Kristy McNichol (born Christina Ann McNichol on September 11, 1962, in Los Angeles, California to a Scottish father and a Palestinian mother) is a former American actress, most known for her role as Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence on the TV drama Family, and as Barbara Weston on the sitcom Empty Nest. She is the sister of former child actor Jimmy McNichol.

She began her career with guest appearances on such series as Starsky and Hutch and The Bionic Woman. Her first stint as a series regular came with the role of Patricia Apple in Apple's Way.

In 1976, she was cast as Buddy in Family, for which the actress earned Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series in 1976 and 1978.

In 1978 at the height of her stardom, Kristy, along with her brother Jimmy, released a self-titled album Kristy & Jimmy McNichol, which featured the single "He's So Fine."

When Family went off the air in 1980, Kristy began a promising feature-film career with the hit teen coming of age story Little Darlings.

In 1988, Kristy returned to episodic television, playing the character of Barbara Weston on the NBC sitcom Empty Nest, but she had to leave in 1992, when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Kristy McNichol is host of the annual "Kristy McNichol Celebrity Tennis Tournament," benefitting the H.E.L.P. group for abused children in Los Angeles.

Filmography

• Invasion America (1998) TV Series (voice)
• Mother of the Bride (1993) (TV)
• Baby of the Bride (1991) (TV)
• Children of the Bride (1990) (TV)
• The Forgotten One (1990)
• Empty Nest (1988-1992) TV Series
• Two Moon Junction (1988)
• You Can't Hurry Love (1988)
• Dream Lover
• Women of Valor (1986) (TV)
• Love, Mary (1985) (TV)
• Just the Way You Are (1984)
• The Pirate Movie (1982)
• White Dog (1982)
• Only When I Laugh (1981)
• The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981)
• Blinded by the Light (1980) (TV)
• Little Darlings (1980)
• My Old Man (1979) (TV)
• Summer of My German Soldier (1978) (TV)
• Like Mom, Like Me (1978) (TV)
• The End (1978)
• The Pinballs (1977) (TV)
• The Love Boat (1977/II) (TV)
• Family (1976/III) TV Series
• Me and Dad's New Wife (1976) (TV)
• Fawn Story (1975) (TV)
• Apple's Way (1974-1975) TV Series