Meredith Baxter

Meredith Baxter

Baxter at the Human Rights Campaign Gala, 2014
Born Meredith Ann Baxter
(1947-06-21) June 21, 1947
South Pasadena, California, US
Other names Meredith Baxter-Birney
Education James Monroe High School
Hollywood High School
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Occupation Actress, producer
Years active 1971–present
Television Bridget Loves Bernie
Family
Family Ties
Dan Vs.
Family Guy
Spouse(s) Robert Lewis Bush (m. 1966; div. 1969)
David Birney (m. 1974; div. 1989)
Michael Blodgett (m. 1995; div. 2000)
Nancy Locke (m. 2013)
Children 5
Parent(s) Tom Baxter
Whitney Blake (deceased)
Relatives Allan Manings (stepfather, deceased)

Meredith Ann Baxter (born June 21, 1947)[1] is an American actress and producer. She is known for her roles on the ABC drama series Family (1976–80) and the NBC sitcom Family Ties (1982–89). A five-time Emmy Award nominee, one of her nominations was for playing the title role in the 1992 TV film A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story. She has also done voice-work on the The Hub channel's animated sitcom Dan Vs. (2011–13).

Early life

Baxter was born in South Pasadena, California, the daughter of actress turned director/producer Whitney Blake and Tom Baxter, a radio announcer.[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 writer Allan Manings. She also shares the same birth date with her Family Ties co-star, Michael Gross.

Baxter was educated at James Monroe High School before transferring to Hollywood High School.[3] During her senior year, she attended Interlochen Center for the Arts as a voice major, but returned to Hollywood High, where she graduated in 1965.[4]

Career

Early years

Baxter got her first big break on television in 1972 as one of the stars of Bridget Loves Bernie, a CBS television-network situation comedy. The series was canceled after one season, but her co-star, David Birney became her second husband in 1974. Following their marriage and until their divorce in 1989, she was credited as Meredith Baxter-Birney, under which name she became widely known several years later on Family. She played the role of Nancy Lawrence Maitland and received two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1977 and 1978).

After Family ended, she starred with Annette O'Toole and Shelley Hack in Vanities (1981), a television production of the comedy-drama stage play about the lives, loves and friendship of three Texas cheerleaders starting from high school to post-college graduation; it aired as a part of Standing Room Only, a series on the premium-television channel HBO.

1980s and 1990s

In 1982, Baxter landed the role of Elyse Keaton, the former flower child matriarch of the Keaton family on the NBC sitcom Family Ties. In 1986, during her time on Family Ties, Baxter garnered critical acclaim for her dramatic performance as Kate Stark in the NBC television movie Kate's Secret, about a seemingly "perfect" suburban housewife and mother who is secretly suffering from bulimia nervosa. Following Family Ties, Baxter (whose marriage to Birney ended in 1989) produced and starred in telefilms. She portrayed a psychopathic kidnapper in The Kissing Place (1990) and was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special for her work in A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story (1992), based on the true story of a divorcée who was convicted of murder in the shooting of her ex-husband and his young wife. For her work on the television film My Breast (1994), she received a special award for public awareness from the National Breast Cancer Coalition. In 1997, Baxter once again played the mother of a character played by Michael J. Fox (who portrayed her son, Alex P. Keaton, on Family Ties), this time in two episodes of Spin City.[5]

2000s-present

In 2005, she began appearing in television commercials for Garden State Life Insurance Company. In 2006, she temporarily co-hosted — with Matt LauerToday, the NBC morning news and talk show. In 2007, she made a guest appearance on What About Brian, an ABC drama series. That same year, she also made several appearances as the dying mother of Detective Lilly Rush on Cold Case, a CBS police-procedural series. In recent years, Baxter created a skin-care line called Meredith Baxter Simple Works, which raises funds for Baxter's breast cancer research foundation.

