Elizabeth MacRae, best known for her roles in General Hospital and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., has passed away at the age of 88. Her family announced that she died on May 27 in her hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina.
After High School, MacRae pursued acting, auditioning for Saint Joan in 1956. Although unsuccessful, she stayed committed, moved to NYC, trained with Uta Hagen, and gained off-Broadway experience.
MacRae began her television career with a role as a witness in the courtroom series The Verdict Is Yours. Spanning 25 years in the industry, she appeared in numerous iconic shows, including Route 66, The Fugitive, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, I Dream of Jeannie, and The Andy Griffith Show.
Elizabeth MacRae appeared as Lou-Ann Poovie in 15 episodes of the CBS comedy Gomer Pyle: USMC during its final three seasons (1966-69). Initially signed for a single episode, “Love’s Old Sweet Song,” her performance impressed producers, leading to her extended role on the Jim Nabors-led show.
MacRae also graced the small screen in several soap operas. Of course, her biggest soap role was as Meg Baldwin on General Hospital beginning in August 1969. She continued in this role until 1973 when her character was written off.
MacRae also starred in other popular soaps like Another World, Days of Our Lives, Guiding Light, and Search for Tomorrow.
Elizabeth MacRae Also Had an Impressive Film Career
However, the versatile actress didn’t just appear on TV. MacRae’s filmography features notable titles such as Live in a Goldfish Bowl, Everything’s Ducky, and The Incredible Mr. Limpet.
In the 1974 film The Conversation, written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, MacRae portrayed Meredith, a character who dances with Gene Hackman’s Harry Caul in his apartment, spends the night with him, and ultimately steals one of his audiotapes.
She continued her television career, appearing in shows such as Kojak, Barnaby Jones, and Rhoda. MacRae’s final film credit came in 1989 when she portrayed a reporter in Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives!
After retiring from television and film, Elizabeth frequently highlighted her most significant achievement: her work as a drug and alcohol counselor at the Freedom Institute in NYC.
Eventually, MacRae and her husband, Charles Day Halsey Jr., relocated to North Carolina. After several years, they made their way back to their hometown of Fayetteville. She is survived by her five stepchildren: Terry Halsey, Peter Halsey, Hugh Halsey, Cate Halsey, and Alex Halsey Topper.