KRISTY MCNICHOL
Name: Christina Ann McNichol
Born: 11 September 1962 Los Angeles, California, USA
Christina Ann McNichol (born September 11, 1962 in Los Angeles, California) is a
former two-time Emmy Award winning Golden Globe nominated actress best known for
her role as "Buddy" Lawrence on the TV drama Family, and as Barbara Weston on
the sitcom Empty Nest. Her career in television and film began at the age of
six having spanned more than 25 years, peaking somewhere in the early 80's. She
is also the sister of former child actor Jimmy McNichol. McNichol's career came
to a sudden close when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1994.
Kristy McNichol began her career appearing with her brother Jimmy McNichol in
commercials and later on her own in guest appearances on such series as Starsky
and Hutch, The Bionic Woman, Love American Style and The Love Boat. Her first
stint as a series regular came with the role of Patricia Apple in the short-lived
ABC television series Apple's Way (1973). The McNichols got a break when Desi
Arnaz offered their mother an opportunity in the television industry for her
talented children.
In 1976, McNichol got another huge break being cast as Buddy in Family drama
series (1976-'80) for which the actress earned Emmy Awards for Best Supporting
Actress in a Dramatic Series in 1977 and 1979. Many future actors and actresses
also guest starred including Michael J. Fox and Leif Garrett. The popular drama
series Family was considered a breakthrough for its time in dealing with real
life issues and was television producer Aaron Spelling's favorite of all his
productions. McNichol was considered the series' main drawing attraction that
catapulted her into teen icon status within a few short years.
In 1978 at the height of her stardom on the drama series, McNichol, along with
her brother Jimmy, released a self-titled album Kristy & Jimmy McNichol, which
featured a hit single "He's So Fine." The McNichols partied at New York's
infamous Studio 54 with other big name celebrities like Brooke Shields to
promote the album. McNichol went on to appear on the Merv Griffin Show,
Carpenters Christmas Special and ABC celebrity sports competitions.
When Family went off the air in 1980, McNichol began a promising feature film
career with the hit teen coming of age story Little Darlings starring with Tatum
O'Neal. McNichol began performing with other top talent like Dennis Quaid in The
Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1980) where she received an unheard of six
figures for at the age of 19. McNichol also appeared in one of her first films
with her pal Burt Reynolds in The End. This shortly followed with Kristy being
nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in Only When I
Laugh, by Neil Simon in which Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl) received the
Golden Globe for Best Actress (1981). McNichol later was considered to have
broken new ground for future young actresses, topping the $1,000,000 mark for
one of her early film roles. McNichol also performed as supporting actress for
lead actress Susan Sarandon in a made for TV movie Women of Valor about nurses
being incarcerated in a Japanese concentration camp during WWII.
In 1982, McNichol's career took a dip when she starred in the cult musical film
The Pirate Movie alongside Christopher Atkins of The Blue Lagoon fame. The film
flopped in spite of a rather eccentric multi-million budget. In another sign of
a downturn in McNichol's career, later that year McNichol walked off the set of
a film set in the French Alps after having suffered a nervous breakdown. Though
later completing the film, McNichol had damaged her reputation considerably in
the film industry due to her being paid top dollar for her roles. B-film offers
along with various made for TV movies seemed to be the only avenues for McNichol
outside of television from thereon out. McNichol continued to work accepting
limited roles in a series of B-films.
In 1988, McNichol made a brief comeback with a popular TV sitcom playing the
character of Barbara Weston on the NBC's Empty Nest. McNichol had to leave in
1994, when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. McNichol returned to the
series for its final episode in 1995 with a warm welcome from the cast that had
missed her and her talents considerably.
Her last public statement to her fans was in June 2001, when she said:
"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."
Name: Christina Ann McNichol
Born: 11 September 1962 Los Angeles, California, USA
Christina Ann McNichol (born September 11, 1962 in Los Angeles, California) is a
former two-time Emmy Award winning Golden Globe nominated actress best known for
her role as "Buddy" Lawrence on the TV drama Family, and as Barbara Weston on
the sitcom Empty Nest. Her career in television and film began at the age of
six having spanned more than 25 years, peaking somewhere in the early 80's. She
is also the sister of former child actor Jimmy McNichol. McNichol's career came
to a sudden close when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1994.
Kristy McNichol began her career appearing with her brother Jimmy McNichol in
commercials and later on her own in guest appearances on such series as Starsky
and Hutch, The Bionic Woman, Love American Style and The Love Boat. Her first
stint as a series regular came with the role of Patricia Apple in the short-lived
ABC television series Apple's Way (1973). The McNichols got a break when Desi
Arnaz offered their mother an opportunity in the television industry for her
talented children.
In 1976, McNichol got another huge break being cast as Buddy in Family drama
series (1976-'80) for which the actress earned Emmy Awards for Best Supporting
Actress in a Dramatic Series in 1977 and 1979. Many future actors and actresses
also guest starred including Michael J. Fox and Leif Garrett. The popular drama
series Family was considered a breakthrough for its time in dealing with real
life issues and was television producer Aaron Spelling's favorite of all his
productions. McNichol was considered the series' main drawing attraction that
catapulted her into teen icon status within a few short years.
In 1978 at the height of her stardom on the drama series, McNichol, along with
her brother Jimmy, released a self-titled album Kristy & Jimmy McNichol, which
featured a hit single "He's So Fine." The McNichols partied at New York's
infamous Studio 54 with other big name celebrities like Brooke Shields to
promote the album. McNichol went on to appear on the Merv Griffin Show,
Carpenters Christmas Special and ABC celebrity sports competitions.
When Family went off the air in 1980, McNichol began a promising feature film
career with the hit teen coming of age story Little Darlings starring with Tatum
O'Neal. McNichol began performing with other top talent like Dennis Quaid in The
Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1980) where she received an unheard of six
figures for at the age of 19. McNichol also appeared in one of her first films
with her pal Burt Reynolds in The End. This shortly followed with Kristy being
nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in Only When I
Laugh, by Neil Simon in which Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl) received the
Golden Globe for Best Actress (1981). McNichol later was considered to have
broken new ground for future young actresses, topping the $1,000,000 mark for
one of her early film roles. McNichol also performed as supporting actress for
lead actress Susan Sarandon in a made for TV movie Women of Valor about nurses
being incarcerated in a Japanese concentration camp during WWII.
In 1982, McNichol's career took a dip when she starred in the cult musical film
The Pirate Movie alongside Christopher Atkins of The Blue Lagoon fame. The film
flopped in spite of a rather eccentric multi-million budget. In another sign of
a downturn in McNichol's career, later that year McNichol walked off the set of
a film set in the French Alps after having suffered a nervous breakdown. Though
later completing the film, McNichol had damaged her reputation considerably in
the film industry due to her being paid top dollar for her roles. B-film offers
along with various made for TV movies seemed to be the only avenues for McNichol
outside of television from thereon out. McNichol continued to work accepting
limited roles in a series of B-films.
In 1988, McNichol made a brief comeback with a popular TV sitcom playing the
character of Barbara Weston on the NBC's Empty Nest. McNichol had to leave in
1994, when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. McNichol returned to the
series for its final episode in 1995 with a warm welcome from the cast that had
missed her and her talents considerably.
Her last public statement to her fans was in June 2001, when she said:
"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."