Lee Ann Meriwether (born May 27, 1935) is Miss America 1955, and an American actress, appearing in movies, soap operas, game shows and television, best known for her roles as "Betty Jones" in the 1970s crime drama, Barnaby Jones, and "Lily Munster" in the syndicated 1980s sitcom, The Munsters Today.
Meriwether was born in Los Angeles, California in 1935. She grew up in San Francisco, California after the family moved there from Phoenix, Arizona. She attended George Washington High School where one of her classmates was Johnny Mathis. She later attended San Francisco City College, where one of her classmates was fellow actor Bill Bixby.
Winning Miss San Francisco, Meriwether won Miss California, then Miss America with her recital of a John Millington Synge monologue. After her reign, she joined The Today Show. An August 1, 1956 International News wire photo of Meriwether and Joe DiMaggio announced their engagement. According to DiMaggio biographer Richard Ben Cramer, it was a rumor started by Walter Winchell.
Her feature film debut was in 1959 as Linda Davis in 4D Man, starring Robert Lansing. She portrayed Catwoman in the 1966 Batman movie. She co-starred as scientist Dr. Ann MacGregor in the 1966–1967 television series The Time Tunnel and appeared opposite John Wayne and Rock Hudson in The Undefeated in 1969. Also in 1969, she played IMF spy Tracy Fielding in six Mission: Impossible episodes, after Barbara Bain's departure. She had a long co-starring role as private detective Betty Jones in the 1973–1980 series Barnaby Jones opposite Buddy Ebsen.
In the 1970s and 1980s, she appeared on Circus of the Stars four times. She also served as a panelist on the game show Match Game. Between 1988-91, she had a three year run reprising Lilly Munster opposite John Schuck's Herman in The Munsters Today.
In 1996, Meriwether briefly took over for Mary Fickett in the role of Ruth Martin on the soap opera All My Children. She also appeared Off-Broadway in the interactive comedy, Grandma Sylvia's Funeral.
Meriwether has been married to current husband, Marshall Borden (Ryan's Hope, Luke Jackson #1 on One Life to Live), since 1987.
