Julia Meade obit

Julia Meade Dies at 90; Actress Found Leading Role as TV Pitchwoman

 She was not on the list.

Julia Meade, an actress who worked in film and theater and was well-known as a television commercial pitchwoman, died May 16 at her home in New York, New York, according to multiple news sources. She was 90.

Julia Meade, an actress who worked in film and theater and was well-known as a television commercial pitchwoman, died May 16 at her home in New York, New York, according to multiple news sources. She was 90.

Peter Thorpe of the Julia Meade Fan Club announced the death Tuesday. In a post on Facebook, Thorpe shared the news of Meade’s death “with all of the members of the Julia Meade Fan Club. Julia passed away yesterday at her home in New York City, peacefully while asleep. Thanks to all of you for your comments and love. Julia loved her Facebook fan club. We will continue to post photos every week here. Thanks again.”

Meade, who was born Julia Kunz Dec. 17, 1925, in Boston, Massachusetts, started her career as a Conover model in 1948 while she sought theater roles.

“The latter did not materialize,” according to a biography of the actress at juliameade.com. “Television work did, however, and Julia became one of America’s most recognized TV personalities, prompting a New York Times reviewer to describe her as America’s first household name.”

Meade pitched a variety of products on TV and in newspaper and magazine advertisements, including soap, automobiles, bread, and hairspray.

On Broadway, she had roles in “The Tender Trap,” “Mary, Mary,” “Roman Candles,” and a 1960s revival of “The Front Page.”

She also had roles in movies including “Pillow Talk” and “Tammy Tell Me True.”

Meade married artist O. Worsham Rudd Jr. May 17, 1952. He preceded her in death, in 1999. They had two daughters, Caroline and Alice, who survive the actress.

Meade came to public attention in 1953 as the public face of the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. She did live commercials on The Ed Sullivan Show for such products as Kodak cameras and Life magazine for years, earning recognition from TV Guide as the "favorite salesgirl" of the program's host. Meade told Life magazine in 1960 that "I tackle commercials as though I were playing the queen in Hamlet".

Meade's pitch work involved doing live commercials that ran for up to five minutes, becoming most closely associated with her promotions of Lincoln automobiles, with her work for the car company described by Gerald Nachman as "part auto dealer, part chic sexpot".

Meade and Zachary Scott were co-hosts of Spotlight Playhouse, a summer anthology program on CBS in 1959.

Actress

Harrison Ford and Greta Scacchi in Presumed Innocent (1990)

Presumed Innocent

6.9

Moderator

1990

 

My First Love (1988)

My First Love

6.2

TV Movie

Chris Baker

1988

 

Kate Mulgrew, Bernard Barrow, Helen Gallagher, Malcolm Groome, and Michael Hawkins in Ryan's Hope (1975)

Ryan's Hope

7.2

TV Series

Susan Listcher Collins

1979

1 episode

 

CBS Daytime 90

7.8

TV Series

Lisa Grant

1974

1 episode

 

The Christophers

7.9

TV Series

1968

1 episode

 

Julia Meade and Tom Poston in Zotz! (1962)

Zotz!

5.9

Prof. Virginia Fenster

1962

 

Sandra Dee and John Gavin in Tammy Tell Me True (1961)

Tammy Tell Me True

6.4

Suzanne Rook

1961

 

Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Tony Randall, and Thelma Ritter in Pillow Talk (1959)

Pillow Talk

7.4

Marie

1959

 

Playhouse 90 (1956)

Playhouse 90

8.3

TV Series

1957–1958

2 episodes

 

Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950)

Armstrong Circle Theatre

7.7

TV Series

1958

1 episode

 

Mr. and Mrs. North

Season 2 Episode 2 – Target

1956

Starring:Richard DenningBarbara BrittonFrancis De SalesRobert OsterlohPaul BryarMeg RandallBrad MorrowJulia Meade

 

Goodyear Playhouse (1951)

Goodyear Playhouse

7.8

TV Series

1953

1 episode

 

Lux Video Theatre (1950)

Lux Video Theatre

7.5

TV Series

Esther

1952

1 episode