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Audrey Meadows

Audrey Meadows

The youngest of four children.

Was a chain smoker.

When she first auditioned for the part of Alice Kramden, Jackie Gleason turned her down because, he said, she was too pretty to be believable as Ralph's wife. Determined to get the part, she hired a photographer to take pictures of her with frumpy clothes, no makeup and a generally world-weary attitude and sent them to Gleason. Gleason, not recognizing the woman in the photo as Audrey, told his producers that she was "Alice" and to find her. When he found out it was indeed Audrey, he said that any actress that determined to get the part deserved it, and hired her.

Younger sister of actress Jayne Meadows.

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