Kristy McNichol
| Kristy McNichol | |
|---|---|
 McNichol on the set of Family in 1977 | |
| Born |
Christina Ann McNichol September 11, 1962 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1970–1998 |
| Partner(s) | Martie Allen |
Christina Ann "Kristy" McNichol (born September 11, 1962) is an American actress and singer.[1]
McNichol is known for such roles as Letitia “Buddy” Lawrence on the TV series Family, Angel in the film Little Darlings, and Barbara Weston on the sitcom Empty Nest.[2]
Early life and career
McNichol was born in Los Angeles, California, and appeared with her brother, Jimmy McNichol, in commercials and later, on her own, in guest appearances on such other series as Starsky & Hutch, The Bionic Woman, Love American Style, and The Love Boat, thanks to family friend Desi Arnaz. Her first stint as a series regular came in the role of Patricia Apple in the short-lived CBS television series Apple's Way (1974).
In 1976, McNichol was cast as Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence in the television drama series Family (1976–80), for which she earned two Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series (1977 and 1979).[3]
In 1977, McNichol appeared on The Carpenters at Christmas TV special, performing several musical numbers with the duo. In 1978, she and Jimmy made their own foray into music, recording the album Kristy & Jimmy McNichol for RCA Records. It included the single "He's So Fine" (a cover of The Chiffons' 1963 hit), which peaked at #70 on the Billboard chart. The McNichols promoted the album at New York's Studio 54 discothèque with other celebrities, such as Brooke Shields. In 1978, McNichol performed with Jimmy in a second Carpenters' holiday special, The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait.
McNichol was one of the biggest teen stars of that era. She appeared on talk shows such as The Mike Douglas Show and Dinah!, and made several appearances on Battle of the Network Stars and other celebrity-based sports shows. In 1978, she starred in the acclaimed TV movie, Summer of My German Soldier.
McNichol began her film career in 1977, in Black Sunday, but her scenes were cut during editing. In 1978, she starred with Burt Reynolds in the comedy The End. In 1980, she played the leading role in the hit coming of age movie Little Darlings, which co starred Tatum O'Neal, Matt Dillon, and Cynthia Nixon. Her performance was acclaimed by many reviewers, including those who disliked the film itself.[4] In 1980, she appeared with Dennis Quaid and Mark Hamill in The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, for which she received a six-figure salary—unprecedented for a teenager. The same year, she co starred in Neil Simon's Only When I Laugh, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In 1986, McNichol appeared in Women of Valor, a TV movie about American nurses in a World War II Japanese POW camp. In 1988, she made two theatrical films, You Can't Hurry Love and Two Moon Junction. In the same year, McNichol played Barbara Weston on the NBC sitcom Empty Nest, a spin-off of The Golden Girls. She left the show in 1992, but returned for its final episode in 1995. It was her last on-screen performance, though she went on to voice characters in the animated TV series Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) and Invasion America (1998).
