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Meredith Baxter

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Meredith Baxter
Baxter at the Human Rights Campaign Gala in 2014
Born
Meredith Ann Baxter

(1947-06-21) June 21, 1947 (age 77)
South Pasadena, California, U.S.
Other namesMeredith Baxter Birney
EducationInterlochen Center for the Arts
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
Years active1971–present
Spouses
Robert Lewis Bush
​
​
(m. 1966; div. 1969)​
​
​
(m. 1974; div. 1989)​
​
​
(m. 1995; div. 2000)​
Nancy Locke
​
(m. 2013)​
Children5
Parents

Meredith Ann Baxter (born June 21, 1947) is an American actress and producer. She is known for her roles on the CBS sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie (1972–1973), ABC drama series Family (1976–1980) and the NBC sitcom Family Ties (1982–1989). 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.

Early life

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Baxter was born on June 21, 1947, in South Pasadena, California, the daughter of actress, director and producer Whitney Blake and Tom Baxter, a radio 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 writer Allan Manings.[3]

Baxter was educated at James Monroe High School before transferring to Hollywood High School.[4] 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.[5]

Career

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Baxter got her first appearance in television in 1970 on an episode of The Partridge Family in its second season. She later appeared in 1972 as one of the stars of Bridget Loves Bernie, a CBS 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 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). In 1976 she played the wife of White House staffer Hugh W. Sloan Jr. in All the President's Men.

Baxter in 1977

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.[6]

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 earned critical acclaim for her dramatic performance as Kate Stark in the NBC television film Kate's Secret, about a seemingly "perfect" suburban housewife and mother who is secretly suffering from bulimia nervosa. Following Family Ties, Baxter produced and starred in television films. 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 Betty Broderick, 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.

In 2005, she began appearing in television commercials for Garden State Life Insurance Company. In 2006, she temporarily co-hosted—with Matt Lauer—Today, 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 in 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.[7]

On March 1, 2011, Baxter's memoir, titled Untied, 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 a New York Times bestseller.[9]

She is also a spokesperson for the senior mobile service provider Consumer Cellular. She voiced the character "Elise Sr." in Dan Vs.. In April 2013, it was announced that Baxter would 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.[10] She also made a guest appearance on the ABC Family/Freeform series Switched at Birth as the widowed mother of Kathryn Kennish (portrayed by Lea Thompson).

On August 4, 2014, producers 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 started appearing on the program on September 8. She also played the mother to "Stich" Raybourne and Kelly Andrews.[11]

Personal life

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Marriages and children

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Baxter and Birney in Bridget Loves Bernie (1972)
Baxter in September 1990

Baxter has been married four times and has five children.[12][13][14][15]

  • Robert Lewis Bush (1966–1971, divorce); 2 children, born 1967 and 1969
  • David Birney (1974–1989, divorce); 3 children, born 1974, and twins, born 1984
  • Michael Blodgett (1995–2000, divorce)
  • Nancy Locke (2013–present)

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.[13][14] She said that accepting her sexual orientation helped her understand why, in part, previous relationships with men had failed.[16]

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.

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 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 (the year after she and Birney divorced).[17]

Baxter [also] said that her work helped her cope, and that she had not shared 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."[17]

The day after Baxter discussed Birney on the Today Show, she traveled to Chicago to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show for further discussion of the topics covered in her memoir.[18] Winfrey's staff had arranged for Family Ties co-star Michael 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.[18] Birney vehemently denied the claims that he had abused Baxter.[19]

Diet

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Baxter is a vegetarian.[20]

Health issues

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Baxter was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. After treatment, she made a full recovery.[8]

Filmography

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Film

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Chad Everett and Baxter in 1975
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

Television

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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 to A 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"

Award nominations

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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: The Betty 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[21] The Young and the Restless

Books

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  • Baxter, Meredith (2011). Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering. New York: Crown Archetype. ISBN 978-0-307-71930-0. OCLC 768710740.

References

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  1. ^ Brant, Marley (2006). Happier Days: Paramount Television's Classic Sitcoms, 1974-1984. Billboard Books. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-8230-8933-8.
  2. ^ TV Guide. Triangle Publications. 1972. p. 2.
  3. ^ Brant, Marley (2006). Happier Days Paramount Television's Classic Sitcoms, 1974-1984. Billboard. p. 212. ISBN 9780823089338.
  4. ^ Baxter, Meredith (2011). Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering. New York: Crown Archetype. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-307-71930-0. OCLC 768710740.
  5. ^ Baxter 2011 pp. 41,47
  6. ^ "TV View: CABLE OPERATORS INCREASINGLY LOOK TO THEATER". The New York Times. Retrieved July 17, 2021
  7. ^ Johnson, Tony (July 28, 2008). "National University Commencement 2008 – Could Be Good, Could Be Bad" Archived July 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. The Herald; accessed December 2, 2009.
  8. ^ a b "Meredith Baxter: The Ties that Bind". The Star. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  9. ^ "Hardcover Nonfiction – March 27, 2011". The New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  10. ^ Dos Santos, Kristin (April 13, 2013). "Glee Casts Patty Duke and Meredith Baxter as Lesbian couple". E! News.
  11. ^ Logan, Michael (August 4, 2014). "Exclusive: Meredith Baxter Joins The Young and the Restless". TV Guide. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  12. ^ Staff writer "Biography for Meredith Baxter"
  13. ^ a b "Actress Meredith Baxter Out on SIRIUS XM 24/7 LGBT channel". Windy City Times. December 2, 2009. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Meredith Baxter: Why I Came Out". Sirius XM. December 2, 2009. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2013 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ Nahas, Aili (December 8, 2013). "Meredith Baxter Marries Nancy Locke". People.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ a b James, Susan Donaldson (March 1, 2011). "Meredith Baxter Says Husband Abused Her". ABC News.
  18. ^ a b Oprah's web site documents Baxter's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on March 2, 2011
  19. ^ Mike Fleeman,People March 4th 2011,"David Birney Denies Abuse Claims By Meredith Baxter"
  20. ^ Burros, Marian (1992). "Vegetarians are Coming and You May Be Among Them, If Prognosticators Have Guessed Right". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  21. ^ "The 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 31, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
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