Betty McGuire, the actress best known for her role as grandmother Kate Malone in the television series Growing Pains, has died at the age of 100. Her close friend and actor Keith Gerchak confirmed to the press that McGuire passed away on 8 October due to natural causes.
The actress died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. McGuire had celebrated her 100th birthday in March.
She played the role of Kate, mother of Joanna Kerns's character Maggie Seaver, in 12 episodes between 1986 and 1991. McGuire also appeared in the 1978 films Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke, as Sister Mary Quacker, and Coma.
Her other television credits included Falcon Crest, The Doris Day Show, Columbo, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Hill Street Blues, ER, CSI: Miami, MacGyver, Moonlighting, and Charlie's Angels. Born on 20 March 1926 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, McGuire began her career on Broadway, performing alongside Ethel Merman, Barbara Cook, Bea Arthur, and Tony Randall in productions such as Plain and Fancy, Happy Hunting, and Oh, Captain!.
She headlined as Mame at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and toured in productions including Gypsy and Auntie Mame. She had lived at the Motion Picture & Television Fund campus since 2017, where she hosted a talk show on the on-site channel, GabFest.
Beyond her acting career, McGuire was a dedicated volunteer. She spent years working as a receptionist and advocate at the Coalition for Economic Survival, a legal clinic supporting low-income tenants facing eviction.
Her colleagues in the industry have remembered her as a vibrant personality who remained active well into her later years. She was a fixture at the Motion Picture & Television Fund community, often participating in events and social gatherings.
Her passing marks the end of a long and storied career that spanned several decades of American entertainment history. She leaves no survivors, but her legacy remains through her extensive body of work in film and television.
The entertainment community has expressed condolences to her friends and former colleagues. A private memorial service is expected to be held at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital.