Betty McGuire, Actress Known for 'Growing Pains,' Dies at 100

Betty McGuire, a Broadway actress and television veteran best known for her role as Grandmother Kate Malone on the ABC sitcom "Growing Pains," died on October 8. She was 100.

McGuire passed away of natural causes at The Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, according to her family friend Keith Gerchak. She had moved to the retirement home in 2017.

On "Growing Pains," McGuire played the warm-hearted maternal figure who often mediated between the Seaver parents, Jason and Maggie (Alan Thicke and Joanna Kerns), and their children. She appeared in 12 episodes across six of the show's seven seasons.

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McGuire's career spanned seven decades and included numerous television guest roles. She made appearances on "The Doris Day Show," "Cannon," "Columbo," "Charlie's Angels," "ER," and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," among others. She also had recurring roles on "Falcon Crest" and "Hill Street Blues."

Her film credits include a role as Sister Mary Quacker in the 1978 comedy "Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke," a nurse in Michael Crichton's "Coma," and a neighbor in "The Incredible Shrinking Woman."

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Born on March 20, 1926, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, McGuire began her stage career on Broadway in the 1955 musical "Plain and Fancy." She went on to perform in "Happy Hunting" and "Oh, Captain!" She was also a prominent performer in Australia, appearing in productions of "Gypsy," "Oliver!," and "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

After moving to the Motion Picture & Television home, McGuire hosted and produced a talk show called "GabFest" for the facility's TV station, where she featured the stories of fellow residents. She was the subject of an NBC Nightly News segment in 2019 highlighting her activities in retirement.

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McGuire had no survivors. Her family friend, Gerchak, announced her passing.