Jimmy McNichol
McNichol in 2011
Born	(1961-07-02)July 2, 1961 (age 64) Los Angeles,California, U.S.
Occupations	Actor singer talk show host real estate investor
Years active	1974–present
Children	3, includingKellee Maize
Relatives	Kristy McNichol (sister)

James Vincent McNichol III (born July 2, 1961), known professionally asJimmy McNichol, is an American actor and singer who first gained fame as ateen 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."^[1]

In 1978, McNichol recorded an album with his sister,Kristy, also a child actress, and the two went on to host a youth-oriented variety show forABC. McNichol subsequently had lead roles inSmokey Bites the Dust (1981), and oppositeSusan Tyrrell in the horror filmButcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981). After retiring from acting in the 1990s, McNichol relocated with his family to Colorado, and has been active inenvironmentalist causes, and working as a real estate investor and home renovator.^[2]

James Vincent McNichol III was born July 2, 1961^[3] inLos Angeles, California,^[4] to James and Carolyn McNichol.^[2] He is of Palestinian andIrish descent.^[5] McNichol is the oldest of three siblings, with a sisterKristy (b. 1962)^[6] and brother Tommy (b. 1965).^[7] McNichol was raised by his single mother after the children's father, acarpenter, abandoned the family shortly after Tommy's birth.^[7] Their mother worked as an RN to support her family.^[7] Tommy was raised separately from him and Kristy, by his grandparents inBurbank.^[7]

He began his career at age 7, acting in aBand-Aid commercial. He appeared in roughly 80 commercials from 1967 to 1973, including spots forKool-Aid andCrest.^[7] He landed minor roles on shows such asLittle House on the Prairie (1974)^[8] andS.W.A.T. (1975).^[9]

His first film appearance was an uncredited role inSunshine (1973) at the age of 12.^[10] His first regular starring role was as younger brother Jack on the network seriesThe Fitzpatricks. Michele Tobin played his sister, Mo, on the show, and they later worked together onCalifornia Fever. McNichol sang the show's theme song and in 1978 recorded an album with his sister,Kristy and Jimmy McNichol, produced byPhil &Mitch Margo.^[11] The album spawned one hit single, a cover ofThe Chiffons' "He's So Fine",^[11] which charted at #70 on theBillboard Hot 100 in August 1978.^[12] The siblings also appeared as co-hosts of the fall 1978ABC All-Star Saturday Preview Special, a youth-oriented sketch comedy show featuring musical guests such as theBee Gees andDonny Osmond.^[13] McNichol and his sister, however, ceased performing together after Kristy had a manic breakdown while the two were inFrance; she was diagnosed withbipolar disorder.^[14] Afterward, McNichol stepped away from the music industry, later commenting: "I know the outcome—it's a real big high one year, and the next year, nobody knows who you are. All that singing and touring and the guys behind you doing drugs. Eventually it's gonna get to you."^[15]

WhenCalifornia Fever ended, he won the role as host of a weekly talk show,Hollywood Teen, as well as theJimmy McNichol Special, which first aired in April 1980.^[16][17] He also starred in the television filmChampions: A Love Story (1979), a teen drama about an ex-hockey player and figure skater who fall in love.^[18] He subsequently appeared in several other successful made-for-TV movies, including the thrillerBlinded by the Light (1980), in which he starred opposite his sister Kristy as agay teenager who escapes a religiouscult.^[19] He also made several low-budget feature films, includingSmokey Bites the Dust (1981)^[15] and the horror filmButcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1982), co-starring withSusan Tyrrell andBill Paxton.^[20]

In 1984, McNichol accepted the role of Josh Clayton onGeneral Hospital. He performed in a band throughout the 1980s under the name "Jimmy James". His last major acting role was asJill Ireland's son Valentine McCallum in the 1991 television filmReason for Living, co-starringJill Clayburgh.^[21] After completingReason for Living, at age 30, McNichol decided to retire from professional acting.^[22]

McNichol married his wife, Renée, in 1997.^[2] They had a son, Nash, in late 1997, and a daughter, Ellis, in late 1998.^[2][22] McNichol is an avidenvironmentalist and in 1998 was focusing on ecological education with a web site called ECOTV.^[23] Since leaving acting, McNichol began a career in residential construction and home rehabilitation.^[2] He also collaborated with Playground Television and Pet Power Kids onAnimal Rescue The Rockies (or "ARTR"),^[1] a TV series documenting animal rescue and related issues.

In 2006, McNichol and his family relocated fromSanta Barbara, California, toDurango, Colorado, where he still resided as of 2016.^[24] In 2010, he discovered he had a third child: daughterKellee Maize, a rap artist, songwriter, and entrepreneur fromPittsburgh^[25] who had been raised by adoptive parents in Pennsylvania.^[22] Their new familial bond was profiled in 2014 byOprah Winfrey.^[26]

• Kristy and Jimmy McNichol (RCA, 1978)^[10]

• Dennis, Jeffery P. (2006).Queering Teen Culture: All-American Boys and Same-sex Desire in Film and Television. New York: Psychology Press.ISBN 978-1-560-23349-7.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toJimmy McNichol.

• Official website
• Jimmy McNichol atIMDb

• 1961 births
• Living people
• American environmentalists
• American male pop singers
• American male child actors
• American male television actors
• American people of Irish descent
• American people of Palestinian descent
• Male actors from Los Angeles

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
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• Official website not in Wikidata