Meredith Baxter
Meredith Ann Baxter (born June 21, 1947) is an American actress and producer best known for portraying resilient family matriarchs in 1970s and 1980s television, including Elise Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties (1982–1989).[1]Baxter's early career featured roles in series such as Bridget Loves Bernie (1972–1973), opposite future husband David Birney, and the drama Family (1976–1980), for which she received Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1977 and 1978.[2] Her portrayal of real-life convicted murderer Betty Broderick in the 1992 TV film A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special, highlighting her range beyond comedic family roles.[3] Baxter married three times to men—Birney (1974–1989), with whom she had two sons; screenwriter Michael Blodgett (1995–2000); and others—fathering five children in total, before publicly identifying as a lesbian in 2009 at age 62, following a relationship with a woman that prompted her self-realization seven years earlier.[4][5][6] She married general contractor Nancy Locke in 2013 and has since advocated for breast cancer awareness, drawing from her own diagnosis in 1999.[7][8]
Early Life
Family Background and Childhood
Meredith Ann Baxter was born on June 21, 1947, in South Pasadena, California, to Whitney Blake, an aspiring actress who later became a director and producer, and Tom Baxter, a radio announcer.[1][9] As the youngest of three children, she had two older brothers, Richard (born 1944) and Brian (born 1946), and grew up in a household initially centered in the entertainment milieu due to her mother's early pursuits in acting.[10] Baxter's parents divorced in 1953, when she was five years old, with her mother receiving custody of the children; the split marked the last regular contact with her father, whom she recalled with emotional intensity in her memoir, describing the final day he picked her up as poignant and final.[11][1] Following the divorce, Whitney Blake raised Meredith and her brothers primarily in Pasadena, California, amid financial and emotional challenges typical of single-parent households in the post-war era; Blake later remarried comedy writer Allan Manings, who provided some stability but did not fully mitigate the reported sense of abandonment and low self-esteem Baxter attributed to her early years in her 2011 memoir Untied.[7][12] Exposure to her mother's career ambitions introduced Baxter to Hollywood's fluctuations from a young age, fostering an early familiarity with the industry, though her childhood otherwise reflected standard 1950s suburban life marked by family transitions and personal insecurities she later linked to parental dynamics.[11][13]Education and Initial Interests
Baxter began her secondary education at James Monroe High School in the Sepulveda neighborhood of Los Angeles (later renamed North Hills).[1] She later transferred to Hollywood High School, where she engaged actively in the school's drama department, participating in school plays and developing an early passion for performance.[14] This involvement marked her initial foray into acting, distinguishing her path from more academically oriented pursuits and highlighting a self-directed interest in the arts amid a curriculum that included notable alumni from entertainment fields.[15] In her senior year, Baxter briefly attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, enrolling as a voice major and receiving specialized voice training from 1963 to 1964.[1] [16] Facilitated by her stepfather's arrangements, this stint provided foundational exposure to professional-level arts instruction, though she felt out of place and ultimately returned to Hollywood High School to complete her graduation.[17] Unlike contemporaries who sought extended conservatory or university programs, Baxter forwent higher education, opting instead to channel her high school and Interlochen experiences into immediate acting ambitions supported by familial ties in the industry.[18] This informal trajectory underscored a reliance on practical immersion over formalized study, setting the stage for her professional entry without advanced degrees or structured theatrical apprenticeships.[1]Professional Career
Breakthrough Roles in Television
Meredith Baxter entered television with a guest role as Jenny, a mermaid-like character, in the February 12, 1971, episode "Where Do Mermaids Go?" of The Partridge Family, marking her on-screen debut in a supporting capacity that showcased her early comedic timing.[19] In 1972, she achieved her first leading role as Bridget Teresa Mary Colleen Fitzgerald, a Catholic schoolteacher, in the CBS sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie, opposite David Birney as her Jewish husband Bernie Steinberg, exploring themes of an interfaith marriage.[20] The series averaged a 24.2 household rating, finishing fifth in the 1972–1973 season among all primetime programs, yet CBS canceled it after one season amid protests and boycott calls from Jewish advocacy groups concerned over the portrayal of mixed-religion unions as normalized.[21][22] Baxter continued with guest spots, including appearances on Medical Center in 1974 and 1975, where she played characters like Priscilla and Paula, honing her dramatic skills in medical scenarios.[20] Her breakthrough in dramatic television came from 1976 to 1980 as Nancy Lawrence, the elder daughter in the ABC series Family, a role that highlighted family dynamics and personal growth amid everyday crises.[23] Critics praised her performance for its emotional depth, contributing to the show's reputation for realistic portrayals, and she received Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1977 and 1978.[24] These early roles established Baxter's range, transitioning her from comedic leads to supporting dramatic parts and signaling her potential for versatile character work prior to her later iconic series.[23]