Cheerio Meredith

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Cheerio Meredith
Cheerio Meredith in The Andy Griffith Show 1960.jpg
Cheerio Meredith c. 1960
Born
Edwina Lucille Hoffmann

July 12, 1890
Missouri, US
DiedDecember 25, 1964(1964-12-25) (aged 74)
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationCharacter actress
Years active1944–1964
Spouse(s)Conde Thompson Mosley
(m. 1910 – 1949, his death)
Chester Morrison
(m. ? – 1964, her death)
Children4 with Mosley

Cheerio Meredith (July 12,[citation needed] 1890 – December 25, 1964) was an American character actress. She was described in a 1963 newspaper article as having "a face like a wrinkled rosebud."[1]

Early life[]

Meredith was born in 1890;[2] her mother was an elocutionist in the Chautauqua movement, and one of her grandmothers was an evangelist. Meredith made her own debut on stage with a monologue at age 3. The name Cheerio resulted from her cheerful attitude as a child.[1]

As a teenager, Meredith sought to play older characters. At age 15, she asked a producer to give her the part of an old woman, and he made her a witch in the play.[3]

Film and television[]

Films in which Meredith appeared included Brand of Courage (1958), The Long Count (1962),[4] The Fat Man (1951), I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955), I Married a Woman (1958), The Legend of Tom Dooley (1958), The Three Stooges in Orbit (1962), and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962).[2]

On television, Meredith portrayed Lovey Hackett on One Happy Family (1961).[5] She also was seen regularly on The Ames Brothers Show (1955) and had the role of Emma Brand (later Emma Watson) on The Andy Griffith Show.[2] Mary Lou Gedman wrote about Meredith's role on the Griffith show, "During her two-year stint on the show, she only appeared in six episodes but somehow, to the American people, she made a lasting impression."[6] She also had roles in other programs such as December Bride and Bonanza.[7]

Personal life and death[]

Meredith was twice married and had four children, three of whom acted on Broadway before going into other careers. The fourth became a producer of plays.[1]

In December 1964, "after a long illness", Meredith died at the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.[8] She was 74 years old.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Schroeder, Mildred. "A Trouper Who Loves Every Little Wrinkle". The San Francisco Examiner. California, San Francisco. p. 27. Retrieved December 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Robinson, Dale; Fernandes, David (2012). The Definitive Andy Griffith Show Reference: Episode-by-Episode, with Cast and Production Biographies and a Guide to Collectibles. McFarland. ISBN 9781476601878. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  3. ^ "Cheerio Meredith Teenager at 70". Arizona Republic. Arizona, Phoenix. United Press International. December 24, 1960. p. 30. Retrieved December 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Cheerio Meredith". BFI Film Forever. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  5. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 789. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  6. ^ Gediman, Mary Lou (2009). Journeywoman. Brandylane Publishers Inc. p. 3. ISBN 9781883911959. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  7. ^ "Deaths" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 4, 1965. p. 57. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Last Rites for Actress Cheerio Meredith Set". Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. December 27, 1964. p. C 9. Retrieved December 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[]

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