Meredith Baxter Movies
The daughter of actress Whitney Blake, Meredith Baxter received extensive training in the arts at the Interlochen Summer Camp in Michigan. Meredith worked as an usher, file clerk and cafeteria checker before getting her first film break in Ben (1971). The 5'7" blonde actress entered the "America's sweetheart" category when she was cast as Bridget Fitzgerald Steinberg, the prettier half of a Catholic-Jewish married couple, in the TV sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie (1972). While the series lasted only a year, her "reel" marriage became a "real" one when, in 1974, she wed her B Loves B co-star David Birney. In addition to yielding a new, hyphenated professional name for Meredith, her union with Birney produced five children before the couple divorced in the early 1990s (she also had two children from a previous marriage). In between stage appearances in such productions as Hamlet, Guys and Dolls and Butterflies are Free, Meredith played Nancy Lawrence Maitland on the TV dramedy Family, winning two Emmy nominations during her four-year (1976-80) stint with this series. In 1982, Meredith agreed to star as flower child-turned-suburban mom Elyse Keaton on the weekly TV comedy Family Ties, having been assured that she would be the star of the series in fact as well as in name. As it happened, Family Ties was dominated throughout its seven-year run by co-star Michael J. Fox. A prolific TV-movie actress, Meredith Baxter-Birney owns the distinction of playing the same real-life character twice, with two entirely different interpretations. When she first played accused murderess Betty Broderick in 1992's A Woman Scorned, Meredith was sympathetic to Broderick's plight, and played the role accordingly; but by the time 1993's Her Final Fury rolled around, Meredith, like everyone else involved in the project, was convinced that Betty Broderick deserved what she got--and played the role in the manner of a Gothic Novel villainess. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
William Devane and Meredith Baxter star in this sentimental made-for-cable drama as John and Carol Boyajian, a couple facing a bleak Christmas due to a surfeit of personal tragedy. Having already lost their son in Operation Desert Storm, the Boyajians must now confront the possibility that their daughter has cancer. Rather than wallow in grief, John and Carol are doggedly determined to celebrate their first Christmas in 11 years; but as the holiday approaches, their hope and perseverance rapidly deteriorate. The couple's faith is ultimately restored by the arrival of a mysterious "guest" who may not be precisely what he claims to be. The Christmas Visitor debuted December 21, 2002, on the Hallmark Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
The mother of the title is played by Meredith Baxter. Her daughter (Carrie Hamilton) is raped by an unknown assailant who leaves no tangible clues behind. Obsessed with bringing the rapist out in the open, Ms. Baxter sets herself up as a potential assault victim. Farfetched though it sounds, A Mother's Justice was based on an actual case that occurred in Portland, Oregon. This TV movie had the rotten luck to be scheduled opposite Monday Night Football and a CBS M*A*S*H retrospective when it was first telecast on November 25, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
To their friends and neighbors, the Stapps were the "perfect" family--at least until, for no apparent reason, 18-year-old Jimmy Stapp (Peter Fanicelli) committed suicide. The focus in this heartwrenching made-for-TV movie is not on Jimmy but on the "survivors",who painfully attempt to put their own lives back together in the wake of the inexplicable tragedy. Worst hit by Jimmy's death is his mother Maggie (Meredith Baxter), who for the first time in her life must reach out to her loved ones for emotional support rather than the other way around. The film is at its best when detailing the vacillating mental state of Jimmy between the time he decides to take his own life and the time he actually does it; less effective is the death scene itself, which is all too reminiscent of the "baptismal bloodbath" in The Godfather (the boy shoots himself with his dad's gun while the rest of his family sing a hymn in church). Produced for the CBS network, After Jimmy originally aired September 24, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter
Weary and dispirited following the death of his wife Lorraine (Meredith Baxter) and after suffering a mild stroke, Buddy Bishop (Ronny Cox) anxiously reaches out to his estranged daughters Sarah (Tracy Needham) and Beth (Natasha Gregson Wagner), asking that they join him for a Christmas reunion. Despite a multitude of their own problems, Sarah and Beth agree--but they're not too happy about spending the holidays in the old, boarded-up house that Buddy had shared with his late wife. Circumstances change dramatically when the Bishops awaken one morning to find a beaming Lorraine waiting for them in the kitchen as if nothing had ever happened to her! The "resurrection" of Lorraine leads to a moving and inspirational conclusion in the made-for-cable Angel in the Family, which first aired December 18, 2004 on the Hallmark channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Karen Arthur, the Emmy-winning director of Cagney and Lacey, was in the driver's seat for the made-for-TV psychological terror film Bump in the Night. Meredith Baxter-Birney plays a onetime famous reporter who's drunk herself into near-oblivion. Her turbulent life takes a desperate turn when her 8-year-old son (Corey Carrier) is kidnapped by a dangerous pedophile (Christopher Reeves). The boy has escaped from his captor, and now his mother must find him before the kidnapper does. Richard Bradford plays the cop on the case, who'd rather do without the interference of Ms. Baxter-Birney. Bump in the Night is commendably subtle and straightforward in handling the potentially lurid details of its story. Historical note: In March of 1995, Bump in the Night became the first feature film ever telecast on the E! Entertainment Cable Network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
