Meredith Vieira

Meredith Vieira Headshot

Journalist • Game Show Host

Birth Date: December 30, 1953

Age: 70 years old

Birth Place: Providence, Rhode Island

A respected television journalist whose reporting earned her six Emmy awards, Meredith Vieira also became one of the most recognizable faces on daytime TV, thanks to her hosting duties on "The View" (ABC, 1997- ) and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (ABC, 1999- ), as well as "Today" (NBC, 1952- ). Vieira initially began her journalism career on a local Massachusetts radio station, and later, on television as a reporter and anchor on stations in Rhode Island and New York. When she became the Chicago bureau chief for "The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather" (CBS, 1981-2005), Vieira's reputation and profile increased, leading to morning show work for CBS, a stint as a news magazine correspondent for ABC, as well as a host spot on "Intimate Portrait" (Lifetime, 1999- ). The key turning point in Vieira's career came when she was brought on to moderate Barbara Walter's daytime talk show, "The View" (ABC, 1997- ). The often bawdy and hilarious co-host continued to branch out, stepping in as host for the daytime version of the popular game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" (syndicated, 2002- ). Vieira caused a minor stir when she chose to leave the highly successful "The View" in order to fill the position vacated by Katie Couric on "Today" (NBC, 1952- ), although the deal did allow her to return to journalism with regular contributions as a correspondent on "Dateline NBC" (NBC, 1991- ). Recurring guest spots on the Tina Fey series "30 Rock" (NBC, 2006-13), and cameos in films like "Get Him to the Greek" (2010) also added an enjoyable diversion to Vieira's regular duties. Highly regarded as professional and personable, Vieira became a mainstay of American media, comfortably existing in the realms of journalism and entertainment.

Born Meredith Louise Vieira in Providence, RI on Dec. 30, 1953 to Edwin and Mary Louisa, she was the only girl and youngest child, growing up under the watchful eye of three older brothers. Vieira attended the Lincoln School, a Quaker all-girls school in Rhode Island before moving on to college and graduating magna cum laude from Tufts University in 1975 with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature. Her first professional journalism job came soon after graduation at WORC-Radio in Worcester, MA. She switched to television shortly thereafter as a reporter and anchor for WJAR-TV in her hometown of Providence. Vieira's professionalism and skill soon brought her to New York to work as a reporter and substitute anchor for WCBS, where a series on child molestation earned her the Front Page Award from the Newswoman's Club of New York. By 1982, Vieira was working for "The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather" (CBS, 1981-2005) in its Chicago bureau. Beginning in 1984, she was made Chicago Bureau Chief and covered the Democratic National Convention. In 1985, she became a correspondent for the news program "West 57th" (CBS, 1985-89), and her career flourished. For the 1987-88 season alone, Vieira received four Emmys for her reporting. During this time, she was also performing hosting duties on "Morning" (CBS, 1979-1987), the CBS daily news program.

By 1989, Vieira's status and acclaim earned her a co-editor spot on "60 Minutes" (CBS, 1968- ), with her report on Christians who saved Jews from the Holocaust bringing her a fifth Emmy. Vieira's time on "60 Minutes" came to a halt in 1991, however, when she became pregnant with her first child by husband Richard Cohen, an educator at Columbia University. Vieira returned to reporting in 1992, first by anchoring "The CBS Morning News" (1987- ), and then moving to another network in order to become chief correspondent for the news magazine, "Turning Point" (ABC, 1993-97). Again, her reporting received the highest honors - a story on white supremacy awarded her a sixth Emmy in 1995. She also received the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy journalism award for a story on disabled students. As the decade drew to a close, Vieira's television career began to grow beyond the boundaries of journalism. In 1999, she became the host of the biography series, "Intimate Portrait" (Lifetime, 1999- ) and the following year hosted "The Beatles Revolution" (ABC, 2000), a primetime special about the legendary band's impact on popular culture and music.

But her most far-reaching exposure arrived in 1997 when she signed on as co-host and moderator of "The View" (ABC, 1997- ), a daytime talk show created and co-hosted by fellow television journalist, Barbara Walters, devoted to women's issues and opinions. The show was a tremendous hit, and earned Vieira and her cast mates - Star Jones and Joy Behar, among them - Daytime Emmy nominations from 1999 to 2006. In 2001, Vieira was a celebrity contestant on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (ABC, 1998-2002), the popular game show hosted by Regis Philbin. When the show was revamped the next year as a daytime series with the same name (syndicated, 2002- ), Vieira was tapped to host the program. She earned her seventh Emmy for her game show work in 2005, as well as being nominated for the same category in both 2004 and 2006. In addition to her reporting and hosting duties, Vieira found time to be a commercial spokesperson for Bayer aspirin in 2004-5, an entertainment journalist (she hosted a featurette on the "Desperate Housewives" season one DVD), and even an occasional actress on series like "Sports Night" (ABC, 1998-2000) and "Spin City" (ABC, 1996-2002), as well as in the film "The Stepford Wives" (2004). While working in New York City, Vieira resided in the upscale enclave of Westchester County, NY with her three children and husband, whose health battles with multiple sclerosis and cancer made headlines and occasionally became a topic of discussion on "The View."

