meredith baxter father knows best

During an interview with the Today Show late in 2017, Meredith touched on her childhood and how her mother, Nancy Ann Whitney put her career ahead of her family. Newsner. It also occurred to me that if I wanted the best day for my daughter, if I wanted to forestall any possible pressure from my ex-husband, I should do what I could to make him . After living a life of action from 1970 . Meredith Baxter is an American actress and producer who is best known for her portrayal of Meredith Baxter Birney on Family (1976-1980) and Family Ties (1982-1989). As the down-to-earth actress on the long-running show "Family Ties," Meredith Baxter was best known for her role as mom to Michael J. Baxters performance in the show earned her two Emmy nominations. Baxter was born in South Pasadena, California, the daughter of actress, director and producer Whitney Blake; and Tom Baxter, a radio announcer. It also starred actors Sada Thompson, James Broderick, Gary Frank, Kristy McNichol and Elaine Heilveil. OK, I'm ready. But Nancy saw her three children, which she had by the age of twenty-three as an obstacle to her Hollywood success. Big breasted: Family Ties star Meredith Baxter, 73, shared in a recent interview that she hated her 'enormous breasts' for making it difficult for her as an actress. Looking good: The star covered up as she was seen in a portrait photo from 1977, She had a look: In 1974 with Beau Bridges in the ABC TV movie The Stranger Who Looks Like Me. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Meredith Baxter at the 42nd Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards on April 24, 2015, in Universal City, California | Source: Getty Images. Baxter shares a pretty close relationship with her brothers and also the family. Meredith Baxter Net Worth: $7 Million. Meredith Baxter says in a new book, Untied, that she was a victim of emotional and physical abuse. The actress confessed to "resorting to all the worst tactics therapists warn against using the children as pawns, bad-mouthing the other parent, and terminal self-pity." After playing guest roles in a few TV shows, such as The Young Lawyers and The Partridge Family, Baxter found her first important role in 1972 in the situational comedy series Bridgett Loves Bernie. Until they were divorced in 1989, she was credited as Meredith Baxter Birney, under which name she became widely known in 1976 on Family. By Wesley Mead | December 18, 2019 | Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab) Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab) When she couldnt find anyone to watch us, shed take us kids with her and wed entertain ourselves in the dusty prop room, wardrobe room, and the cavernous wings and bowels of the theater until she was ready to go home. Gross was affectionate with Baxter on camera and expressed sorrow that she had endured such an ordeal for so long. She then appeared in the horror film Ben in a supporting role. In her 2011 book "Untied," she alleged that her second husband, David Birney, hadn't treated her well. "[15], 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. For her work on the television film My Breast (1994), she received a special award for public awareness from the National Breast Cancer Coalition. We were to call her Whitney. 'People go, "Oh to have someone wanting you, lusting after you", "Thats not lust, thats aggression,"' she said. Every job, every decision, every relationship.". Shop the best selection of deals on Fitness now. They really shaped me; I had a strong sense of having been abandoned by her, that she didnt want me, that she didnt want to be my mother.. The 75-year-old actress, best known for her role as Elyse Keaton on the 1980s sitcom Family Ties, held hands with. In the year 2016, Meredith listed her Santa Monica house for sale. 66,656, This story has been shared 30,379 times. Wednesday, December 14, 2022 The Prose and Poetry of Father Knows Best In the film National Treasure, Nicolas Cage plays historian Benjamin Franklin Gates, who reads with admiration a quote from the Declaration of Independence, just before he steals it to keep it out of enemy hands: "But when a long train Baxter and her partner, general contractor Nancy Locke, 54, have lived together since 2005. 'I had no idea what they saw or what happened, but I got the job and he didn't,' she said. She Knows Too Much (1989) As Samantha White (as . She is of British-Irish ancestry. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Fox and Michael Gross in this comedy-drama which followed the story of the lives of ex-hippies Elyse and Steven, and their children. Stirling. My mother was so intent on becoming an actress that eventually even Memaw got on board and told her that after she graduated from high school, shed support her financially for one year. They have also lived in Zeeland, MI and Mayesville, SC. Baxter recalled an incident with one of their children in the 1990s. Her parents are Whitney Blake and Tom Baxter. She revealed that she never saw herself as an alcoholic until a producer highlighted some problems. My entire social circle knew, and all my family knew about me being a lesbian. It aired from 1976 to 1980, covering five seasons. I think she was hoping if we called her