Meredith Baxter | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Baxter at theHuman Rights Campaign Gala in 2014 | |
| Born | Meredith Ann Baxter (1947-06-21)June 21, 1947 (age 77) |
| Other names | Meredith Baxter Birney |
| Education | Interlochen Center for the Arts |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1971–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5 |
| Parents |
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Meredith Ann Baxter (born June 21, 1947) is an American actress and producer. She is known for her roles on theCBSsitcomBridget Loves Bernie (1972–1973),ABC drama seriesFamily (1976–1980) and theNBCsitcomFamily Ties (1982–1989). A five-timeEmmy Award nominee, one of her nominations was for playing thetitle role in the 1992 TV filmA Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story.
Baxter was born on June 21, 1947, inSouth Pasadena, California, the daughter of actress, director and producerWhitney Blake and Tom Baxter, aradio announcer.[1][2] After her parents were divorced in 1953, Baxter and her two brothers, Richard (born 1944) and Brian (born 1946), were raised by their mother in Pasadena. Her second stepfather was situation comedy writerAllan Manings.[3]
Baxter was educated atJames Monroe High School before transferring toHollywood High School.[4] During her senior year, she attendedInterlochen Center for the Arts as a voice major, but returned to Hollywood High, where she graduated in 1965.[5]
Baxter got her first appearance in television in 1967 on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in, followed by The Interns, The Young Lawyers, The Doris Day Show, and Insight and in 1971 on an episode ofThe Partridge Family in its second season. She later appeared in 1972 as one of the stars ofBridget Loves Bernie, aCBS television network situation comedy. The series was canceled after one season. Her co-star,David Birney, became her second husband in 1974. Until they were divorced in 1989, she was credited as "Meredith Baxter Birney", under which name she became widely known in 1976 onFamily. She played the role of Nancy Lawrence Maitland and received twoEmmy Award nominations forOutstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1977 and 1978). In 1976 she played the wife of White House stafferHugh W. Sloan Jr. inAll the President's Men.
AfterFamily ended, she starred withAnnette O'Toole andShelley Hack inVanities (1981), a television production of thecomedy-dramastage play about the lives, loves and friendship of threeTexascheerleaders starting from high school to post-college graduation; it aired as a part ofStanding Room Only, a series on thepremium television channelHBO.[6]
In 1982, Baxter landed the role of Elyse Keaton, the formerflower child matriarch of the Keaton family on theNBC sitcomFamily Ties. In 1986, during her time onFamily Ties, Baxter earned critical acclaim for her dramatic performance as Kate Stark in theNBC television filmKate's Secret, about a seemingly "perfect" suburban housewife and mother who is secretly suffering frombulimia nervosa. FollowingFamily Ties, Baxter produced and starred intelevision films. She portrayed apsychopathickidnapper inThe Kissing Place (1990) and was nominated for an Emmy Award forOutstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special for her work inA Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story (1992), based on the true story ofBetty Broderick, adivorcée who was convicted of murder in the shooting of her ex-husband and his young wife. For her work on the television filmMy Breast (1994), she received a special award for public awareness from theNational Breast Cancer Coalition. In 1997, Baxter once again played the mother of a character played byMichael J. Fox (who portrayed her son,Alex P. Keaton, onFamily Ties), this time in two episodes ofSpin City.
In 2005, she began appearing intelevision commercials for Garden State Life Insurance Company. In 2006, she temporarily co-hosted—withMatt Lauer—Today, the NBCmorning news and talk show. In 2007, she made a guest appearance onWhat About Brian, an ABC drama series. That same year, she also made several appearances as the dying mother of Detective Lilly Rush inCold Case, a CBSpolice procedural series. In recent years, Baxter created askin care line called Meredith Baxter Simple Works, which raises funds for Baxter'sbreast cancer research foundation.
Baxter was the guest speaker at the 2008 Southern Commencement forNational University inLa Jolla, California, and was awarded anhonorary doctoral degree from the university.[7]
On March 1, 2011, Baxter's memoir, titledUntied, was published.[8] In the book, she details her early life, her unhappy and in some cases abusive marriages, her struggles with and recovery from alcoholism, and her realization that she is a lesbian. The book became aNew York Times bestseller.[9]
She is also a spokesperson for the senior mobile service providerConsumer Cellular. She voiced the character "Elise Sr." inDan Vs.. In April 2013, it was announced that Baxter would be in the season 4 finale episode ofGlee, along withPatty Duke, as a mentor toDarren Criss's character Blaine Anderson andChris Colfer's character, Kurt Hummel.[10] She also made a guest appearance on the ABC Family/Freeform seriesSwitched at Birth as the widowed mother of Kathryn Kennish (portrayed by Lea Thompson).