In mid-2006, Vieira announced on "The View" that she had accepted the hotly debated offer to replace Katie Couric as co-host of "Today" (NBC, 1952- ) once Couric moved on to her anchor duties at "The CBS Evening News." After a bittersweet farewell in the form of a good-natured roast on "The View," that show's bawdiest cast member joined the "Today" morning team, bringing that same sauciness with her to endlessly embarrass new coworkers Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Ann Curry. In addition to her morning duties, she was a semi-regular contributing correspondent for "Dateline NBC" (NBC, 1991- ). Occasionally venturing into the realm of pure entertainment, Vieira began making recurring appearances as herself in the NBC-centric ensemble comedy "30 Rock" (NBC, 2006-13) in 2007. She also took on film work, voicing characters for the animated features "Madagascar: Back 2 Africa" (2008) and the never-ending fairy tale farce "Shrek Forever After" (2010). Vieira appeared as herself in the rock-n-roll comedy "Get Him to the Greek" (2010), in a scene where inebriated pop idol Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) makes a less-than-ideal appearance on the "Today" show. Later the same year, she had a small cameo as a Lilliputian in the underwhelming Jack Black remake of "Gulliver's Travels" (2010). In May 2011, following weeks of speculation in the media, a tearful Vieira announced she would be leaving "Today" to spend more time with her husband and children. Longtime cast mate Ann Curry was tapped to replace her as co-host.

Credits

The Game Show ShowStream

Guest
Game Show
2023

Behind the Table: A View ReunionStream

Self
Special
2022

You Bet Your Life With Jay Leno

Guest
Game Show
2021

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Secrets & Surprises

Actor
Show
2020

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

After the Murder of Albert Lima

Executive Producer
Movie
2019

Authors and Their Hometowns

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Show
2018

What Makes A Great Book

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2018

25 Words or LessStream

Executive Producer
Game Show
2018

25 Words or LessStream

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Game Show
2018

The Great American ReadStream

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Miniseries
2018

Royal Wedding Watch

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2018

Incredible Aging: Adding Life to Your Years

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2017

Rio Olympics

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Show
2016

Celebrity PageStream

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News
2016

Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris

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2015

Odd Mom OutStream

Guest Star
Dr. Baldwin
Series
2015

Countdown to the Globes

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Show
2015

A Toast to 2014!

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Show
2014

The Meredith Vieira Show

Executive Producer
Talk
2014

The Meredith Vieira Show

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Talk
2014

Harry Potter: The Making of Diagon Alley

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Show
2014

A Leap of Faith: A Meredith Vieira Special

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Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

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Talk
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
Talk
2014

How to Raise an Olympian

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Show
2014

Elizabeth's Story: A Meredith Vieira Special

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Show
2013

Valerie's Story: A Meredith Vieira Special

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2013

Hollywood Game Night

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Game Show
2013

House of CardsStream

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Series
2013
77%

Deception

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Herself
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2013

A White House Christmas: First Families Remember

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2012

Home & Family

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Talk
2012

Steve Harvey

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Talk
2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

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2012

Larry King NowStream

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Talk
2012

LIVE with Kelly

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2011

Rock Center With Brian Williams

Correspondent
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2011

The Chew

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2011

Anderson

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2011

Dish Nation

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Talk
2011

Inside the Royal Wedding

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2011

Piers Morgan Tonight

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2011

ConanStream

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2010

The Talk

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Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

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2010

Access Hollywood Live

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Show
2010

Shrek Forever AfterStream

Voice
Broomsy Witch
Movie
2010
57%

The Joy Behar Show

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Show
2009

The Dr. Oz Show

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Talk
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

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Talk
2009

The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien

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Talk
2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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Talk
2009

2008: Today Looks Back, A Holiday Special

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2008

My Generation

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2008

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

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2007

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

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2007

The Better Show

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Show
2007

30 RockStream

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Meredith Vieira
Series
2006
78%

The Colbert Report

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Talk
2005

The Martha Stewart Show

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Reality
2005

Doctor WhoStream

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Series
2005
90%

InterventionStream

Narrator
Reality
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

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2005

The Insider

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2004

Extreme Makeover: Home EditionStream

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Reality
2004

Fat Like Me: How to Win the Weight War

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2003

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

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Talk
2003

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

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Show
2002

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

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Game Show
2002

Live With Regis and Kelly

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2001

Bette

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Show
2000

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

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Talk
1999

Sports NightStream

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Series
1998
90%

The 78th Annual Miss America Pageant

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Show
1998

The View

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Talk
1997

The View

Host
Talk
1997

The PracticeStream

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Series
1997

Spin CityStream

Guest Star
Series
1996
69%

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Extra

Guest
News
1994

Turning Point

Host
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1994

Intimate Portrait

Host
Show
1993

Late Night With Conan O'Brien

Guest
Talk
1993

Late Show With David Letterman

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Talk
1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

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Talk
1992

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Sesame StreetStream

Guest Star
Series
1969

General HospitalStream

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Soap
1963

Today

Guest
News
1952

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