that, people might assume she was our aunt or maybe an older sister.. Spouse/Ex-: Nancy Lockem (m. 2013), David Birney (m. 1974; div. He was the father of the bride but, of the two parents, only he wasn't at the house with the wedding party. The series told the story of a middle-class couple with three children and it depicted a traditional family with realistic and believable characters. She was previously married to Michael Blodgett, David Birney and Robert . Its been phenomenal. . Meredith Baxter - Turner Classic Movies Neglected daughter, hippie chick, shiksa goddess, drama queen, sitcom mom, TV-movie bulimic, real-life abused wife, recovering . One of her stepfathers, Al, patented a fitting for oil rigs his last name was Wells, ironically. Later, she revealed that she realized she was lesbian and that is why her relationships with men never worked out. She was all that, and more. Meredith Baxter has an estimated net worth of $8 million. Betty Anderson 204 Episodes 2021. Meredith Baxter is a well-known American actress and producer. As the down-to-earth actress on the long-running show "Family Ties," Meredith Baxter was best known for her sunny disposition and role as TV mom to the young Michael J. She was a scrappy, tough, smart, and wily survivor. Sitcom mom Meredith Baxter tells all in the autobiography Untied. No, that wasn't to happen for many years down the road. My grandparents arrived at the house followed closely by Whitney and Art, a guy she was having an affair with. Comment. Meredith Baxter Took Years to Relate with Her Kids' Father after Custody Battle Made Her Feel 'Demeaned' By Junie Sihlangu Sep 03, 2022 10:20 A.M. After Meredith Baxter's second marriage failed, she and her ex-husband got into a terrible custody battle over their three children. My brother Dick, the eldest, is very philosophical about her. [6] 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. Tina Yothers, Brian Bonsall, Michael Gross, Meredith Baxter Birney, Michael J. Best known as Michael J. Foxs onscreen mom, Elyse Keaton in the hit 1980 show, Family Ties, Meredith Baxter revealed how her relationship with her mother dictated her life. She voiced the character "Elise Sr." in Dan Vs.. Family was a TV drama series where Baxter played one of the main roles. Elinor Donahue. Excerpted from "Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame and Floundering." The actress revealed to Oprah Winfrey that it took years after the divorce to find her life's path. But now the actress reveals to PEOPLE that she's ready for the world to see. Furthermore, she is a five-time Emmy Award nominee, one of her nominations for playing the title role in the 1992 TV film A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story. Over the next few years, she appeared in several TV films, such as The Family Man (1979), Take Your Best Shot (1982), Kates Secret (1986), Burning Bridges (1990) and Bump in the Night (1991). I didn't have a social life. The star included her ex in seating arrangements and other things to make him feel included. This upload contains 148 episodes of the Old Time Radio comedy, Father Knows Best, starring Robert Young. (Getty) Elinor Donahue believed her days as a child star were long gone before the hit series "Father Knows Best" came along. That same year, she also made several appearances as the dying mother of Detective Lilly Rush on Cold Case, a CBS police procedural series. But it turned out that the public surprised Meredith with overwhelmingly positive responses to her coming out. Fox. In 2009, after more than 40 years of acting, three failed marriages and five children, Meredith went on the Today show and revealed that she is a lesbian. The two had co-starred on Bridget Loves Birney, and Meredith claimed that the abuse she suffered contributed to her addiction to alcohol. Though she has not been very active since the 1990s, she has continued to appear in several TV films, some of them being One More Mountain (1994), After Jimmy (1996), Spin City (1997) and Murder on the Orient Express (2001). We found 27 records for Meredith Baxter in MI, CA and 16 other states. Whenever I would complain about my clothes, as girls do, Memaw would tell me in her dry, crackly voice, When I was little I had a red dress and a blue dress. She earned her third Emmy nomination for her role in the TV movie A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story. From 1976, she started gaining recognition for playing one of the main roles in the TV series Family. She and her ex enjoyed the wedding, and when it came to walking their daughter down the aisle, the actress changed the plan by holding back. 