Baxter was the guest speaker at the 2008 Southern Commencement for National University in La Jolla, California, and was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from the university.[6]

On December 17, 2009, Baxter's memoir, titled Untied, was published in 2011.[7] She is also a spokesperson for Consumer Cellular, a cell-phone company advertised as providing a cheaper alternative for senior citizens. She currently voices the character "Elise Sr." in Dan Vs., which airs on The Hub. In April 2013, it was announced that Baxter will be in the season 4 finale episode of Glee, along with Patty Duke, as a mentor to Darren Criss's character Blaine Anderson and Chris Colfer's character, Kurt Hummel.[8]

On August 4, 2014, it was announced that Baxter would be joining The 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 will start appearing on the program on September 8. She is also the mother to "Stich" Raybourne and Kelly Andrews[9]

Personal life

Marriages and children

Baxter in September 1990

Baxter has been married four times and has five children. In 1966, she married Robert Lewis Bush and they had two children — Theodore Justin ("Ted"; born 1967) and Eva Whitney (born August 6, 1969); the couple divorced in 1971. In 1974, she married David Birney and had three children — Kathleen Jeanne ("Kate"; born December 5, 1974) and twins Mollie Elizabeth and Peter David Edwin (born October 2, 1984).[10] She and David Birney divorced in 1989. In 1995, she married actor and screenwriter Michael Blodgett; they were divorced in 2000.

On December 2, 2009, she came out as a lesbian during an interview with Matt Lauer on Today, and on the Frank DeCaro Show on Sirius-XM OutQ 102.[11][12] In 2005, she began a relationship with Nancy Locke, a general contractor. They were married on December 8, 2013, in Los Angeles.[13]

Baxter said she began her first same-sex relationship in 2002. She stated that finally coming to terms with her sexual orientation opened her eyes to the fact that for many years she knew something was different about her and why her relationships with men had failed.[14]

On March 1, 2011, Baxter made another intimate revelation while appearing on NBC's Today Show. She promoted a new memoir that alleges emotional and physical abuse by her ex-husband David Birney, father of three of her children. ABC News tried to reach Birney for comment but could not. It claimed that he had told NBC he was denying the allegations. The ABC News web site reported on March 1, 2011:

Meredith Baxter says in a new book, "Untitled," that she was a victim of emotional and physical abuse.

Baxter, the actress best known for playing hippie mom Elyse Keaton on the 1980s sitcom "Family Ties," said that the abuser was her then-husband David Birney, who has denied the allegations.

In her memoir, Baxter alleges that Birney hit her more than once. "It was so sudden and unexpected, I couldn't tell you which hand hit me, or even how hard," she writes. "I do recall thinking, 'I'd better not get up because he's going to hit me again.' "

She writes that she coped with the marital violence by drinking heavily, but has been sober since 1990 [which was the year after she and Birney divorced].[15]

Regarding the fact that Baxter's marriage to Birney lasted throughout the entire seven seasons that she worked on Family Ties, ABC News explained,

Baxter said that her work helped her cope and she did not share her personal story with others.

"You learn to compartmentalize," she said on NBC. "When I got to the [television] studio, my home life was not happening. Nobody knew anything. I didn't have a social life. I did my work, I went home."[16]

The day after Baxter discussed Birney on NBC's Today Show, she traveled to Chicago to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show for further discussion of the topics covered in her Untitled memoir.[17] Others who appeared with her included her Family Ties co-star Michael Gross (actor). Winfrey's staff had arranged for him to surprise Baxter on-camera. Gross confirmed the assumption that Baxter had made throughout their seven years of working on the sitcom, the assumption that no one connected with the series had known or suspected that Baxter's husband was abusing her at the time.[18] Gross was affectionate with Baxter on-camera and expressed sorrow that she had endured such an ordeal for so long.[19]

Health issues

Baxter was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 for which she was treated and from which she has fully recovered.[7]