In this drama a woman suffers terribly after she finally admits having an affair with her married doctor. Her husband does not accept the news gracefully and trouble ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Inspired by a true story, this made-for-TV drama stars Meredith Baxter as Terry Stone, a woman whose 19-year-old son, Andrew (Eric Lively), is an honor student in college. Late one night, Terry and her husband, Geoff (Alan Rosenberg), receive shocking news -- Andrew is in the hospital following an auto accident. Terry and Geoff learn that a drunk driver ran into their son's car; Andrew has suffered severe head injuries, and it's possible that he may never fully recover. As Andrew goes through the slow and painful process of rehabilitation, Terry does some research on the driver who injured her son, and makes the shocking discovery that this is not the first time he was in an accident while under the influence. As Andrew struggles to put himself and his life back together, Terry struggles with the legal system to see that the drunken driver will never be allowed behind the wheel of a car again. Crash Course originally aired under the title A Mother's Fight for Justice. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Based on a true story, this made-for-television drama chronicles a couple's downward spiral into drug addiction. Meredith Baxter stars as Mary Ann Guard, a nurse who gets romantically involved with heroin abuser Guy Grand (Stephen Lang). Guy turns Mary Ann onto drugs and her once-stable life is suddenly out of control, with Mary Ann stealing from her hospital in order to support their habit. Her family decides to get her clean and get Guy out of her life by checking her into rehab. Mary Ann's rough road isn't over though, and she has to decide for herself which life she wants to lead. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Stephen Lang, (more)
A woman discovers she doesn't know the man she married as well as she thought in this thriller. Julianne (Tara Reid) impulsively marries her boyfriend Mitch (Kip Pardue) to break free from her controlling family, and the newlyweds decide to spend their honeymoon in a lakefront cabin on a small and secluded island. While the idea sounds romantic at first, the honeymoon soon takes a sinister turn and Julianne discovers Mitch has more than love on his mind. Realizing she's in grave danger, Julianne has to find a way to escape the location that they in fact chose because of its seclusion. Produced under the title Heaven's Pond, Devil's Pond also features Meredith Baxter and Dan Gunther. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kip Pardue, Tara Reid, (more)
- 1999
With her parents on the verge of divorce, young Robin Garr (Evan Rachel Wood)does not any more stress in her life. Unfortunately, while attending summer camp, Robin's best friend, a strangely melancholy girl named Amelia (Katie Booze-Mooney) accidentally drowns, a tragedy for which Robin holds herself responsible. It is while in this emotionally fragile state that Robin befriends a seemingly benign middle-aged lady named Dorothy (Diana Scarwid), who ends up being hired as a nanny by Robin's mother Leah (Meredith Baxter). Soon thereafter, Leah begins to wonder if inviting Dorothy into her household was a good idea: The woman proves to have an obsession about neatness, and her outward gentility masks the soul of a control freak. Slowly but surely, what begins as merely an uncomfortable situation evoles into stark, raw terror--and to make matters worse, there seems to be a sinister connection between Dorothy and the late, lamented Amelia! Made for the CBS TV network, Down Will Come Baby first aired on May 4, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Diana Scarwid, (more)
Family Ties' Meredith Baxter Birney stars in this made-for-television movie about a woman threatened with losing her son to her ex-husband. Following her divorce, Margaret's son Aaron is the only person who matters to her. But when Margaret unexpectedly begins showing symptoms of mental-illness, the boy's father decides she is incapable of safely caring for their child. Determined to retain custody, Margaret embarks on a courtroom fight as well as a fight to maintain her own sanity. Nick Mancuso also stars. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 1992
When a San Diego socialite is convicted of murdering her ex-husband and his new bride, truth is stranger than fiction as she hires a public relations firm in an effort to keep the media in her corner. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Judith Ivey, (more)
Can a man who doesn't believe in miracles possess the power to heal? This is the question posed to the protagonist -- and the audience -- of the made-for-TV Holy Joe. John Ritter stars as Joe Cass, a small-town Episcopal rector who preaches the gospel of pragmatism and logic. Things take an unexpected turn when Joe rescues a young boy from a burning building -- a boy who, by all rights, should have died of smoke inhalation long before Joe reached him. Thanks to this and the other peculiar incidents that follow, Joe's parishioners hail him as a miracle worker -- a designation which, though at first prompting a crisis of faith for the protagonist, will forever change his outlook on life. Filmed on location in North Carolina, Holy Joe originally aired March 28, 1999, on CBS, and has since been rebroadcast under the title Man of Miracles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Ritter, Meredith Baxter, (more)