On August 4, 2014, producers announced that Baxter would be joiningThe Young and the Restless as Maureen,Nikki Newman's new drinking buddy, a "charming, intelligent, middle-class woman who has always aspired to a more privileged life than she has had". Baxter started appearing on the program on September 8. She also played the mother to "Stich" Raybourne and Kelly Andrews.[11]
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Baxter has been married four times and has five children.[12][13][14]
On December 2, 2009, shecame out as alesbian during an interview withMatt Lauer onToday and on theFrank DeCaro Show on Sirius-XM OutQ 102.[12][13] She said that accepting her sexual orientation helped her understand why, in part, previous relationships with men had failed.[15]
On March 1, 2011, while promoting a memoir, Baxter alleged that ex-husband David Birney had emotionally and physically abused her. Birney denied the allegations.ABC News reported that:
Meredith Baxter says in a new book,Untied, that she was a victim of emotional and physical abuse... [by] then-husband David Birney, who denied the allegations... Baxter alleges that Birney hit her more than once... She writes that she coped with the marital violence by drinking heavily, but has been sober since 1990 (the year after she and Birney divorced).[16]
The day after Baxter discussed Birney on theToday Show, she traveled to Chicago to appear onThe Oprah Winfrey Show for further discussion of the topics covered in her memoir.[17] Winfrey's staff had arranged forFamily Ties co-starMichael Gross to surprise Baxter on camera. Gross confirmed the assumption that Baxter had made throughout their seven years of working on the sitcom, that no one connected with the series had known or suspected that Baxter's husband was abusing her at the time. Gross was affectionate with Baxter on camera and expressed sorrow that she had endured such an ordeal for so long.[17] Birney vehemently denied the claims that he had abused Baxter.[18]
Baxter is avegetarian.[19]
Baxter was diagnosed withbreast cancer in 1999. After treatment, she made a full recovery.[8]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Stand Up and Be Counted | Tracy |
| Ben | Eve Garrison | |
| 1976 | All the President's Men | Debbie Sloan |
| Bittersweet Love | Patricia | |
| 1990 | Jezebel's Kiss | Virginia De Leo |
| 1999 | Elevator Seeking | Ann |
| 2003 | Devil's Pond | Kate |
| 2005 | Paradise Texas | Liz Cameron |
| The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green | Harper Green | |
| 2008 | The Onion Movie | Cooking Show Chef |
| 2010 | Airline Disaster | President Harriet Franklin |
| 2013 | Reading Writing and Romance | Mrs Wenders |
| 2014 | Letter to Anita: The Ronni Sanlo Story | Herself |
| 2019 | Undateable John | Beatrice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | The Partridge Family | Jenny | 1 episode |
| 1971 | The Young Lawyers | Gloria | |
| The Doris Day Show | April | 1 episode - repackaging of unsold sitcom pilot "Young Love" | |
| 1972 | Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | Ann Glover | 1 episode |
| 1972–1973 | Bridget Loves Bernie | Bridget Fitzgerald Steinberg | 24 episodes |
| 1973 | The Invasion of Carol Enders | Carol Enders | Television film |
| Doc Elliot | Jenny | 1 episode | |
| The Cat Creature | Rena Carter | Television film | |
| 1974 | Barnaby Jones | Jenny Sutherland | 1 episode |
| The Stranger Who Looks Like Me | Joanne Denver | Television film | |
| Young Love | April | Pilot aired later | |
| 1974–1975 | Medical Center | Paula Priscilla | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | Target Risk | Linda Flayly | Television film |
| The Imposter | Julie Watson | ||
| The Streets of San Francisco | Jodi Dixon | 1 episode | |
| The Night That Panicked America | Linda Davis | Television film | |
| Medical Story | Erica Schiff Sunny | 2 episodes | |
| McMillan & Wife | Faye Leonard | 1 episode | |
| 1976 | City of Angels | Mary Kingston | 3 episodes |
| Wide World of Mystery | Episode: "Terror in the Night" | ||
| Police Woman | Liz Robson | 1 episode | |
| 1976–1980 | Family | Nancy Lawrence Maitland | 45 episodes |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Sandy Rytell | 1 episode |
| 1978 | Little Women | Meg March | Miniseries |
| 1979 | The Family Man | Mercedes Cole | Television film |
| 1980 | Beulah Land | Lauretta Pennington | Miniseries |