Filmography

Chad Everett and Baxter in 1975
Film
Year Title Role
1972 Stand Up and Be Counted Tracy
1972 Ben Eve Garrison
1976 All the President's Men Debbie Sloan
1976 Bittersweet Love Patricia
1990 Jezebel's Kiss Virginia De Leo
1999 Elevator Seeking Ann
1999 Down Will Come Baby Leah Garr
2003 Devil's Pond Kate
2005 Paradise Texas Liz Cameron
2005 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
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1971 The Young Lawyers Gloria 1 episode
1971 The Doris Day Show April 1 episode - repackaging of unsold sitcom pilot "Young Love"
1971 The Partridge Family Jenny 1 episode
1972 Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law Ann Glover 1 episode
19721973 Bridget Loves Bernie Bridget Fitzgerald Steinberg 24 episodes
1973 The Invasion of Carol Enders Carol Enders television film
1973 Doc Elliot Jenny 1 episode
1973 The Cat Creature Rena Carter ABC television film
1974 Barnaby Jones Jenny Sutherland 1 episode
1974 The Stranger Who Looks Like Me Joanne Denver ABC television film
1974 Young Love April CBS sitcom pilot, aired long after production
19741975 Medical Center Paula
Priscilla
2 episodes
1975 Target Risk Linda Flayly NBC television film
1975 The Imposter Julie Watson NBC television film
1975 The Streets of San Francisco Jodi Dixon 1 episode
1975 The Night That Panicked America Linda Davis ABC television film
1975 Medical Story Erica Schiff
Sunny
2 episodes
1975 McMillan & Wife Faye Leonard 1 episode
1976 City of Angels Mary Kingston 3 episodes
1976 Wide World Mystery 1 episode
1976 Police Woman Liz Robson 1 episode
19761980 Family Nancy Lawrence Maitland 45 episodes
19771982 The Love Boat Sandy Rytell 3 episodes
1978 Little Women Meg March NBC television film
1979 The Family Man Mercedes Cole CBS television film
1980 Beulah Land Lauretta Pennington NBC miniseries
1981 Vanities Joanne HBO televised presentation of stage production
1981 The Two Lives of Carol Letner Carol Letner CBS television film
1982 Take Your Best Shot Carol Marriner CBS television film
19821989 Family Ties Elyse Keaton 171 episodes
1985 The Rape of Richard Beck Barbara McKee ABC television film
1985 Family Ties Vacation Elyse Keaton NBC television film
1986 Kate's Secret Kate Stark NBC television film
1987 The Long Journey Home Maura Wells CBS television film
1988 The Diaries of Adam and Eve Eve television film
1988 Mickey's 60th Birthday Elyse Keaton television special
1988 Winnie Winnie NBC television film
1989 She Knows Too Much Samantha White NBC television film
1990 The Kissing Place Florence Tulane USA Network television film
1990 Burning Bridges Lynn Hollinger ABC television film
1991 Bump in the Night Martha Tierney RHI Entertainment Television Movie
1992 A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story Betty Broderick CBS television films
Alternate title: "Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick - The Final Chapter"
1992 Stolen Love DeeDee ABC Television film
1993 Darkness Before Dawn Mary Ann Guard NBC television film
also co-executive producer
1993 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
1994 One More Mountain Margaret Reed ABC television film
1994 My Breast Joyce Wadler CBS television film
also co-executive producer
1995 Betrayed: A Story of Three Women Amanda Nelson ABC television film
also co-executive producer
1996 The Faculty Flynn Sullivan 1 episode
also executive producer
1996 After Jimmy Maggie Stapp television film
1997 Dog's Best Friend Cow (Voice) television film
1997 The Inheritance Beatrice Hamilton television film
1997 Let Me Call You Sweetheart D.A. Kerry McGrath The Family Channel television film
1997 Miracle in the Woods Sarah Weatherby television film
1997 Spin City Macy Flaherty 2 episodes: "Family Affair" (Part 1) and "Family Affair" (Part 2)
1999 Holy Joe Annie Cass CBS television film
1999 Down Will Come Baby Leah Garr CBS television film
1999 Miracle on the 17th Green Susan McKinley CBS television film
2000 The Wednesday Woman Muriel Davidson CBS television film
2001 A Mother's Fight for Justice Terry Stone Lifetime Television film
2001 Aftermath Carol television film
2001 Murder on the Orient Express Mrs. Caroline Hubbard television film
2002 A Christmas Visitor Carol Boyajian Hallmark Channel television film
2003 7th Heaven Mrs. Jones 1 episode: "Go Ask Alice"
2004 Half & Half Joan Tyrell 1 episode
2004 Angel in the Family Lorraine Hallmark Channel television film
2005 The Closer Congresswoman Simmons 1 episode: "Fantasy Date"
2006 Brothers & Sisters Margaret Packard 1 episode: "For the Children"
20062007 Cold Case Ellen Rush 5 episodes
2007 What About Brian Frankie 1 episode: "What About All That Glitters..."
2009 Bound by a Secret Ida Mae Hallmark Channel television film
2009 Family Guy Elyse Keaton and herself 2 episodes: "Stew-Roids" and "Family Gay"
2009 Brothers TV Mom 1 episode: "Episode: Commercial – Coach DMV"
2010 We Have to Stop Now Judy Web series
Episode: "The Grass Is Always Greener"
2010 RuPaul's Drag U Herself 1 episode: Appeared as a guest judge
2011 The Oprah Winfrey Show Herself 1 episode
2011 Dan Vs. Elise Sr. 4 episodes
2011 Family Guy Carol 1 episode
2012 Switched at Birth Bonnie Tamblyn Dixon 1 episode
2012 Naughty or Nice Carol Kringle Hallmark Channel television film
2013 Glee Liz 1 episode
2014 The Young and the Restless Maureen Russell Recurring
2015 Switched At Birth Bonnie Tamblyn-Dixon Season 4, Episode 7 "Fog and Storm and Rain"
2015 Finding Carter