- 1990
- R
Jezebel's Kiss is a dull, old fashioned, pretentious melodrama which has Jezebel (Katherine Barrese) driving into town, getting a job at a local bar, and proceeding to get her revenge against the townspeople who forced her grandfather to sell the family land. Jezebel uses her knowledge of the town's residents and her considerable sexual allure to make them each pay in their own way for her grandfather's suffering. However, the film fails at generating much sexual heat and falls short of offering any exploration of the psychological motivations of any of the characters. All in all Jezebel's Kiss is a lackluster predictable melodrama. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Katherine Barrese, Malcolm McDowell, (more)
- 1997
Based on a Mary Higgins Clark novel, this made-for-TV mystery centers on a prosecutor who endangers her own life when she becomes overly curious about a 10-year-old unsolved murder. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Victor Garber, (more)
When Wanda (Patricia Heaton) and Sarah's (Meredith Baxter) mother dies and the estranged sisters inherit the family pecan grove, their conflicting plans for the future of the property are complicated by the appearance of a stranger claiming the land as her own in Arthur Allan Seidelman's tear-jerking drama. Despite Sarah's best efforts to keep the pecan grove in the family, a dark secret drives Wanda to pursue the prospect of selling the land. As the conflicted sisters struggle to find a common ground, the discovery of an elderly woman named Lilly Cooper (Della Reese) who claims the land prompts the curiosity of Sarah's teenage daughter (Anna Chlumsky), who becomes determined to learn the secret of the mysterious squatter's past. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Patricia Heaton, (more)
When 50-year-old ad man Mitch McKinley (Robert Urich) loses his job, it seems like the end of the world. Before long, however, Mitch has decided to cut his losses and pursue his lifelong ambition to become a professional golfer. Rising to fame and fortune on the Senior Tour, Mitch is at last able to make his dreams come true -- albeit at expense of his wife and family, whom he sorely neglects on the road back to life. A serviceable entry in the "Male Midlife Crisis" genre (aided by some impressive golfing footage), Miracle on the 17th Green was adapted from a novel by James Patterson and Peter DeJong, and initially broadcast by CBS on December 19, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Previously filmed by director Sidney Lumet in 1974, Agatha Christie's classic mystery novel Murder on the Orient Express was updated from the 1930s to the early 21st century in this made-for-TV remake. To be sure, the ineffable, insufferable Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (here played by Alfred Molina) uses his own "little grey cells" to solve the train-compartment murder of a ruthless American business executive (Peter Strauss). This time around, however, Poirot is not averse to relying upon computer technology to speed up his investigation; in the same vein, the murder victim has been updated (or perhaps, upgraded) from an industrialist to a software tycoon. Still, Christie's surprise ending (which should be no surprise at all to fans of the 1974 film) remains intact, as does Poirot's ultimate decision to let his heart rule his head. Murder on the Orient Express first aired April 22, 2001, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on the story of real breast-cancer survivor Joyce Wadler, this drama follows the noted journalist on her quest to stay alive and rebuild her life after she receives news of her potentially fatal condition. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Jamey Sheridan, (more)
Timothy Bottoms stars in this bittersweet drama about Mack Cameron, a famous Hollywood actor dealing with a midlife crisis and struggling marriage. When an on-location shoot lands him back in his small Texas hometown for the first time in years, Cameron gets answers to life's questions from some unexpected sources. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Timothy Bottoms, Sheryl Lee, (more)
- 1989
In this comedy-drama set in Washington, D.C., an ex-burglar and a dumbbell detective must team up to solve several puzzling murders. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Robert Urich, (more)
- 1972
- PG
This gag-filled movie makes a stab at examining the women's liberation movement but never quite gets there. The effects of the movement are shown through a series of comic and romantic episodes between men and women. The story is loosely tied together as the research of Sheila Hammond (Jacqueline Bisset), a fashion magazine editor who is preparing an article on women's liberation. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Cat Creature is a heady Curtis Harrington combination of high-gloss production values and spinechilling terror. A curse imposed thousands of years ago by a cat goddess wreaks havoc in the 20th century--all for the purpose of retrieving a long-lost golden amulet. Gale Sondergaard, whose association with things horrific went back to 1944's Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman, is suitably hissable as the cat queen; also in the cast is fright-flick veteran John Carradine and second-generation spooker Peter Lorre Jr. Screenwriter Robert Bloch intended this film as an affectionate throwback to the stylized horror films of old. Cat Creature is the sort of film that removes the "potboiler" stigma from the made-for-TV form. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
