Kristy McNichol
Highest Rated: 94% White Dog (1982)
Lowest Rated: 0% Two Moon Junction (1988)
Birthday: Sep 11, 1962
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
The most popular and acclaimed teen actor of her era, Kristy McNichol achieved stardom as "Buddy" Lawrence on Aaron Spelling's "Family" (ABC, 1976-1980). Revolutionary for its resolutely unglamorous focus on average American home life, the series showcased McNichol's natural charisma and considerable acting chops. She won two Best Supporting Actress Emmys and became a household name, racking up TV guest spots, merchandising deals and an album with her teen idol brother, Jimmy McNichol. After impressing in "Summer of My German Soldier" (NBC, 1978), she made the leap to film with the summer camp-set cult classic "Little Darlings" (1980) opposite Tatum O'Neal. McNichol scored again onscreen with "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" (1981) and "Only When I Laugh" (1981), earning a Golden Globe nomination for the latter. Reports of her erratic behavior and high-profile flops like "The Pirate Movie" (1982) and "Just the Way You Are" (1984) helped end her film career, but she regained footing as Richard Mulligan's tough cop daughter on "Empty Nest" (NBC, 1988-1995), a spin-off of "The Golden Girls" (NBC, 1985-1992). Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she left the show in 1992 to retire from acting and the public eye in order to focus on charity work, teaching and her health. Moved by multiple instances of LGBT suicide due to bullying, McNichol resurfaced in 2012 to come out as a lesbian. Although many critics and fans wished she would return to acting, Kristy McNichol seemed content to let her impressive professional legacy speak for itself.
Photos
Kristy McNichol
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mother of the Bride | Mary (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet |
|
Baby of the Bride | Mary (Character) | - | 1991 |
No Score Yet |
|
Children of the Bride | Mary (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Forgotten One | Barbara Stupple (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet |
|
You Can't Hurry Love | Rhonda (Character) | $223.6K | 1988 |
0% |
|
Two Moon Junction | Patti Jean (Character) | $1.5M | 1988 |
No Score Yet |
|
Women of Valor | T.J. Nolan (Character) | - | 1986 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dream Lover | Kathy Gardner (Character) | $210.7K | 1986 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Love, Mary | Mary Groda-Lewis (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet |
|
Just the Way You Are | Susan Berlanger (Character) | $355.0K | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Aladdin & the Magic Lamp | The Princess (Voice) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp | Unknown (Voice) | - | 1983 |
9% |
|
The Pirate Movie | Mabel (Character) | - | 1982 |
94% |
|
White Dog | Julie Sawyer (Character) | - | 1982 |
63% |
|
Only When I Laugh | Polly (Character) | - | 1981 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia | Amanda Child (Character) | - | 1981 |
67% |
|
Little Darlings | Angel (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Blinded by the Light | Janet Bowers (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | My Old Man | Jo Butler (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet |
|
Summer of My German Soldier | Patty Bergen (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Like Mom, Like Me | Jennifer Gruen (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Love Boat II | Linda Morley (Character) | - | 1977 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
40% | No Score Yet | Invasion America | Unknown (Voice) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Empty Nest | Barbara Weston (Character) | 1988-1995 |
No Score Yet | 94% | The Golden Girls | Barbara Weston (Guest Star) | 1991-1992 |
No Score Yet | 89% | Murder, She Wrote | Jill Morton (Guest Star) | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Family | Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence (Character) | 1976-1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Starsky and Hutch | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1976 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Love Boat | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bionic Woman | Amanda Cory (Guest Star) | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Apple's Way | Patricia Apple (Character) | 1974-1975 |