David Birney dead at 83: St Elsewhere and Bridget Loves Bernie star battled ...
David Birney dead at 83: Star of St Elsewhere and Bridget Loves Bernie passes away after Alzheimer's battle The longtime thespian passed away at his home in Santa Monica on Friday his lifer partner Michele Roberge told the New York Times He had battled Alzheimer's for five years before succumbing aged 83 on April 29 After finding early success on Broadway, he landed a starring role on sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie in 1972 which was considered one of the most controversial television shows of the time It was short lived as Jewish groups protested the show as they disagreed with the 'intermarriage' between Birney's character Bernie Steinberg and Meredith Baxter's character Bridget Fitzgerald who was a Catholic grade school teacher Though their on-screen partnership did not work the two pursued a relationship as the couple - who were both divorcees - got married in 1974 and had three children together before divorcing in 1989 However in 2011, the now 74-year-old actress released a memoir - titled Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering - in which she alleged Birney was emotionally and physically abusive At the time Birney had vehemently denied those claims as he deemed them an 'appalling abuse of the truth'
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David Birney - an actor best known for his work on St Elsewhere and Bridget Loves Bernie - has died at 83 after a battle with Alzheimer's.
The longtime thespian passed away at his home in Santa Monica on Friday his lifer partner Michele Roberge told the New York Times.
He had battled Alzheimer's for five years before succumbing aged 83 on April 29.