| 1981 | Vanities | Joanne | |
| The Two Lives of Carol Letner | Carol Letner | Television film | |
| 1982 | Take Your Best Shot | Carol Marriner | |
| The Love Boat | Francesca "Fran" Randall | 2 episodes | |
| 1982–1989 | Family Ties | Elyse Keaton | Main role, 176 episodes |
| 1985 | Family Ties Vacation | Television film | |
| The Rape of Richard Beck | Barbara McKee | ||
| 1986 | Kate's Secret | Kate Stark | |
| 1987 | The Long Journey Home | Maura Wells | |
| 1988 | The Diaries of Adam and Eve | Eve | |
| Mickey's 60th Birthday | Elyse Keaton | ||
| Winnie | Winnie | ||
| 1989 | She Knows Too Much | Samantha White | |
| 1990 | The Kissing Place | Florence Tulane | |
| Burning Bridges | Lynn Hollinger | ||
| 1991 | Bump in the Night | Martha Tierney | |
| 1992 | A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story | Betty Broderick | |
| Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick - The Last Chapter | Betty Broderick | Sequel toA Woman Scorned | |
| Stolen Love | DeeDee | ABC Television film | |
| 1993 | Darkness Before Dawn | Mary Ann Guard | NBC television film also co-executive producer |
| CBS Schoolbreak Special -Other Mothers | Paula Hensen | 1 episode; won a Daytime Emmy Award for her role | |
| 1994 | For the Love of Aaron | Margaret Gibson | Television film |
| One More Mountain | Margaret Reed | ||
| My Breast | Joyce Wadler | Television film - also co-executive producer | |
| 1995 | Betrayed: A Story of Three Women | Amanda Nelson | |
| 1996 | The Faculty | Flynn Sullivan | 13 episodes also executive producer |
| After Jimmy | Maggie Stapp | Television film | |
| 1997 | Dog's Best Friend | Cow (voice) | |
| The Inheritance | Beatrice Hamilton | ||
| Let Me Call You Sweetheart | D.A. Kerry McGrath | ||
| Miracle in the Woods | Sarah Weatherby | ||
| Spin City | Macy Flaherty | Episode: "Family Affair" | |
| 1999 | Holy Joe | Annie Cass | Television film |
| Down Will Come Baby | Leah Garr | ||
| Miracle on the 17th Green | Susan McKinley | ||
| 2000 | The Wednesday Woman | Muriel Davidson | |
| 2001 | A Mother's Fight for Justice | Terry Stone | |
| Aftermath | Carol | ||
| Murder on the Orient Express | Mrs. Caroline Hubbard | ||
| 2002 | A Christmas Visitor | Carol Boyajian | |
| 2003 | 7th Heaven | Mrs. Jones | Episode: "Go Ask Alice" |
| 2004 | Half & Half | Joan Tyrell | 1 episode |
| Angel in the Family | Lorraine | Television film | |
| 2005 | The Closer | Congresswoman Simmons | Episode: "Fantasy Date" |
| 2006 | Brothers & Sisters | Margaret Packard | Episode: "For the Children" |
| 2006–2007 | Cold Case | Ellen Rush | 5 episodes |
| 2007 | What About Brian | Frankie | Episode: "What About All That Glitters..." |
| 2009–2011 | Family Guy | Elyse Keaton / herself / Carol | 3 episodes |
| 2009 | Bound by a Secret | Ida Mae | Television film |
| Brothers | TV Mom | Episode: "Episode: Commercial – Coach DMV" | |
| 2010 | We Have to Stop Now | Judy | Web series Episode: "The Grass Is Always Greener" |
| RuPaul's Drag U | Herself | 1 episode: Appeared as a guest judge | |
| 2011 | The Oprah Winfrey Show | 1 episode | |
| 2011–2013 | Dan Vs. | Elise Sr. | 4 episodes |
| 2012–2015 | Switched at Birth | Bonnie Tamblyn Dixon | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Naughty or Nice | Carol Kringle | Television film |
| 2013 | Glee | Liz | 1 episode |
| The Neighbors | Mother Joyner | 2 episodes | |
| Shadow on the Mesa | Emilie Rawlins | Television film | |
| 2014 | The Young and the Restless | Maureen Russell | Recurring |
| 2014–2015 | Finding Carter | Gammy | 10 episodes |
| 2015 | Becoming Santa | Jessica Claus | Television film |
| Being Mary Jane | Simone | Episode: "Some Things Are Black and White" | |
| 2016 | Skirtchasers | Lilah Samuels | Television film |
| Hell's Kitchen | Herself | Episode: "7 Chefs Compete" | |
| Code Black | Joanna | Episode: "Landslide" |
| Year | Award | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Family | Nominated |
| 1978 | |||
| 1992 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special | A Woman Scorned: TheBetty Broderick Story | |
| 1994 | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special | CBS Schoolbreak Special | |
| 2007 | TV Land Award | Lady You Love To Watch Fight For Her Life in a Movie of the Week | |
| 2015 | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series[20] | The Young and the Restless |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
