Betty McGuire Dies: Broadway Actress & ‘Growing Pains’ Guest Star Was 100 — SkimNews
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- Betty McGuire died of natural causes on October 8 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, her representative confirmed.
- Betty McGuire made her Broadway debut in 1955 in Plain and Fancy, later appearing in Happy Hunting and Oh Captain! alongside stars like Ethel Merman and Tony Randall.
- Betty McGuire was best known for her recurring role as grandmother Kate Malone on the ABC sitcom Growing Pains.
- Betty McGuire appeared in over a dozen television shows including Columbo, Little House on the Prairie, Moonlighting, and CSI: Miami, beginning with a 1973 guest spot on The Doris Day Show.
- Betty McGuire acted in films such as Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke, The Incredible Shrinking Woman, and Wishmaster, showcasing her range across genres.
- Betty McGuire volunteered with the Coalition for Economic Survival legal clinic in Los Angeles, supporting low-income tenants facing eviction.
- Betty McGuire hosted GabFest, a segment on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, highlighting fellow residents at The Motion Picture & Television Fund Home.
Why it matters: McGuire’s death at 100 closes a seven-decade career that bridged Broadway’s midcentury peak and evolving television landscapes. Her offstage advocacy for housing justice and later-life media presence show a sustained public commitment beyond performance, offering a fuller model of the artist’s civic role.
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