When I heard that former 70s teen star Kristy McNichol came out of the closet, I vaguely remembered her and assumed that she’d already been out. I know her from the 1980 movie Little Darlings, which came out when she was just 17. She was known for being a tomboy and I thought she came out as gay sometime in the late 80s or 90s, but I guess I was wrong. So it’s like deja vu hearing this story since I could have sworn I read it ages ago. Anyway McNichol, now 49, has a girlfriend and gave a kind of blurry low-res photo of the two of them to People along with a statement that she’s gay. She’s also been with the same partner for over 20 years! Good for her, but couldn’t she have released a clearer photo to go with this story?
Kristy McNichol has been out of the public eye for 20 years. Now she’s chosen to come out – to try to help kids who are being bullied.
McNichol, 49, who has lived with her partner Martie Allen, also 49, for the past two decades, decided to make a statement about her sexuality and share this photo because she is “approaching 50” and wants to “be open about who I am.”
She “is very sad about kids being bullied,” her publicist Jeff Ballard tells PEOPLE. “She hopes that coming out can help kids who need support. She would like to help others who feel different.”
Best known for her Emmy Award-winning role as Buddy Lawrence in the ’70s show Family and later as Barbara Weston in Empty Nest, McNichol left it all behind when she dropped out of Hollywood to focus on her health.
Done with acting, McNichol spends her time focusing on tennis, yoga, travel and raising her beloved miniature dachshunds. “She is very happy and healthy,” says Ballard. “And she enjoys living a very private life.”
[From People]
I’m 38 and I don’t remember much about McNichol’s career, as most of it was before my time. A quick glance at wiki reveals that she kind of pissed away a chance at a movie career in the early 90s. She earned a repuation as being unreliable as she was doing drugs and was later diagnosed as being bipolar. It’s interesting to me that a lot of former 80s female stars have only come out recently. Top Gun star Kelly McGillis came out a few years ago at the age of 51. Family Ties’ Meredith Baxter also came out at 62. It’s a much different world now than it was in the 80s and it’s nice that people feel that they can be open about being gay. Even if some of these stories make me wonder why these celebrities we haven’t heard of in so long are making announcements. Wiki says that McNichol has been teaching acting in L.A. and devoting her life to charity work.
I’m going to be 50 and used to love the show Family. I think I’ve always known she was gay and agree with the writer that I also thought this story and Kristy came out ages ago!
Yes I remember her from Family. She always had that vibe so I thought she came out already. Not really news.
Both Meredith Baxter and Kristy were in the cast of Family. That is a coincidence.
What role did Merideth Baxter play in Family?
Meredith Baxter (then Birney) played KM’s older sister Nancy, who was perfect but then got divorced and lived in their (fabulous) guest house, and they all had to come to terms with her lack of perfection.
If the dude who played brother Willie is straight, I’d be shocked.
She really was a very good actress. Like ‘Jodie Foster, but on t.v.’ quality.
I think we all thought she was already out, because it’s been always pretty obvious to anyone with gaydar.
I always thought Annabel (70’s Freaky Friday) was played by Kristy and not Jodie.
Too little waaay too late. Nobody cares K., and if they do, it’s a big duh on the gay thing. “Coming out” isn’t even shocking with current celebrities. Maybe she still thinks it’s 1979?
She was such an idol when I was little. Coming out back then would have been the nail in her career’s coffin. I am so glad the world has changed and people can come out freely.
…and yet another one I had no idea was gay…hope she’s happier now.
Back in the day I loved me some Kristy McNichol. I saw all her movies. Little Darlings remains one of my favorite movies.
Little Darlings is one of my favorite movies (I have it on Beta tape, guess I should hunt it down on dvr), I think she could have been nominated for an Oscar for her performance in this movie. I also loved The Pirate Movie (think I have it on beta too!).
Good for her. I liked her in little darlings. glad she’s happy and healthy now.
She wasn’t exactly out, but her West Hollywood reputation was notorious. The hot lesbian bar was called Peanuts and she was the reigning queen. I’m straight and even I heard the gossip. That may be one of the reasons that everyone thinks she was already out, because her closet has been made of glass for years. I’m glad to hear that her life has stablized. I idolized her in the late seventies, my tween years!
Wow, Amber Tamblyn looks exactly like her. Maybe they can play a dysfunctional mother-daughter duo on the telly!
She was in The Pirate Movie, which I loved so much when i was younger!!!
LOVE that movie!
I love Kristy McNichols, and LOVE The Pirate movie as well…give me a happy ending, every time!!
Not enough people know of this movie!
I thought she came out years ago. She must have because I’ve known she was gay for years. Big deal anyway. Nobody cares that much these days. Gay?…okay…next.
When I read this story over the weekend, I was surprised it was news as I had heard she was gay many many years ago. How did we all know this already? I’m sure she came out years ago?
