24 Facts About Vaughn Meader

Abbott Vaughn Meader was an American comedian, impersonator, musician, and film actor.

Vaughn Meader eventually returned to his native Maine where he resumed performing music and managed a pub.

Vaughn Meader was born in Waterville, Maine during one of the worst floods ever to hit New England: he often said he was born on "the night the West Bridge washed out".

Vaughn Meader was the only child of Charles Vaughn Meader, a millworker, and Mary Ellen Abbott.

Vaughn Meader enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in Mannheim, West Germany as a laboratory technician.

Vaughn Meader began his career in entertainment as a singer and piano player.

Vaughn Meader mastered the facial expressions that allowed him to bear a passable resemblance to Kennedy.

On October 22,1962, Vaughn Meader joined writers Bob Booker and Earle Doud and a small cast of entertainers to record The First Family.

Still in his 20s, Vaughn Meader was suddenly famous, rich, and in constant demand.

Vaughn Meader was profiled in Time and Life magazines, appeared on network television variety shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Jack Paar Program, The Andy Williams Show and Hootenanny.

Vaughn Meader made a couple of game show appearances, first as a mystery guest on What's My Line on December 30,1962, The following week, Vaughn Meader and Naomi Brossart appeared on To Tell The Truth in which the panel had to guess who the real Naomi Brossart was amongst the three lady contestants.

Vaughn Meader planned to record general satire and abandon his JFK impersonations.

In November 1963, Vaughn Meader was busy recording a new comedy record, written by a different group of writers and not involving his Kennedy impersonation.

Copies of The First Family were pulled from stores and a JFK-related Christmas single by Vaughn Meader that had been released by MGM's Verve Records shortly before the assassination was quickly withdrawn.

An episode of The Joey Bishop Show, which Vaughn Meader filmed one week before the assassination and was set to air in February 1964, was pulled from the lineup.

Vaughn Meader then heard the breaking news bulletins over the taxi's radio.

Vaughn Meader's income evaporated, new-found friends and associates stopped calling, and by 1965 Vaughn Meader was virtually broke.

Vaughn Meader reunited with Earle Doud in 1971 for an album called The Second Coming, a comedic look at what life would be like for Jesus if he had returned to Earth around the time of Jesus Christ Superstar, but airplay and sales were virtually nonexistent.

Vaughn Meader tried several times to revive his career, but achieved only moderate success, and even then mostly outside of show business.

Vaughn Meader appeared briefly in the 1975 movie Linda Lovelace for President, portrayed Walter Winchell in the 1975 film Lepke starring Tony Curtis, and had a very brief cameo on the 1981 Rich Little comedy album The First Family Rides Again, which both parodied Ronald Reagan and paid homage to the original First Family album.

Vaughn Meader married his fourth wife, Sheila Colbath, in 1984.

Vaughn Meader questioned the hosts about a particular car, which she and Vaughn were considering taking on the campaign trail.

On October 29,2004, Vaughn Meader died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the age of 68.

Vaughn Meader has been posthumously credited for having broken new ground in the area of political humor, particularly in impersonations of the President of the United States.