Kristy McNichol | |
---|---|
![]() McNichol in 1991 | |
Born | Christina Ann McNichol September 11, 1962 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1970–2001 |
Known for | Little Darlings Empty Nest Only When I Laugh Family |
Partner | Martie Allen |
Relatives | Jimmy McNichol (brother) Kellee Maize (niece) |
Christina Ann McNichol (born September 11, 1962) is an American former actress. She is known for such film roles as Angel in Little Darlings , Polly in Only When I Laugh , and Barbara Weston in the TV sitcom Empty Nest . [1] She won two Emmy Awards for her portrayal of teenage daughter Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence in the TV drama Family . McNichol retired from acting in 2001.
McNichol was born on September 11, 1962, in Los Angeles, California, [2] the daughter of James and Carolyn McNichol. Her father was a carpenter and her mother worked odd jobs to support the family, including as a secretary, cosmetics salesperson and movie extra. McNichol is Scottish/Irish on her father's side and her mother is of Lebanese descent. [3]
She 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 television series Apple's Way (1974).
In 1976, she was cast as Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence in the television drama series Family (1976–80). She was nominated for the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series three years in a row (1977–79), winning in 1977 and 1979. [4] [5] [6]
In 1977, she appeared in the TV special The Carpenters at Christmas, performing several musical numbers with the duo. In 1978, Jimmy and she made their foray into music, recording the album Kristy and Jimmy McNichol for RCA Records (AFL1-2875). Produced by Phil Margo and Mitch Margo, it included the singles "He's So Fine" (a cover of The Chiffons' 1963 hit), which peaked at number 70 on the Billboard chart and "Page by Page". The McNichols promoted the album at New York's Studio 54 discothèque with other celebrities. In 1978, McNichol performed with Jimmy in a second Carpenters' holiday special, titled The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait. [7]
McNichol was one of the bigger 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 . [8]
McNichol began her film career in 1977 in Black Sunday, but her scenes were cut. In 1978, she starred with Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in the black comedy The End . [9]
In 1980, she played one of the leading roles in the hit coming-of-age movie Little Darlings , which also starred Tatum O'Neal, with Matt Dillon and Cynthia Nixon in supporting roles. Her performance was acclaimed by many reviewers, including those who disliked the film. [10] Later 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. In 1981, she co-starred in Neil Simon's Only When I Laugh and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. [11]
McNichol was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her performance in the 1982 movie The Pirate Movie .[ citation needed ] The same year, she suffered an emotional breakdown while playing the lead role in the comedy-drama Just the Way You Are that was being filmed in France. She later told People magazine that she could not sleep and she cried the entire time she was in France. She had nightmares when she did sleep and she cried on set. She did not return to the production after Christmas to finish the movie; filming had to be interrupted for a year while McNichol recovered. She later said that the breakdown had been caused by the pressures of her childhood career, [12] as well as the pressure to hide her sexuality from the public.[ citation needed ].
In 1986, McNichol appeared in Women of Valor , a TV movie about American nurses in a World War II Japanese POW camp. She made two theatrical films in 1988: You Can't Hurry Love and Two Moon Junction .
In the same year, she began the role of Barbara Weston on Empty Nest , a spin-off of The Golden Girls . She left the show in 1992 after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder but returned for its final episode in 1995. It was her last on-screen performance. However, she later voiced characters in the animated TV series Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) and Invasion America (1998). [13]
In June 2001, McNichol announced that she had 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. [14]
After her retirement, McNichol taught acting at a private school in Los Angeles and devoted much of her time to charity work. [15] In 2012, McNichol ended years of speculation when she revealed that she is a lesbian and has lived with her partner Martie Allen since the early 1990s. She made the statement in the hopes that her openness would help young people who are bullied because of their sexual orientation. McNichol also made it clear in the same statement that she has no plans to return to acting. [16] [13]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1978 | The End | Julie Lawson | |
Like Mom, Like Me | Jennifer Gruen | Television movie | |
Summer of My German Soldier | Patty Bergen | ||
1979 | My Old Man | Jo Butler | |
1980 | Little Darlings | Angel Bright | First lead role in a theatrical release |
Blinded by the Light | Janet Bowers | Television movie | |
1981 | The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia | Amanda Child | |
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 |
The Pirate Movie | Mabel Stanley | ||
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp | The Princess | Voice | |
1984 | Just the Way You Are | Susan Berlanger | |
1985 | Love, Mary | Mary Groda-Lewis | Television movie |
1986 | Dream Lover | Kathy Gardner | |
Women of Valor | T.J. Nolan | Television movie | |
1988 | You Can't Hurry Love | Rhonda | |
Two Moon Junction | Patti Jean | ||
1989 | The Forgotten One | Barbara Stupple | Final theatrical film (as of 2022) |
1990 | Children of the Bride | Mary | Television movie |
1991 | Baby of the Bride | ||
1993 | Mother of the Bride |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1973 | Love, American Style | Steffi | Episode: "Love and the Unsteady Steady" |
1974–1975 | Apple's Way | Patricia Apple | 15 episodes |
1975 | ABC Afterschool Special | Jenna McPhail | Episode: "Fawn Story" |
1976 | Nina Beckwith | Episode: "Me & Dad's New Wife" | |
Starsky & Hutch | Meg | Episode: "The Hostages” | |
Sara | Unknown | Episode: "Grandpa's Girl" | |
The Bionic Woman | Amanda Cory | Episode: "The Ghost Hunter" | |
Starsky & 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 |
Kelly | Episode: "Graham and Kelly" | ||
ABC Afterschool Special | Carlie Higgins | Episode: "The Pinballs" | |
1978 | Starsky & 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 | The Golden Girls | 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 |
Wins
| Nominations
|
Julie Deborah Kavner is an American actress. Best known for her voice role as Marge Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons, Kavner first attracted notice for her role as Brenda Morgenstern, the younger sister of Valerie Harper's title character in the sitcom Rhoda, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also voices other characters for The Simpsons, including Marge's mother, Jacqueline Bouvier, and sisters Patty and Selma Bouvier.
