BIOGRAPHY

                 OF

                 BURGESS MEREDITH
 

                         In a career spanning nearly four decades, Burgess Meredith has run a 
                 lengthy course in various roles - actor, director, producer, writer in the 
                 legitimate theatre, motion pictures, TV and radio.  He's conducted symphony 
                 orchestras, narrated films and TV commercials.

                         He's at it as actively as ever today essaying his current and continuing 
                 guest-star role in the "Search" (formerly "Probe") series.  His role is 
                 that of Probe Control director, V.C.R. Cameron, in the Leslie Stevens 
                 Production-Warner Bros. Television one-hour episodes for NBC.  Hugh 
                 O'Brian, Tony Franciosa and Doug McClure star in the season's series, with 
                 various guest-stars  added.

                         Meredith was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest of three children of 
                 Dr. William George Meredith.  His early education was in Ohio schools and 
                 prep school at Hoosick Falls, N.Y.  He showed an early interest in acting 
                 via school plays and, at prep school,  edited his school paper.  He entered 
                 Amherst in 1926 as an English major with a scholarship, but was an early 
                 drop-out.  He worked as a reporter on two separate papers for a total of 10 
                 months, sold haberdashery and then returned to Amherst for a year.  Leaving 
                 school again, he tried a variety of jobs before deciding to try the stage.

                         Early in 1930, Meredith joined Eva La Gallienne's student repertory 
                 group.  It was here that he had his first small role as Peter in "Romeo and 
                 Juliet" - and did several others.  During the summer, he did summer 
                 stock.  During the summer of 1932, Meredith did the Duck, the Dormouse and 
                 Tweedle Dee in "Alice In Wonderland" at the New Amsterdam Theatre, with La 
                 Gallienne.  He left "Alice" to portray Crooked Finger Jack in "Three Penny 
                 Opera," at New York's Empire Theatre.  When the "Opera" played 
                 Philadelphia, he was offered the lead in "Little Ol' Boy."  Commuting 
                 between Philadelphia and New York daily, Meredith rehearsed in one town 
                 while performing nightly in the other.  He opened "Little Ol' Boy" in New 
                 York in April, 1933; the play was unsuccessful, but Meredith's performance 
                 was said by critics to be best of the year.

                         August, 1934, marked Meredith's radio debut as "Red Davis," appearing 
                 twice nightly in addition to other activities in entertainment fields.  The 
                 program continued for 80 weeks.  With Katherine Cornell, he opened in 
                 "Barretts of Wimpole Street," February, 1935.  He later did "Flowers of the 
                 Forest," with Miss Cornell.

                         It is as Mio of "Winterset," a play written for him by Maxwell Anderson, 
                 that oldsters fondly recall Meredith's artistry.  Drama critics later chose 
                 it as "Best Play of the Year," and it was in the film of "Winterset" that 
                 he made his motion picture debut.

                         He returned from Hollywood to open in "High Tor," another Maxwell Anderson 
                 play written for Meredith.  Said Richard Watts, Jr., "That Mr. Meredith is 
                 the best young actor on the American stage is generally conceded - as a 
                 matter of fact, there is no particular reason why the limiting adjective 
                 'young' should be included...for there isn't a better American actor of any 
                 age available."

                         When Meredith did a radio version of "Hamlet" for CBS, his performance was 
                 hailed as equal to those of (John) Gielgud, (Leslie) Howard and (John) 
                 Barrymore.

                         After another Hollywood film in 1937, titled "There Goes The Groom," 
                 Meredith returned to New York to open "The Star Wagon," with Lillian Gish - 
                 his third successive Maxwell Anderson play.  That spring he toured with it, 
                 then returned to Hollywood to film "Spring Madness," then "Idiot's Delight" 
                 with Norma Shearer and Clark Gable.

                         Noting the highlights only:  In March, 1939, Amherst College awarded him 
                 an honorary degree as Master of Arts; same year, a film "Of Mice and Men;" 
                 1941, lead with Ingrid Bergman on the New York stage in "Liliom;" February 
                 of 1942 saw Meredith inducted into the army, Rank: private.

                         Army authorities gave him permission in spring of that year to appear as 
                 Marchbanks in "Candida," with Katherine Cornell and Raymond Massey - a 
                 benefit for the Army & Navy Relief Fund.

                         June of 1942 saw him commissioned a second lieutenant and, in May, he was 
                 sent overseas.  In November he produced and acted in "Welcome to Britain," 
                 for the Office of War Information.  He returned to the U.S. in January, 
                 1944.  In the fall, he was placed on inactive duty in order to appear as 
                 the late Ernie Pyle in "The Story of GI Joe."  The film was widely hailed, 
                 General Eisenhower declaring it "the best war film" he had ever seen.  He 
                 returned to active status on completion of filming and was discharged 
                 approximately nine months later with a Captain's rank.

                         After his 1945 discharge, Meredith completed "Diary of a chambermaid;" he 
                 wrote the screenplay, co-produced and co-starred in the film directed by 
                 Jean Renoir.  The following year he produced and starred in "A Miracle Can 
                 Happen," heading a film production company, Motion Picture Stages, as its 
                 president.

                         Space does not permit a continuing list of Meredith's many accomplishments 
                 on and in the various mediums of the entertainment world: stage, TV, films, 
                 records as both performer and narrator.

                         It may be summed up by saying that beyond his performance in the current 
                 "Search" film, Meredith has four others awaiting release dates - he's 
                 making 'em faster than they can release 'em.

                         When he can spare time, he likes to spend it with his family at the 
                 70-acre Mount Ivy, N.Y. ranch where he raises jumping horses.  He was 
                 married in 1950 to former dancer Kaja Sundsten.  They have two children:  a 
                 son, Johnathon, 20, a student at California's University of the Pacific, 
                 and Pala, 19, at Franklin College in Switzerland.