[1][2] Jeanne Doris Baird was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania on March 28, 1927,[3] and raised and educated in Santa Barbara, California.

Moving to New York and work on television provided opportunities for her to do "light, fun roles" and to appear on panel shows, giving people the chance to know her apart from characters that she portrayed.

Her role on Today, in turn, led to her being selected for the cast of the NBC soap opera Ben Jerrod,[11] playing Agnes Abbott.

[12] Other TV shows on which she appeared included Ironside, Rescue 8, [13] Pantomime Quiz,[1] Ben Casey, Bonanza, Four Star Playhouse, and Perry Mason.

[6] Films in which Baird appeared included Get Outta Town, The Gay Deceivers,[13] Black Spurs,[7] and Andy Hardy Comes Home.

[14] She also acted in TV commercials for "everything from dog food to lavender hair rinse",[5] and for two years she was a commentator on the NBC-TV broadcast of the Tournament of Roses Parade.