Mary Nell Steenburgen is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s, she made her professional acting debut in 1978 Western comedy film Goin' South. Steenburgen went on to earn critical acclaim for her role in Jonathan Demme's 1980 comedy-drama film Melvin and Howard, for which she received the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Susan Hallock Dey is a retired American actress, known for her television roles as Laurie Partridge on the sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and as Grace Van Owen on the drama series L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992. A three-time Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for L.A. Law in 1988.
Little Darlings is a 1980 American teen comedy-drama film starring Tatum O'Neal and Kristy McNichol and featuring Armand Assante and Matt Dillon. It was directed by Ronald F. Maxwell. The screenplay was written by Kimi Peck and Dalene Young and the original music score was composed by Charles Fox. The film was marketed with the tagline "Don't let the title fool you", a reference to a scene in which Randy comments on Angel's name, to which Angel replies, "Don't let the name fool you."
Estelle Louise Fletcher was an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of the antagonist Nurse Ratched in the psychological drama film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), which earned her numerous accolades including, the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also had a recurring role as the Bajoran religious leader Kai Winn Adami in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–99), as well as the role of Sebastian's aunt Helen Rosemond in the movie Cruel Intentions (1999). She was nominated for two Emmy Awards for her roles in the television series Picket Fences (1996) and Joan of Arcadia (2004). Her final role was as Rosie in the Netflix series Girlboss (2017).
Only When I Laugh is a 1981 American comedy-drama film based on Neil Simon's 1970 play The Gingerbread Lady.
Candice Patricia Bergen is an American actress. She won five Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal of the title character on the CBS sitcom Murphy Brown. She is also known for her role as Shirley Schmidt on the ABC drama Boston Legal (2005–2008). In films, Bergen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Starting Over (1979), and for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Gandhi (1982).
Tatum Beatrice O'Neal is an American actress. She is the youngest person ever to win an Academy Award, winning at age 10 for her performance as Addie Loggins in Paper Moon (1973) opposite her father, Ryan O'Neal. She also starred as Amanda Wurlitzer in The Bad News Bears (1976), followed by Nickelodeon (1976), and Little Darlings (1980). O'Neal later appeared in guest roles in Sex and the City, 8 Simple Rules and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. From 2006 to 2007, she portrayed Blythe Hunter in the My Network TV drama series Wicked Wicked Games.
Kathleen Doyle Bates is an American actress and director. Known for her roles in comedic and dramatic films and television programs, she has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over five decades, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for a Tony Award and two British Academy Film Awards.
Stockard Channing is an American actress. She played Betty Rizzo in the film Grease (1978) and First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing (1999–2006). She also originated the role of Ouisa Kittredge in the stage and film versions of Six Degrees of Separation; the 1993 film version earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She was also one of two comic foils of The Number Painter on Sesame Street.
Ellen Tyne Daly is an American actress. She has won six Emmy Awards for her television work, a Tony Award and is a 2011 American Theatre Hall of Fame inductee.
Kristen Noel Swanson is an American actress. She is best recognized for having played Buffy Summers in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer and appeared in the 1996 film The Phantom.
Mary Megan Winningham, known professionally as Mare Winningham, is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is the recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and two Tony Awards.
Linda Jean Kelsey is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Billie Newman on the CBS drama television series Lou Grant (1977–1982), which earned her three Golden Globe Award nominations and five Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Wit is a 2001 American television drama film directed by Mike Nichols. The teleplay by Nichols and Emma Thompson is based on the 1999 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same title by Margaret Edson.
James Vincent McNichol III, known professionally as Jimmy McNichol, is an American actor and singer who first gained fame as a teen idol in the late 1970s. At the beginning of his career his popularity quickly grew, causing networks like CBS to create and implement multiple television series specifically for his involvement and leading roles. After making a record number of appearances on top talk shows he was viewed by many as "the face you see everywhere."
Merritt Carmen Wever is an American actress. She is known for starring as a perennially upbeat young nurse in Nurse Jackie (2009–2015), an intrepid widow in the Netflix period miniseries Godless (2017), and a detective investigating a serial rapist in the Netflix crime miniseries Unbelievable (2019). For Nurse Jackie she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2013, for Godless she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie in 2018, and for Unbelievable she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film in 2020.
Yvonne Jaqueline Strzechowski, known professionally as Yvonne Strahovski, is an Australian actress. She is best known for roles as CIA agent Sarah Walker in the NBC spy comedy drama series Chuck (2007–2012), Hannah McKay in the Showtime drama series Dexter (2012–2013), and CIA Agent Kate Morgan in the Fox event series 24: Live Another Day (2014). She stars as Serena Joy Waterford in the Hulu drama series The Handmaid's Tale (2017–present), for which she has received nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe Award.
The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait is a Christmas television special featuring The Carpenters that aired on ABC on December 19, 1978. It was the second Christmas TV special that the pop duo made and was taped in October 1978.
The Triple Crown of Acting is a term used in the American entertainment industry to describe actors who have won a competitive Academy Award, Emmy Award, and Tony Award in the acting categories, the highest accolades recognized in American film, television, and theater, respectively. The term is related to other competitive areas, such as the Triple Crown of horse racing.