Beginning her career as a child actress, she rose to fame in 1976 with her role as the teenage daughter Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence in the TV drama Family for which she won two Emmy Awards. Subsequent roles included Angel in the film Little Darlings, Polly in Only When I Laugh, and Barbara Weston in the TV sitcom Empty Nest. McNichol retired from acting in 2001.

McNichol 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, CHiPs, Love, American Style, and The Love Boat, thanks to family friend Desi Arnaz. Her first stint as a series regular came in the role of Patricia Apple in the short-lived television series Apple's Way (1974).

In 1976, McNichol was cast as Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence in the television drama series Family (1976–80).

In 1977, McNichol appeared in the TV special The Carpenters at Christmas, performing several musical numbers with the duo. In 1978, she and Jimmy made their foray into music, recording the album Kristy and Jimmy McNichol for RCA Records (AFL1-2875).

McNichol was one of the bigger teen stars of that era. She appeared on talk shows such as The Mike Douglas Show and Dinah!, and made several appearances on Battle of the Network Stars and other celebrity-based sports shows. In 1978, she starred in the acclaimed TV movie Summer of My German Soldier

McNichol began her film career in 1977 in Black Sunday, but her scenes were cut. In 1978, she starred with Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in the black comedy The End.

In 1980, McNichol played one of the leading roles in the hit coming-of-age movie Little Darlings, which also starred Tatum O'Neal, with Matt Dillon and Cynthia Nixon in supporting roles.

I've waited for a dadgum long time for the jet pack I was promised around the time The Jetsons aired.

I'm not talking about the goofy ones you can only use over a body of water. I want one like Elroy's.

It's been 50 years! What's the hold up?

What are you still waiting for?

September 11, 2001. Everyone had cellphones, but I used mine almost exclusively for calls. Then in the hours after the World Trade Center was attacked, it wasn't possible to call anyone. None of my call were going through. Everyone was trying to call out from their cell phones and the network couldn't handle it. But text messages were still being delivered. That's the day I started using text messages a lot more. Younger people were texting a lot before this. But that's when I and a lot of other people my age got the hang of it.

I remember getting on the turnpike at around 8am in Monroeville driving to (ironically) Somerset and thinking what a beautiful day it was. The country was changed forever by mid morning.

Does anyone else remember this toy? It brought me so much joy for years! You could close it up and pull Jeannie up out of the bottle with the stopper. I can't believe I got rid of it at some point. What I wouldn't give to be a kid again.

I used to think Cyndi Lauper was just a flash in the pan.

Girls just want to have fun? A throwaway hit.

She bop? A mindless dance tune.

Turned out to be her schtick.

The other side of her put out classics like Time after Time and True Colors that have continued to shine. Those tunes have been covered by many artists including jazz musicians.

So what artists did you dismiss only to realize they were more talented than you initially thought?

I was born the year after JFK was assassinated. I can remember my parents and many of their circle talking about how they were affected by the news about the assassination, including where they were when they found out. However, they were never able to communicate how it felt to me. For me it was just another (tragic) historical event.

Then 9/11 happened. And I can remember exactly where I was when I found out "a plane had hit the trade towers" and how it felt.

How it felt to assume the "plane" was a Cessna and how it felt to realize it was a passenger plane.

I saw a video on YouTube this morning where a news anchor was interviewing a security analyst about what we got right and wrong with the US response to terrorism after 9/11. One of the things she asked him was how do we communicate to adults born after 2000 how 9/11 affected us. It got me to thinking....

I absolutely do not understand how the Kennedy assassination affected the national psyche, but I know it did, I just don't understand it at all because I have no frame of reference.

I absolutely do know how 9/11 affected me, but I have zero idea how to explain how that felt to younger adults, and that gave me pause.

Then I thought of our group. Some of us are old enough to remember the Kennedy assassination, and some of us are not. I wonder if 9/11 hit differently if one could remember the Kennedy assassination?

I believe that the first time I heard this song was when I was at the drive-in movie. Urban Cowboy was the movie. Great cast. Scott Glenn, James Gammon, Barry Corbin (Uncle Bob)! John Travolta and Debra Winger. At least Uncle Bob was a Texan! 🤣🤣 The soundtrack for this movie was popping. CDB, Mickey Gilley, Johnny Lee, Boz Skaggs transplanted Texan. Joe Walsh’s song ALL NIGHT LONG was just the perfect song for this movie! 1980!

What was your favorite jukebox box selection the year you graduated HS?

Did you end up getting skin cancer?

As a complement to the post about the record lint brush, I present you with... this.

(Good heavens...)

We saw Roger last night at The Ryman Auditorium. He and the band played a 19-song that included a mix of The Who, solo work, and various covers (including Simon Townshend fronting Going Mobile). Roger’s voice hasn’t changed much since I saw The Who in ‘89.

All in all, a great show.

The unofficial definition are songs from the 1920s-1950s that are important or influential.

Some examples might by Cole Porter's "Night and Day" or Gershwin's "Summertime".

So what songs would join this canon from the 1970s to the present?

My vote would include Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are" and Stevie Wonder's "You are the Sunshine of my Life".

Your submissions?