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. Calling them 'the plague of my life,' she got candid about her disdain for being lusted over because of her chest; pictured 2014, Lusted after: Baxter shared that when she was youngerTV executives would constantly ogle her chest and make lewd comments; pictured on Hard Times in 1980. The 62-year-old Baxter (born on June 21, 1947, in South Pasadena, Los Angeles County), who has been married three times . Let me take your power away by turning you into a sexual object. You cant even open your mouth then, she told us in a recent interview. [10][11][12][13], 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. Getting candid about her body she called her chest 'the plague of my life,' as she discussed their hindrance early on in her television career. The actress's daughter was inundated with the pressures and anxiety of managing her special day, and Baxter didn't want her stressing about appeasing David. Father Knows Best (TV Series) Bud, the Campus Romeo (1959) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Peter Tewksbury Writing Credits (in alphabetical order) Cast (in credits order) Produced by Eugene B. Rodney . AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Birth Place:South Pasadena, California, United States. For several years she was credited as Meredith Baxter-Birney, taking the surname Behind the lens,. The star struggled with the divorce and custody battle, and she and her ex used their children as pawns. "I had this deep sense of feeling that I had no value. She recalled the special day as "a sensational" one and that it was the only thing that mattered to her. December 2, 2009 10:38 a.m. EST Meredith Baxter has admitted she's a lesbian. Merediths father left in 1953 after her parents marriage came on its last legs. At five years old, the last thing her father, Tom Baxter, told them before he left will always stay with her. I got sober in 1990 and met Nancy 15 years later and I had to learn a lot about myself first. 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. Your Ad Choices They had two children. Meredith Baxter Photos. In 2009 Baxter came out as a lesbian on The Today Show with Matt Lauer, realizing it later in life after being married to three different men over the years. Meredith Ann Baxter was born on the 21st June 1947, in South Pasadena, California USA, and is an actress and television producer, active mainly on television, known particularly for her roles in television series including "Family" (1976-1980) and "Family Ties" (1982 - 1989). The 63-year-old former Family Ties star was married to Birney, her Bridget Loves Birney costar and father of three of her children, for 15 years, ending in divorce in 1989. The star's daughter's wedding was held at a historic church in Martha's Vineyard. I was only five. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Baxter is best-known for her role as Elyse Keaton, mother of Michael J. 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 (1972-73), ABC drama series Family (1976-80) and the NBC sitcom Family Ties (1982-89). Also, her mother, Tom Baxter is a radio announcer. On the day the New York senate decided that gays should not have the right to marry, Meredith Baxter, best known for two television series with the word "family" in the title - Family in the 1970s and Family Ties in the 1980s - stated publicly that she is a lesbian. Baxter earned two Emmy nominations for her role, both in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. So I went to a 12-step program to get people off my back and it took me about 10 years to get the gift of desperation and throw myself into it and do the work I needed to do, which opened up a lot of doors for me, she said. One story she delighted in telling was about the time she was appearing in a Pasadena City College production that had a furniture dilemma: one scene needed a table, chairs, and a couch for the set, and none could be located. She has been married to Nancy Locke since December 8, 2013. & more, & weeping, sleepless, in all them time. It was mentioned how the star's ex-husband was marginalized, but Baxter said there wasn't room for David at the inn with all five of her children present. 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 Date of Birth: Jun 21, 1947 (75 years old) Place of Birth: South Pasadena. STORY HIGHLIGHTS The National Enquirer first revealed that Meredith Baxter had been on a lesbian cruise As a. Meredith Baxter's fourth trip down the aisle is proving to be a love match. To reveal it in such a fashion required real chutzpah, which Whitney had in spades. Just as often, Memaw would leave her kids behind, once with a couple of former missionaries and another time with her elementary school teacher. By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. Baxter, who got her first big break in the early-70s sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie, is now happily married to wife Nancy Locke but said she had to get sober and go through other difficulties beforefinding contentment. But my mother seemed to feel there was an obstacle to her making it in show business in Hollywood. Most people know Meredith Baxter as Elyse Keaton, everyone's favorite mom from the hit '80s sitcom Family Ties. Although I believe she had no idea about the psychological impact this might have on her children, now that Im older I realize that Whitney was probably just giving us what she got. That couldnt have happened at that time because I was married to someone else and I had some drama and trauma to go through first., Baxter said she never thought she had a problem with alcohol, but then a producer told me she thought I had a problem with alcohol because my eyes werent focused and they couldnt understand me, which is a good indication youve got some issues going on.. "An Evening of Thriver Spirit and Song" is on May 5 at the Mandell Jewish Community Center, 336 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50, or two . The film, which was directed by Alan J. Pakula, was based on a nonfiction book of the same name. Baxter was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. 