After acting life
In June 2001, McNichol announced that she has retired from acting. Her publicist released this statement:
"A lot of people have wondered what I've been up to. I retired from my career after 24 years. My feeling was that it was time to play my biggest part – myself! I must say that it has been the best thing that ever happened to me. So many fans are disappointed that I'm not currently acting; however, some may not realize that the process I'm in at this time is necessary and vital for my personal happiness and well-being."[5]
After her retirement, McNichol taught acting at a private school in Los Angeles and devoted much of her time to charity work.[6] In 2012, she came out as a lesbian, in the hopes that her openness would help young people who are bullied because of their sexuality.[7]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Black Sunday | Unknown | In scenes deleted during editing |
| 1978 | The End | Julie Lawson | |
| 1978 | Like Mom, Like Me | Jennifer Gruen | Television movie |
| 1978 | Summer of My German Soldier | Patty Bergen | Television movie |
| 1979 | My Old Man | Jo Butler | Television movie |
| 1980 | Little Darlings | Angel Bright | Her first leading role in a theatrical film |
| 1980 | Blinded by the Light | Janet Bowers | Television movie |
| 1981 | Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, TheThe Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia | Amanda Child | |
| 1981 | Only When I Laugh | Polly | Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture |
| 1982 | White Dog | Julie Sawyer | Unreleased in the United States |
| 1982 | Pirate Movie, TheThe Pirate Movie | Mabel | |
| 1982 | Aladdin and the Magic Lamp | The Princess | Voice |
| 1984 | Just the Way You Are | Susan Berlanger | Shooting interrupted for a year due to mental health issues |
| 1985 | Love, Mary | Mary Groda-Lewis | Television movie |
| 1986 | Dream Lover | Kathy Gardner | |
| 1986 | Women of Valor | T.J. Nolan | Television movie |
| 1988 | You Can't Hurry Love | Rhonda | |
| 1988 | Two Moon Junction | Patti Jean | Appeared topless |
| 1989 | The Forgotten One | Barbara Stupple | Her last theatrical performance (as of 2015) |
| 1990 | Children of the Bride | Mary | Television movie |
| 1991 | Baby of the Bride | Mary | Television movie |
| 1993 | Mother of the Bride | Mary | Television movie |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Love, American Style | Steffi | Episode: "Love and the Unsteady Steady" |
| 1974 | Apple's Way | Rachel | Episode: "The Lamb" |
| 1974–1975 | Apple's Way | Patricia Apple | 14 episodes |
| 1975 | ABC Afterschool Special | Jenna McPhail | Episode: "Fawn Story" |
| 1976 | ABC Afterschool Special | Nina Beckwith | Episode: "Me and Dad's New Wife" |
| 1976 | Starsky and Hutch | Meg | Episode: "The Hostages" |
| 1976 | Sara | Unknown | Episode: "Grandpa's Girl" |
| 1976 | Bionic Woman, TheThe Bionic Woman | Amanda Cory | Episode: "The Ghost Hunter" |
| 1976 | Starsky and Hutch | Molly Edwards | Episode: "Little Lost Girl" |
| 1976–1980 | Family | Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence | 86 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1977, 1979) Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Linda Morley | Pilot Episode |
| 1977 | Love Boat, TheThe Love Boat | Kelly | Episode: "Graham and Kelly" |
| 1977 | ABC Afterschool Special | Carlie Higgins | Episode: "The Pinballs" |
| 1978 | Starsky and Hutch | Joey Carston | Episode: "The Trap" |
| 1988 | Murder, She Wrote | Jill Morton | Episode: "Showdown in Saskatchewan" |
| 1988–1995 | Empty Nest | Barbara Weston | 100 episodes |
| 1991–1992 | Golden Girls, TheThe Golden Girls | Barbara Weston | Episodes: "Witness", "A Midwinter Night's Dream" |
| 1997 | Extreme Ghostbusters | Girl in Sub (voice) | Episode: "Dry Spell" |
| 1998 | Invasion America | Sgt. Angela "Angie" Romar | 13 episodes |
Awards
Wins
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Nominations
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References
- ↑ "The New York Times". Movies.nytimes.com. 2007-01-18. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
- ↑ Bloch, Jon P.; Naser, Jeffrey (2006). The Everything Health Guide To Adult Bipolar Disorder: Reassuring Advice to Help You Cope. Everything Books. p. 47. ISBN 9781605503417. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ↑ "Family (1976)," The Internet Movie Database
- ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Review of "Little Darlings"". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
- ↑ "Where Are They Now? Kristy McNichol". Tv.msn.com. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
- ↑ "Movies: Biography forKristy McNichol". The New York Times.
- ↑ Anonymous. "Kristy McNichol, 'Empty Nest' And 'Family' Actress, Comes Out As Lesbian In People Magazine". Huffington Post. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kristy McNichol. |