I am 41, and loved Kristy and Jimmy McNichol. I also thought she came out years ago. Huh. So, congratulations, Kristy?
She played tomboy roles rather effectively including Little Darlings. So yeah, this one’s not a shocker. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mary Stuart Masterson comes out also, she’s got that Kristy vibe.
I’m 29, I know Kristy b’c of Little Darlings and some teen Disney like movies shown on cable. She’s become sort of an enigma. People seemed bigger than they are when they die young or become a recluse.
She’s been in the glass closet for as long as I can remember. Once I read a trashy tabloid story from a former female lover of hers about 20-22 years ago. At that time, I only vaguely knew what a lesbian was. The story seemed unnecessarily cruel and exploitative, even for an 80s tabloid, and Kristy dropped off the radar about that time. My take is that Kristy has known she was a lesbian since she was a teen, but was forced to cover it up. Just imagine what gay teen stars had to go through in the 1970s! ug. I think this led to a lot of Kristy’s drug problems. She probably chose, on some level, to step away from the limelight so that she could live life as a gay woman. I’m sorry that she had to give up a promising career, but she did what was right for her.
From what I read she retired because she was having difficulties dealing with very severe chronic depression. I guess she was eventually diagnosed as bipolar. That particular diagnosis makes it very difficult to function, I imagine even more so when u are in the spotlight. Moods are unpredicable even if on meds.
count me among the many who thought she’d been out for awhile.
Oh, come on. I’ve known about her coming out for decades. It’s not exactly news, is it?
It’s like when Ellen and Cowhead came out. Who didn’t know? Hell, they were even wearing the uniform.
And Jody Foster? Ahem, you’re wearing it, too.
I absolutely loved Little Darlings when I was younger. Awesome movie. And yes – I had a vague feeling that she was already out – probably b/c if she was trying to hide it, she wasn’t doing a very good job!
I as well, and it has become my writing handle…Little Darlings is the quintessential coming of age at camp story…SO GOOD!!
This is new? When she cut her hair during “empty nest” I knew.
agree, she came out years ago. I love her and grew up watching her shows. Loved it when she was on the Love Boat!Very disappointed when she retired.
This was very public knowledge back in the 80’s….
who cares
I knew also that she was gay but only from gossip around town. I always wondered why she had “retired” and now it seems that I know why. She was gay but had not come out yet, although she was not very good at keeping it on the down low. Good for her, she was and probably is still a good actress. I wish her all the best.
I’m 42 and therefore also of the Kristy era. All I have to say is, “No duh.”
Also, as Michael K. said this morning, I wish to god that I too could “focus on tennis, yoga, travel and raising [my] beloved miniature dachshunds.” How does one get a gig like that?
Considering she is bipolar, I think ur statement is a bit unfair. Not sure how it works in the US, but in Canada if a doctor decides a person is not able to function because of a serious mental disorder (typically bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) that person would be considered “disabled”, at which point they would be entitled to receive monthly disability cheques from the government. It helps keep the seriously ill off the streets. Health insurance would also cover it.
I could not stand her on “family” when I was a kid (40 now if you couldn’t tell by my rant on the JA thread). However, as I aged I developed a kind of affinity for her. Loved her in “empty nest”. She struck me as vulnerable somehow. Anyways, I like her very much and am glad that she is living a quiet, productive life outside of the HW bubble, seems like it has really worked for her.
She was in the closet? I just always thought she was gay.
count me among the rest, old news, i enjoyed watching her, best of luck.
i don’t know who she is but good for her. hope she is not depressed again btw
I thought she came out 10-15 years ago too. I could have sworn that there was a coverstory about it.
I’m a bit too young at 25 to know if Kristy had come out in the 80s, but I’ve definitely searched it before since she was so adorable when I saw little darlings and have always only found speculation. Nice she wanted to confirm and come out officially.
Gay teenagers nowadays won’t know who she is, but her coming out could certainly impact some of their potentially homophobic parents who may have loved her back in the day.
Personally, I figure anyone with a halfway decent gaydar would have known forever ago since she “pings” big time, but people who are uncomfortable with homosexuality tend to be surprisingly blind to it in my experience. Plus, if my gaydar is to be believed, KStew is super gay but there are plenty of people out there who would argue otherwise.
If you read the article in People called To Hell and Back it talks about her struggle to be healthy. In it she says she was never dx’d as Bipolar nor with any addictions. I enjoyed her work and loved Empty Nest. I wish every happiness in the world
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Believe it or not,even here in Switzerland we got to see all of Kristy’s movies!My favourite was “Just the way you are” I personally knew right from the start,she was gay,and that’s why I like her so much!!”White dog” also impressed me very much due to her outstanding acting!! Kristy,-I wish you and your girlfriend all the best for your future!!Enjoy every moment you have together…time passes by so quick!
Love,
Caroline