Award nominations

Year Award Work Result
1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Family Nominated
1978 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Family Nominated
1992 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story Nominated
1994 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special CBS Schoolbreak Special Nominated
2007 TV Land Award Lady You Love To Watch Fight For Her Life in a Movie of the Week Nominated
2015 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series[20] The Young and the Restless Nominated

References

  1. "Meredith Baxter". TVGuide.com. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  2. Meredith Baxter profile at FilmReference.com; accessed December 6, 2009
  3. Baxter, Meredith (2011). Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering. Random House LLC. p. 34.
  4. Baxter 2011 pp. 41,47
  5. Spin City "Family Affair" details on IMDb.
  6. Johnson, Tony (July 28, 2008). "National University Commencement 2008 — Could Be Good, Could Be Bad". The Herald; accessed December 2, 2009.
  7. 1 2 "Meredith Baxter profile". people.com. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  8. "Glee Casts Patty Duke and Meredith Baxter as Lesbian couple".
  9. Michael Logan (4 August 2014). "Exclusive: Meredith Baxter Joins The Young and the Restless". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  10. Staff writer "Biography for Meredith Baxter". Turner Classic Movies. Accessed December 6, 2009.
  11. "Windy City Media Group website". Windycitymediagroup.com. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  12. "YouTube.com". YouTube.com. 2009-12-02. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  13. Nahas, Aili (December 8, 2013). "Meredith Baxter Marries Nancy Locke". people.com.
  14. Rao, Vidya (December 2, 2009)"'Family Ties' Mom: I Am a Lesbian — Meredith Baxter Says She Has Been Dating Women for the Past Seven Years". Today (via MSNBC); accessed December 2, 2009.
  15. ABC News report on March 1, 2011 immediately after Baxter's appearance on NBC's Today Show
  16. ABC News report on March 1, 2011 immediately after Baxter's appearance on NBC's Today Show
  17. Oprah's web site documents Baxter's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on March 2, 2011
  18. Oprah's web site documents Baxter's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on March 2, 2011
  19. Oprah's web site documents Baxter's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on March 2, 2011
  20. "The 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations". New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 31, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.

Sources

External links

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