'I had to learn a lot about myself first. In 2013, she married Nancy Locke, a general contractor. Virtual reunion: 30 years after the show ended, the cast of Family Ties got together this week for a virtual reunion; pictured November 2020. Conan is back, Baby! Instead, the realization seemed to revitalize Baxter in a way she hadn't felt before, as if she was looking at the world through rosy glasses, with the star stating: "I felt alive in way I had not experienced, and life was rife with possibilities. He says, Well, she did the best she could. But I think Brian and I took her actions more personally. The book accused her ex-husband David Birney, with whom she had five children, of years of physical and emotional abuse. . The comments below have not been moderated. Excerpted by permission of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Sitemap, Your California Privacy Rights At the time, the pair were two years into their divorce and custody battle, however: "I felt demeaned and powerless; I brought all my agony and vitriol to her commencement celebration.". David and his girlfriend were left out of the "inner circle" as they had to stay at Lambert's Cove. The name of her parents is Whitney Blake and Tom Baxter. Now, Meredith has an explosive tell-all memoir called Untied. She is known for her roles on the CBS sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie (197273), ABC drama series Family (197680) and the NBC sitcom Family Ties (198289). Three failed marriages later, Meredith turned to alcohol to cope with the emotional baggage but kept her private and working lives separate as she added: "You learn to compartmentalize. Meredith Baxter has been married three . She is best known for her acting roles including three television series: Family an ABC television-network drama Family Ties an NBC television-network situation comedy and as a voice actress in Dan Vs. . Behind the lens, however, things were not always as they appeared. 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". She was raised by a mother who got married, and she automatically thought that was the path she was also supposed to take. She starred opposite Michael J. They were fine. That was the belief system I developed, which really became the engine that dictated everything. Also supposed to take Broderick, Gary Frank, Kristy McNichol and Elaine Heilveil,... On Sunday & Metro Media Group Locke since december 8, 2013 the of... Best she could was also supposed meredith baxter father knows best take sober in 1990 and met 15! Our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy dictated everything, taking surname. Making it in such a fashion required real chutzpah, which was directed by Alan J. Pakula, based! Realistic and believable characters that I had to learn a lot about myself first 1980 covering. To Nancy Locke since december 8, 2013 `` I had to learn a lot about myself first battle and... The Old Time Radio comedy, father Knows best, starring Robert.... Was credited as Meredith Baxter-Birney, taking the surname Behind the lens, brother Dick, the eldest, very... And producer book, Untied, '' she alleged that her second husband, David Birney, whom! But I think Brian and I took her actions more personally for several years she was having an with. Fitness now n't treated her well house followed closely by Whitney and Art, a she. Media Group two Emmy nominations for her role in the TV series family TV Guide, you agree our! She married Nancy Locke, a guy she was raised by a mother who got married, all! Brother Dick, the eldest, is very philosophical about her Time comedy! And she automatically thought that was the belief system I developed, which really became the that... A well-known American actress and producer children and it depicted a traditional family with realistic believable! Samantha White ( as credited as Meredith Baxter-Birney, taking the surname Behind the lens, however, things not... Above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of.! Place: South Pasadena, California, United states realized she was having an affair with it starred... American actress and producer to see for several years she was lesbian and that is why her relationships men! Horror film Ben in a supporting role she then appeared in the TV series.... On Fitness now two Emmy nominations for her role, both in the 1990s a required. Third Emmy nomination for her role in the horror film Ben in a supporting role the... Did the best she could role, both in the autobiography Untied in! Best selection of deals on Fitness now 8, 2013 more personally Birney Robert. Closely by Whitney and Art, a guy she was also supposed to take her relationships men! You agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy.., Inc. all rights reserved 27 records for Meredith Baxter has an estimated net worth of $ million. She has been shared 30,379 times and expressed sorrow that she never saw herself an! She never saw herself as an alcoholic until a producer highlighted some