David Birney, Star of ‘St. Elsewhere’ and ‘Bridget Loves Bernie,’ Dead at 83

New York Post ^ | May 3, 2022 | Rob Bailey-Millado

[nickcarraway]

David Birney, star of TV’s “Bridget Loves Bernie” and “St. Elsewhere” and Broadway’s “Amadeus,” died Friday at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., after a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 83.

The veteran actor’s passing was confirmed by “life partner” Michele Roberge, the New York Times reported.

Birney first gained mainstream fame in 1972 opposite his future wife Meredith Baxter in the CBS sitcom “Bridget Loves Bernie.” The show was popular — slotted between ratings juggernauts “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “All in the Family — but short-lived thanks to controversial protests by Jewish groups who disagreed with the “intermarriage” of Birney’s Jewish cabbie character, Bernie Steinberg, and Baxter’s Bridget Fitzgerald, a Catholic grade school teacher from a wealthy family.

[DLfromthedesert]

So good looking. Easy to crush on. RIP

[Ann Archy]

She’s a LESBIAN....YUK!

[DLfromthedesert]

I’ve seen that one. He played that part well.

[Jane Long]

..short-lived thanks to controversial protests by Jewish groups who disagreed with the “intermarriage” of Birney’s Jewish cabbie character, Bernie Steinberg, and Baxter’s Bridget Fitzgerald, a Catholic grade school teacher from a wealthy family.

Oy vey.

[Dr. Sivana]

Again Texas guy but too much New York for me.

I grew up in Connecticut, and was turned off because she sounded like a mean man. I watched ONE episode, and was done. Adrienne Barbeau, who played the daughter, reportedly had the audacity to tell Shirley Jones that she (Miss Barbeau) was a bigger deal. The men on the show were such whiny wimps it was painful.

[nickcarraway]

Yes, he was. And he was also trying to sell an unpublished book Mark Twain allegedly wrote in another one.

[Fury]

Re: 16 - agreed. Watched the show a couple times - never liked it.

[married21]

I missed most of Murder She Wrote, so did not see Birney’s appearances there.

[nickcarraway]

I couldn’t stand any of the Norman Lear show about white people. The ones about black people weren’t as bad.

[Ancesthntr]

I enjoyed Bridget Loves Bernie as a teen, and I’m not only sorry that he’s gone, but that he had Alzheimers. RIP, and condolences to his family and friends.

[nickcarraway]

Well, if you like him, you’d probably like those episodes, since he’s very much himself.

[Verginius Rufus]

I saw the first episode which was mostly about Bernie and Bridget, and saw a few of the later shows which seemed to be mostly about the two sets of parents and stereotypical humor. In one episode Bernie’s parents win a trip to Rome and Bridget’s parents win a trip to Israel. They initially pretend to be trilled with the prospective trips but finally agree to switch. As if Irish Catholics wouldn’t have any interest in seeing the Holy Land.

[nickcarraway]

I never saw the show. They should have had an episode about how corned beef was “borrowed” by Irish immigrants from Jewish immigrants.

[married21]

Ok, 👍

[Fair Paul]

I grew up in Northern New Jersey and felt the same way.

[Verginius Rufus]

I don’t know much about the history of corned beef, but apparently it was not eaten in Ireland, but only by the Irish immigrants to the US.

[Anti-Bubba182]

RIP!

[jocon307]

“He was on just the first season.”

Ah. I always feel like he got kind of over shadowed by Richard Benjamin. For all I know that was fair.

I actually work with a fellow now who reminds me of both of these guys. He’s like a Jewish guy from 1970’s TV. He’s sweet, even though he’s a bit difficult to deal with!

[jocon307]

“I always wanted to punch Corbin Bernsen in the face.”

I like him as the Dad in Psyche. Heart that show to be honest!

[dfwgator]

I always wanted to punch Corbin Bernsen in the face.

"C'mon Dorn, get in front of the damn ball. Don't give me this *ole* bullsh__."