broke out in hives. Later she said, "Oh, I apologize for that." I said, "Mommy, you knew just the right words to get me to stop crying." So it was OK.
HNGN.com: Will there be anything special happening on Sunday to commemorate the 60th anniversary?
LM: They're keeping it a secret. I'm assuming they're going to do something, I don't know what. They're being very closed-mouthed about it. (laughs)
HNGN.com: Obviously, society has changed quite a bit since 1955. Some critics feel that pageants like Miss America demean or objectify women. How would you answer them?
LM: Oh, they have that view in their minds and I'm sure that very little can dissuade them from feeling that way. I think they're confusing it with other pageants; I really do, because – heavens – it's the world's largest scholarship foundation for women. What's wrong with that? And there's nothing demeaning at all. It places women in a wonderful position of having something to say about the world and the United States and about their charity and their platforms.
HNGN.com: Moving on to your acting career, are there any roles that are particularly close to your heart?
LM: Yes. Of course Catwoman is the one I think I'm most known for – the "Batman" movie with Adam West and Burt Ward. I think I was probably the luckiest of all the Catwomen because I got to work with not only Adam and Burt as Batman and Robin, but I did get to work with Burgess Meredith, Cesar Romero and Frank Gorshin, and that was an education in and of itself.
HNGN.com: What was it like acting in the Catwoman suit?
LM: The costume was not easy, but it had zipper and I was able to get a little relief. It was made with metallic fibers and a Lurex kind of stretch material that was just like a giant girdle on the body. The whole body was encased, with metallic threads that gave it kind of a shimmer. When we were outside, I was sunburned. I got first-degree burns on my shoulders and my upper arms. It was really something. (laughs) It was not comfortable.
HNGN.com: You've acted in a number of other notable films and TV programs. What other roles do you also remember fondly?
LM: It's more the people I worked with, to tell you the truth, rather than the roles themselves. I got to work with Rock Hudson, playing his wife in "The Undefeated" with John Wayne. That was amazing, amazing to have that opportunity. Both gentle people, both lovely to work with. I was lucky all the way around. The series I did with Buddy Ebsen, oh, what a dream; we did almost eight years, and I miss him, I miss him a lot. We used to talk on the phone. He was the best. And I did a movie with Andy Griffith. We did a series together and had the best fun ever. He was a really good guy. "The Time Tunnel" series with Jimmy Darren and Bob Colbert, we worked together to do believable science fiction. I heard that there's actually talk of the possibility of having time travel, so we'll see.
Stage work is really my first love. I'm fortunate to belong to Theater West, an actor's workshop in Los Angeles. Musicals, I've done "Mame" three times, and "Hello Dolly." I'm going to be doing "Once Upon a Mattress" in Indiana in October.
HNGN.com: You acted in 2006's "The Ultimate Gift" with James Garner, who passed away in July.
LM: Way too young to go. He was absolutely charming. We didn't work together per se, but I did get to meet, talk to him and be around him. But he filmed his rather larger role in one day. An amazing portrayal and so heartfelt. He was dear, just a dear. I was so envious of Mariette Hartley because she got to work with him on a regular basis. He was just a sweet man.
HNGN.com: How are women treated in Hollywood now compared to when you got started?
LM: I've been so lucky. They've always been gentlemen – no problems with anyone. I can really honestly say I never had a horror moment with executives. I used to hear about "casting couches," but it was never an issue. I figured that was because I wasn't really terrific looking. But no, everyone has been, and continues to be, really wonderful.
This interview was edited for grammar and length.
