Tala Meredith is the daughter of the late actor Burgess Meredith, whose career included roles in Rocky, The Twilight Zone, Winterset, Of Mice and Men, and The Story of G.I. Joe. By trade she is a painter, but she has not cultivated the public profile that made her father widely known.
Following Burgess Meredith’s death in 1997, his family has largely avoided the spotlight. In the paragraphs that follow, we’ll summarize the key facts available about Tala Meredith’s life.
Tala Meredith’s Birth and Family Roots
Born in 1953, Tala Meredith is one of the two children of Burgess and Kaja. Her paternal grandmother, Ida Beth (née Burgess), descended from a family of Methodist revivalists, and her grandfather, Dr. William George Meredith (1861 – 1938), was a Canadian-born physician of English background.
Her heritage includes English, Welsh, German, and Swedish roots, and most of her paternal grandparents came from Ontario, Canada.
A Swedish Ballerina Who Married Burgess
Kaja Sundsten Meredith was a former Swedish ballerina. She became Burgess’s fourth wife after a career that included dancing with the New York City Ballet and appearances on Broadway.
They are said to have met as Burgess’s marriage to Paulette Goddard, one of his former wives, was coming to an end. The couple married in 1950 and remained together until his death in 1997.
Kaja died on March 26, 2018, in Northern California.
Tala’s Personal and Romantic Life
There’s no public confirmation about whether Tala is married. Considering she is in her 70s, it’s entirely possible she is or was married.
If she never formally married, the WWII veteran’s daughter may still have had one or more partners over the years. She has maintained a low profile and, unlike her father, avoided the spotlight—so for most people Tala remains known chiefly as a veteran’s daughter.
A Quiet, Unassuming Life in California
Questions remain about Tala’s exact location. After her father’s death she chose to live a private, everyday life rather than assume the role of an heir to a Hollywood actor, and multiple sources say she has worked as a painter.
Some sources suggest Tala currently lives in Port Hueneme, California. Over the years the late actor’s daughter has also spent time in Borrego Springs, Oxnard, and Nevada City.
Meredith Reportedly Inherited Her Father’s Wealth
Although Burgess wasn’t among the wealthiest names in Hollywood when he passed, by most measures he was still a millionaire. What happened to his assets, however, remains unclear — the will of the Rocky actor was never made public by his survivors.
Did Tala end up receiving any of that money? It’s possible; there were no reports of estrangement between father and daughter. Still, whether Tala inherited from her late father’s estate has never been confirmed.
