Meredith Baxter

Meredith Baxter studied at James Monroe High School (California), Hollywood High School and Interlochen Center for the Arts. The recorded working language is Middle High German and English. Works named in the authority record are Bridget Loves Bernie and Family Ties.

• Name — Meredith Baxter • Birth Name — Meredith Ann Baxter • Born — 21 June 1947 • Birthplace — South Pasadena, California, U.S. • Education — Interlochen Center for the Arts • Years Active — 1971–present • Other Names — Meredith Baxter Birney • Occupation — * Actress • producer • Mother — Whitney Blake • Father — Tom Baxter • Children — 5

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. After her parents were divorced in 1953, Baxter and her two elder brothers, Richard (born 1944) and Brian (born 1946), were raised by their mother in Pasadena. Her second stepfather was situation comedy writer Allan Manings. Baxter was educated at James Monroe High School before transferring to Hollywood High School. 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.

Baxter got her first appearance in television on The Interns, The Young Lawyers, The Doris Day Show, and Insight and in 1971 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. The couple also performed on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In in its last season in 1973. 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. • Illustration — 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. 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. On March 1, 2011, Baxter's memoir, titled Untied, was published. 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. 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. 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.

• Illustration — Baxter and Birney in Bridget Loves Bernie (1972) • Illustration — Baxter in September 1990 Baxter has been married four times and has five children. • Robert Lewis Bush (1966–1971, divorce); two children, born 1967 and 1969 • David Birney (1974–1989, divorce); three children, one born 1974, and twins, born 1984 • Michael Blodgett (1995–2000, divorce) • Nancy Locke (2013–present) On December 2, 2009, Baxter came out as a lesbian during an interview with Matt Lauer on Today and on the Frank DeCaro Show on Sirius-XM OutQ 102. She said that accepting her sexual orientation helped her understand why, in part, previous relationships with men had failed. On March 1, 2011, while promoting a memoir, Baxter alleged that her ex-husband David Birney had emotionally and physically abused her, which she had coped with by drinking alcohol. Birney denied the allegations. The day after Baxter discussed Birney on the Today Show, she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago to further discuss topics from her memoir. As a surprise arranged by Oprah's staff, Baxter's Family Ties co-star Michael Gross (who was born on the same day as her) joined her on camera. Gross stated that during their seven-year collaboration on the sitcom, neither he nor anyone else connected to the series was aware of the abuse Baxter allegedly suffered at the hands of her husband, David Birney. On camera, Gross showed affection for Baxter and expressed regret that she endured the ordeal for so long. Birney vehemently denied the claims that he had abused Baxter. Baxter is a vegetarian. Baxter was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. After treatment, she made a full recovery.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1971 — The Interns — Millie — Episode: "The Secret" • The Partridge Family — Jenny — Episode: "Where Do Mermaids Go?" • The Young Lawyers — Gloria — Episode: "The Victims" • The Doris Day Show — April — Episode: "Young Love" • 1972 — Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law — Ann Glover — Episode: "Words of Summer" • 1972–1973 — Bridget Loves Bernie — Bridget Fitzgerald Steinberg — Main role • 1973 — Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In — Herself — Episode: "Meredith Baxter and David Birney" • The Invasion of Carol Enders — Carol Enders — Television film • Doc Elliot — Jenny — Episode: "And All Ye Need to Know" • The Cat Creature — Rena Carter — Television film • 1974 — Barnaby Jones — Jenny Sutherland — Episode: "The Deadly Jinx" • 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 Night That Panicked America — Linda Davis • The Imposter — Julie Watson • The Streets of San Francisco — Jodi Dixon — Episode: "Deadly Silence" • Medical Story — Erica Schiff Sunny — 2 episodes • McMillan & Wife — Faye Leonard — Episode: "Secrets for Sale" • 1976 — City of Angels — Mary Kingston — 3 episodes • Wide World of Mystery — Episode: "Terror in the Night" • Police Woman — Liz Robson — Episode: "Sara Who?" • 1976–1980 — Family — Nancy Lawrence Maitland — Main role • 1977-1982 — The Love Boat — Sandy Rytell/Francesca Randall — 2 episodes • 1978 — Little Women — Meg March — Miniseries • 1979 — The Family Man — Mercedes Cole — Television film • 1980 — Beulah Land — Lauretta Pennington — Miniseries • 1981 — Vanities — Joanne — Television film • The Two Lives of Carol Letner — Carol Letner • 1982 — Take Your Best Shot — Carol Marriner • The Love Boat — Francesca "Fran" Randall — 2 episodes • 1982–1989 — Family Ties — Elyse Keaton — Main role • 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 — Mickey's 60th Birthday — Elyse Keaton • Winnie — Winnie • 1989 — American Playhouse — Eve — Episode: "The Diaries of Adam and Eve" • She Knows Too Much — Samantha White — Television film • 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 • 1993 — Darkness Before Dawn — Mary Ann Guard — Television film also co-executive producer • CBS Schoolbreak Special — Paula Hensen — Episode: "Other Mothers"; 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" • Lingo — Herself • 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 — Episode: "All or Nothing" • The Neighbors — Mother Joyner — 2 episodes • Shadow on the Mesa — Emilie Rawlins — Television film • 2014 — The Young and the Restless — Maureen Russell — Recurring role • 2014–2015 — Finding Carter — Gammy • 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"

Meredith Baxter was recorded at birth as Meredith Ann Baxter. The authorities additionally record the heading Meredith Ann Baxter. Her recorded languages were Middle High German and English. She was the child of John Thomas Baxter and Whitney Blake. She married David Birney and Michael Blodgett.