Meredith MacRae 
Meredith MacRae
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She's done it all and she's done it well! Meredith MacRae is known to television viewers as a TV host/interviewer (her considerable skills in this arena won her an Emmy); has been seen on the big and small screens as an actress; has appeared in clubs and theatres all across the U.S. as a performer and has worked as a TV producer, series creator and an investigative reporter.Born into a show business family, Meredith has carved out a substantial and lasting career of her own. Her late father, Gordon MacRae, was a movie idol of the '50s. Her mother, Sheila, is an actress/comedienne/performer and author. At an early age, Meredith starred in two long-lasting sitcoms "My Three Sons" and "Petticoat Junction" (both now seen repeatedly on Nick at Nite's TVLand). In addition, Meredith guested on countless TV series and shows, appeared on TV commercials; has had a very successful beauty video currently out on the market called "The 15-Minute Acupressure Facelift" (sold both here and abroad) [see below] and during the past years has recorded 17 best-selling books on tape for DOVE AUDIO (now a division of NEW STAR PUBLISHING).
As a TV producer and creator, Meredith was seen hosting "Born Famous", which aired in national syndication and subsequently on three different cable networks. She's also done several highly-rated PBS specials tackling women's issues, medical problems and the aging of America. A project which Meredith is extremely proud of (which she co-produced, wrote and hosted) was called "A Second Chance: Surviving Alcoholism". This one-hour TV special was a knowledgeable, hard-hitting look at facets of a disease that affects almost every American family, including her own. Her father was a recovering alcoholic. In later years, he served as honorary chairperson of the National Council on Alcoholism. Today Meredith serves on that same board, Los Angeles Chapter, carrying on her father's work and continues to speak out all across the country about being "the adult child of an alcoholic".
Cited by former Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley as one of L.A.'s outstanding women for her many contributions to the community, Meredith has learned to juggle her many civic commitments with her busy show business career. She has been President of the Southern California Chapter of the International Women's Forum for the past two years. As such, Meredith has represented the organization at meetings all over the world, working with representatives from numerous foreign countries. Her strong leadership, management skills and ability to problem solve has led to the organization's asking her to extend her tenure. Meredith also headed the Women In Film Foundation Board for two years and still serves on that board. Part of her work has entailed the creation, selection and the administration of grants through the Foundation's Film Finishing Fund, helping to make the dreams of young filmmakers come true.
Two other charities close to Meredith's heart are the American Heart Association...she has worked diligently for many years on their HEART BALL; she's a member of the Executive Committee for the Children's Burn Foundation, helping to find funds for special reconstructive surgery involving cases of need. Other charities that Meredith is affiliated with include United Cerebral Palsy (she's served as their telethon's Hollywood host for 20 years) plus she serves on many boards including the YWCA Board of Councilors; the School of Film and Television at Chapman University; the Blue Ribbon of the Music Center and the Celebrity Action Council of the Los Angeles Mission.
Meredith is considered a major talent on the lecture circuit. During the past ten years, she addressed American Express; the National Association of Women Business Owners; the National Council on Alcoholism; the Pennsylvania Bankers' Association; The Beverly Hills Lawyers' Wives Association; the annual YWCA Leadership Luncheon; Women, Inc. (with fellow speakers Ann Richards, Linda Ellerbee and Anita DeFranz); Flickerfest '97 in Australia; the League of Women Voters and she has even taught a class in film and television production at Chapman University. With her straight-forward honesty, intelligence, warmth and magnetism, she is as comfortable talking to one individual or gatherings of several hundred, because she does it with conviction, intensity and a sense of appropriateness to the occasion.
In addition to her Emmy, many other awards have come Meredith's way. She received the Angel Award as producer of the most outstanding documentary of the year; A Vesta Award for Excellence in Journalism and, a Bronze Halo Award from the Motion Picture Broadcast Council. She's been saluted as Celebrity Businesswoman of the Year by NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners); has received a U.S. Senate Certificate of Commendation and a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition. As a result of her commitments to numerous organizations and charities, she has been honored by Women In Film, the American Heart Association, the League of Women Voters, the American Cancer Society, the National Council on Alcoholism and many others...the list is endless.
Meredith recently celebrated her third year of marriage to Philip Neal, CEO and President of Avery Dennison ( a Fortune 500 company). It's ironic that one of the books she recorded this year for DOVE AUDIO is called "The Super Couple Syndrome", which focuses on high-powered, high-profile people building and maintaining a happy and successful relationship. It's exactly what the Neals do everyday! They compliment each other in what they do individually and together. They carve out time for an extensive social life, encompassing the corporate and show business worlds, yet they reserve and make the highest priority of their time alone. Some of their happiest times have been spent fly-fishing, skiing and traveling to exotic locales such as Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Sicily. Meredith is also the mother of a young, career-minded daughter, Allison, who recently graduated from college. Their relationship is a special one...taking trips together, scuba-diving and movie-going, since they share an intense love of films.
Although she was "born famous", the life that Meredith MacRae has created for herself is a good, solid one. She has earned her lasting career by proving herself famous in her own right! You may think with all her diversity on achievements and experience that she's done it all, but there are always more exciting and new challenges ahead for this lady of talent, high-energy and commitment.
Dated July 1998
Thanks to Meredith for sending me her Official Biography!
Meredith MacRae
Meredith MacRae was born in Houston, Tex. She is the eldest of four children of entertainers Gordon and Sheila MacRae. As a youngster she appeared as an extra in several motion pictures which starred her father. She was a straight-A student at Buckley High School in Van Nuys, Calif., and then enrolled at UCLA to major in English and minor in drama, aspeiring to a career as an actress and singer.
After two years at UCLA she withdrew in 1963 to take a regular role on the "My Three Sons" television series. She is now studying for her degree by attending evening classes. After her hitch on "My Three Sons" she became a regular on "The Young Marrieds". She has made stage appearances with Martha Raye, Andy Williams, Dan Dailey, Robert Horton and Louis Jordan.
Miss MacRae had featured movie roles in "Beach Party" and "Bikini Beach" and more recently landed her first starring role in "Footsteps in the Snow". she has appeared on most of the major variety shows, is a semi-regular on "What's My Line?" and appears frequently on other game shows.
She was married to actor Greg Mullavey on April 19, 1969 in a ceremony performed by a monk at the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades, Calif. They live in Hollywood and are attending the Eric Morris Actor's Workshop. They hope to be able to work together in the future as a team. Both are avid football fans, and Miss MacRae is the only female member of UCLA's Bruin Bench football boosters' club.
Miss MacRae is wild about pets of all sorts. Her hobbies include composing poetry, playing bridge, water skiing, scuba diving and ocean fishing. Se is 5'4", 115 pounds; blonde hair, brown eyes. She, Linda Kaye Henning and Lori Saunders of "Petticoat Junction" have a recording contract with Imperial Records, while Miss MacRae has a second contract of her own.
Thanks to Viacom Publicity for this Biography
(please note that this biography is from the 1970's and is included for historical purposes)
