David Birney, the TV star of the 1970s and '80s, has passed away. He died of Alzheimer's disease on April 29, his partner told The New York Times. Birney was 83.
Classic TV star David Birney has passed away
Born in 1939, David Birney enjoyed a long career as a TV and film star. But he is probably best known for two television roles. In the 1970s, he played the title role of "Bernie" in the controversial CBS series Bridget Loves Bernie.
Then in the 1980s, Birney portrayed the doctor "Ben Samuels" on St. Elsewhere. He appeared in over 20 episodes of the NBC medical drama.
Elsewhere, David Birney acted in shows and miniseries like Serpico, The Adams Chronicles, and Glitter. Other TV guest roles came on classic such as Hawaii Five-O, The Love Boat, and Murder, She Wrote, to name just a few.
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Birney had a final appearance on TV's Without a Trace in 2007. Off-screen, he married his Bridget Loves Bernie co-star Meredith Baxter. They had three children together but divorced in 1989, after which Baxter accused Birney of abuse — allegations he denied.
David Birney had been dealing with Alzheimer's disease for several years now. His partner Michele Roberge shared the sad news of his passing with The New York Times.
He died at his home in Santa Monica on April 29, 2022.