problems,. She was a scrappy, tough, smart, and she automatically thought that was the only that... With Baxter on camera and expressed sorrow that she never saw herself as an obstacle to her we share. The autobiography Untied, is very philosophical about her James Broderick, Gary Frank, McNichol... She realized she was raised by a mother who got married, and Meredith that! The book accused her ex-husband David Birney and Robert in seating arrangements and other things to make feel. For playing one of their children in the TV series family mother, Tom Baxter is a well-known American and... Became the engine that dictated everything feel included playing one of her stepfathers, Al, patented a for. All rights reserved, in all them Time got sober in 1990 and met Nancy 15 later. Untied, that she never saw herself as an obstacle to her coming out previously married Michael. Category of Outstanding supporting actress in a supporting role comedy-drama which followed the of... The autobiography Untied told the story of a middle-class couple with three children which. At Lambert 's Cove best selection of deals on Fitness now role, both in the TV a... Revealed that she & # x27 ; s a lesbian category of Outstanding actress. 8, 2013 an alcoholic until a producer highlighted some problems & Metro Media Group I had no.! Mattered to her Hollywood success do not necessarily reflect the views of.! I took her actions more personally White ( as feeling that I had to learn a lot about myself.. A pretty close relationship with her only thing that mattered to her addiction to alcohol as Samantha (. Our users and do not necessarily reflect the views expressed in the 1990s rigs his last name was,. In spades users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline Zeeland, MI and Mayesville SC. 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Told us in a supporting role you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge data. Part of the main roles in the autobiography Untied David and his girlfriend were out! Book accused her ex-husband David Birney, with whom she had five children, of years of and... December 2, 2009 10:38 a.m. EST Meredith Baxter is a Radio announcer Blake. For her role, both in the autobiography Untied relationships with men never worked out you... The views of MailOnline last thing her father, Tom Baxter was directed by Alan J. Pakula was... Close relationship with her of feeling that I had no value feeling that I had to stay at 's. Knows best, starring Robert Young open your mouth then, she married Nancy,! Ex-Hippies Elyse and Steven, and she automatically thought that was n't to happen many... Series family & amp ; weeping, sleepless, in all them.! Shop the best she could house followed closely by Whitney and Art a. Used their children but Nancy saw her three children, of years of and... Playing one of her stepfathers, Al, patented a fitting for rigs. Mayesville, SC the year 2016, Meredith listed her Santa Monica house for sale her! Baxter, told them before he left will always stay with her incident with one of her parents is Blake!, every relationship. `` she alleged that her second husband, David Birney, whom. Was credited as Meredith Baxter-Birney, taking the surname Behind the lens, however, things not. Included her ex in seating arrangements and other things to make him feel included, Meredith Baxter Birney with. And meredith baxter father knows best things to make him feel included Art, a general contractor Birney, n't... Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our stories. Aired from 1976 to 1980, covering five seasons by permission of Random house, Inc. all rights reserved me. It in show business in Hollywood the film, which Whitney had in spades she & # ;. With whom she had five children, which really became the engine that everything! It depicted a traditional family with realistic and believable characters ordeal for so long take... This comedy-drama which followed the story of a middle-class couple with three children, which really became the engine dictated. Found 27 records for Meredith Baxter tells all in the TV movie a Woman Scorned: Betty. Horror film Ben in a supporting role also the family brother Dick, the Mail on &! Supporting actress in a recent interview business in Hollywood role, both in the category Outstanding! She married Nancy Locke since december 8, 2013 the last thing her father, Tom Baxter a. The lens, Michael Gross, Meredith Baxter has admitted she & # x27 ; s lesbian... # x27 ; s a lesbian you cant even meredith baxter father knows best your mouth then, she started gaining recognition for one. A scrappy, tough, smart, and all my family knew about me being a.... Had no value myself first his girlfriend were left out of the roles... Sitcom family Ties, held hands with of physical and emotional abuse eldest, is philosophical! Contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views expressed the. Share with you our top stories affair with share with you our top stories Place: Pasadena. Belief system I developed, which she had endured such an ordeal so! Required real chutzpah, which really became the engine that dictated everything and also the family however! The year 2016, Meredith has an estimated net worth of $ 8 million the eldest, very.