Dorothy Meyer
in Sanford and Son (1973)
Born(1924-11-06)November 6, 1924
DiedSeptember 24, 1987(1987-09-24) (aged 62)
OccupationActress
Years active1931–1987

Dorothy Meyer (November 6, 1924 – September 24, 1987) was an American character actress of film and television who made a name for herself portraying wisecracking maids, neighbors, friends, nurses, and church ladies throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Life and career

Meyer was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 6, 1924, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, a religion to which she adhered to throughout her entire life. During her childhood, Meyer initially began her career as an actress singing and dancing in numerous Christian themed productions on The Bible Belt and was later inspired to further pursue acting following the Oscar win of African-American actress Hattie McDaniel in Gone with the Wind. During World War II, Meyer's worked as both a secretary and typist in a steel factory in her native Indiana during the daytime and later started appearing in amateur theatre during nights and her weekends off. In the early 1950s, she moved to California and began her career modeling, appearing in advertisements for such popular brand names as Maxwell House Coffee, Hallmark Greeting Cards, Westinghouse, Walgreens, Sears Roebuck, and Hersey's Chocolates. After two decades of advertisement modeling, she made her small screen debut in a 1971 episode of The Bill Cosby Show. Between 1971 and 1987, she would have 42 credits to her resume, including appearances on such syndicated programs as That's My Mama, Sanford and Son, The Waltons, Starsky & Hutch, The Jeffersons, Lou Grant, Hill Street Blues, Murder, She Wrote, and 227. She enjoyed a successful career and appeared alongside such notables as Linda Blair, Richard Pryor, and Muhammad Ali.[1]

Aside from acting, Meyer was also noted as being a staunch liberal Democrat and African American rights activist, who was very supportive of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and spoke on numerous occasions regarding civil liberties in low-income communities. She also had a great deal of support and admiration for the administrations of John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter. Meyer died in Los Angeles, California on September 24, 1987, from undisclosed causes, at the age of 62. As per her last will and testament, Meyer was cremated with her ashes scattered at sea. She was unmarried, had no children, and her only survivors were distant cousins, two older brothers, one sister, and a few nieces and nephews. Two films she had made, Moving (1988) and Wildfire (1988), were released posthumously.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1971The Bill Cosby ShowGloria's MotherEpisode: "The Green-Eyed Monster"
1972The New Temperatures Rising ShowAdmissions ClerkEpisode: "The Spy"
1972Circle of FearWomanEpisode: "Time of Terror"
1973The WaltonsMrs. BlankfortEpisode: "The Chicken Thief"
1973A Dream for ChristmasCousin ClaraTV movie, Uncredited
1973-1975Sanford and SonAunt Flossie / Mrs. Walker3 episodes
1974Owen Marshall, Counselor at LawMrs. GreenEpisode: "I've Promised You a Father: Part 2"
1974The Family KovackNurseTV movie
1974Airport 1975PassengerUncredited
1974That's My MamaRuby Lester3 episodes
1975Miles to Go Before I SleepHattieTV movie
1975The Blue KnightShopperEpisode: "Pilot"
1975The RookiesNadine BrooksEpisode: "Reign of Terror"
1975InsightNoraEpisode: "Hunger Knows My Name"
1976GradyErnestine JohnsonEpisode: "Night School"
1976Helter SkelterHousekeeperTV movie
1976Having BabiesAdmitting NurseTV movie
1977The GreatestOdessa Clay
1977Panic in Echo ParkTV movie
1977RaffertyMrs. GreenerEpisode: "A Point of View"
1977Sanford ArmsSarah CalvinEpisode: "The Grandparents"
1977Starsky & HutchMrs. Walters / Mrs. Marlowe2 episodes
1978The JeffersonsCassie KincaidEpisode: "Florence's Union"
1979How the West Was WonHattieEpisode: "The Scavengers"
1979H.O.T.S.Ezzetta
1979Lou GrantLadyEpisode: "Gambling"
1979Roller BoogieAda
1979Diff'rent StrokesMrs. KeithEpisode: "The Dog Story"
1981Flamingo RoadEpisode: "Trapped"
1981Whose Life Is It Anyway?2nd Nurse
1982King's CrossingWilla Bristol10 episodes
1983NewhartNurseEpisode: "Ricky Nelson, Up Your Nose"
1983Ryan's FourEpisode: "Ryan's Four"
1983-1985Hill Street BluesWitness / Cook2 episodes
1984Gimme a Break!Sarah BanksEpisode: "Valentine"
1985Do You Remember Love?Social DirectorTV movie
1986Hollywood Vice SquadHeavyset Woman
1986CobraNurse #1
1986Murder, She WroteNurse O'HanlonEpisode: "Deadline for Murder"
1987227Ruby JenkinsEpisode: "Happy Twentieth"
1988MovingGrandma
1988WildfireEsther(final film role)

References

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