Audrey Meadows (February 8, 1922 - February 3, 1996)

It only takes two words to describe the genius of Audrey Meadows: "Deadpan Delivery" Millions of fans know her as Alice Kramden, the long suffering and sarcastic wife of Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) on the 1950's domestic sitcom "The Honeymooners." But Audrey lended her comedic talent and strong feminine features to dozens of other television programs during her forty-five year career. As herself she appeared on "Person to Person", "Toast of the Town", "What's My Line?", "The Jack Benny Program", "The Steve Allen Show", "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show", "Password", "The Jerry Lewis Show", "The Hollywood Squares", "The Dean Martin Show", "Family Fued", "The New Hollywood Squares" and "Marilu." As characters she appeared on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Wagon Train", "General Electric Theater", "Please Don't Eat the Daises", "Starsky and Hutch", "Love, American Style", "Diff'rent Strokes", "Too Close for Comfort", "The Love Boat", "Hotel", "Murder, She Wrote", "Sisters", "Burke's Law", "Empty Nest" and "Dave's World." In 1952, after a little bit of deception, Meadows was given the role of Alice Kramden on Gleason's variety show. In 1955 the sketches were turned into a single half hour program called "The Honeymooners." By 1957 though Gleason was back to the variety format and soon closed the doors. Meadows returned to play Alice in a 1966 "Honeymooners" sketch on "Jackie Gleason and his American Scene Magazine." Between 1976 and 1978 the cast reunited for three television specials and Audrey finally said good bye to Alice in 1978. It was her hard boiled expression and her firm stance that made her a perfect partner for Gleason. Even though there were other Alice Kramdens (Pert Kelton, Sue Ane Langdon, and Sheila MacRae) none of them even came close to Audrey Meadows. The quick responses and sharp sarcasim made it perfect. Two other memorable performances come with two other legends of comedy. "Life with Lucy" - "Mother of the Bride" (November 15, 1986)......In this, the final episode of Lucille Ball's final television series, Audrey plays Lucy's sister...Aunt Audrey. Lucy is excited to plan her daughter's wedding vows renewel ceremony but Aunt Audrey arrives and spoils everything leading first to a huge cake fight between the siblings followed by some heartfelt apologies. "The Simpsons" - "Old Money" (March 28, 1991).......Abe "Grandpa" Simpson is feeling depressed and lonely. Then one day while standing in line for his medication he is given the pills for Simmons. He soon meets "Simmons" first name "Bea" and is captivated. He sweeps her off her feet and plans to romance her on her birthday. Unfortunately his family comes and insists he go with them to "Discount Lion Safari." Upon his return to the home, he learns that Beatrice has passed away. Shortly after the funeral Abe is shocked to find out that Bea was wealthy and left him the bulk of her fortune. He thinks long and hard about what to do with the money and finally decides to uses it to make repairs on the retirement home. He establishes the Beatrice Simmons Memorial Dining Hall and as his friends enter he gleefully tells them "Dignity's on me friends....!" Audrey Meadows......Always Alice Kramden.....as her sister Jayne said in 2000, Audrey "was born to play the part."

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