Celebrity Nooz: Kristy McNichol

Kristy McNichol (Actress) - Family

Updated: 7/12/18

Name: Kristy McNichol

Birth Name: Christina Ann McNichol

Born: September 11, 1962 in Los Angeles, CA

Claim To Fame: Kristy McNichol is an American actress and singer best know for her roles in the sitcom Empty Nest and the TV drama series Family.

Family Life: McNichol has been in a relationship with Martie Allen since the early 1990s.

Info: She appeared with her brother Jimmy McNichol in commercials and later, on her own, in guest appearances on such other series as Starsky & Hutch, The Bionic Woman, Love American Style, and The Love Boat, thanks to family friend Desi Arnaz.

Earned two Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series for Family (1977 and 1979).

In 1977, she appeared in the TV special The Carpenters at Christmas, performing several musical numbers with the duo. In 1978, Jimmy and she made their own foray into music, recording the album Kristy & Jimmy McNichol for RCA Records.

McNichol was one of the biggest teen stars of the 1970s.

In 1980, she co-starred in Neil Simon's Only When I Laugh, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Actress for her performance in the 1982 movie The Pirate Movie.

Trivia: Was considered for a role in The Bad News Bears (1976), but lost it to Academy Award winner Tatum O'Neal.

Younger sister of Jimmy McNichol.

Ranked #49 in VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid Stars".

Turned down the Jodie Foster role in Taxi Driver (1976).

Turned down the Brooke Shields role in Pretty Baby (1978), due to conflicts with Family (1976) producer Aaron Spelling.

Taught acting at a private school in Los Angeles.

Announced her retirement from acting in 2001.

Where Are They Now: After retiring from acting, in 2012, McNichol revealed that she is gay and has lived with her partner for almost two decades. She made the statement in the hopes that her openness would help young people who are bullied because of their sexuality.

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