Tina Yothers (/ˈjʌðərz/; born Kristina Louise Yothers; May 5, 1973)[2] is an American singer and former actress. Beginning a career as a child actor at the age of three, she is best known for her role as Jennifer Keaton on the hit NBC series Family Ties, as well as for her roles in numerous television films throughout the 1980s and early 1990s including The Cherokee Trail, Crash Course, and Spunk: The Tonya Harding Story among others.

Tina Yothers
Born
Kristina Louise Yothers

(1973-05-05) May 5, 1973 (age 51)
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1981–2013

Career

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Yothers began her acting career in television advertisements at age three. Her first cinema role was in the 1981 television film The Cherokee Trail. She also appeared in the 1982 feature film Shoot the Moon. Her most famous role was that of Jennifer Keaton, the younger daughter in the television comedy Family Ties[3] that aired from 1982 to 1989. She also competed in the Battle of the Network Stars in December 1988. When Family Ties ended, Yothers abandoned her blonde hair color and has mostly worn it black since, with the notable exception of a 1996 appearance on the Married... with Children sitcom.[citation needed]

Yothers wrote the book Being Your Best: Tina Yothers's Guide for Girls and formed the band Jaded with her brother Cory. She provided the lead vocals while Cory played keyboard. In 1998, Jaded released their self-titled CD, which was co-written by Cory Yothers, Michael Anderson, Tina Yothers and performed by Tina Yothers (lead vocals), Michael Anderson (guitars/vocals), Jerry France (guitars/vocals), Larry Rosales (drums), Mike Wilson (bass) and Phil Jordan from No Doubt on trumpet, along with a DJ. Previously, Yothers sang a cover of The Raes song "Baby I'm Back in Love Again", which she later recorded as a single, in the "Band on the Run" episode of Family Ties that aired February 26, 1987.[citation needed]

After a nine-year absence from acting, Yothers was given the lead role in Lovelace the Musical, a 2004 stage show based on the life of former pornographic film star Linda Lovelace. She followed that up with a stint as a stock player in the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theater in Boca Raton, Florida from 2005 to 2007.

Despite retiring from acting to focus on her music, Yothers has appeared on several games shows and reality shows since.[4][5] She appeared as a contestant on a special TV child stars edition of The Weakest Link in 2001 where she was voted off in the fifth round. Yothers appeared on the fourth season of the VH1 reality television show Celebrity Fit Club, which began on August 6, 2006. After Yothers's second pregnancy, she appeared on Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp to try get back to her post-Fit Club weight. On January 17, 2012, she was featured on the ABC show Celebrity Wife Swap, where she traded places with Niecy Nash of Reno 911!. In February 2013, Yothers appeared on an episode of the TLC series What Not To Wear.

Filmography

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Film and television

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 The Wonderful World of Disney Peg Breydon "The Cherokee Trail"
1982 Shoot the Moon Molly Dunlap Feature film
Father Murphy Beatrice "The Dream Day"
1982–1989 Family Ties Jennifer Keaton 176 episodes
1983 Your Place... or Mine Television movie
1984 Domestic Life Sally Dwyer "Harold in Love", "The Candidates"
1985 Family Ties Vacation Jennifer Keaton Television movie
1988 Crash Course Alice Santini
Mickey's 60th Birthday Jennifer Keaton
1990 Laker Girls Tracy
Family Double Dare Herself Celebrity contestant
1993 Spunk: The Tonya Harding Story Tonya Harding Television movie
1995 A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Jealous Jokester Claire Howard
1996 Married... with Children Herself "Kelly's Gotta Habit"
2001 The Weakest Link Herself Child TV stars special edition
2006 Celebrity Fit Club Herself Reality Television
2006 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
2012 Celebrity Wife Swap
2013 What Not to Wear

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Result Category Series
1983 Young Artist Award Nominated Best Young Actress in a New Television Series Family Ties
1984 Best Young Actress in a Comedy Series
1985 Won Best Young Supporting Actress in a Television Comedy Series
1989 Nominated Best Young Actress - Starring in a Television Comedy Series

References

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  1. ^ Brant, Marley (2006). Happier Days: Paramount Television's Classic Sitcoms, 1974-1984. Billboard Books p. 215. ISBN 0-8230-8933-9.
  2. ^ Arnold, Mark (2023). Stars of Walt Disney Productions. BearManor Media. ISBN 979-8-88771-072-3. "TINA YOTHERS aka Kristina Louise Yothers (born May 5, 1973)"
  3. ^ "Michael J. Fox admits he was in 'denial' for years after Parkinson's diagnosis: 'I was told I only had 10 years left to work'". celebrity.nine.com.au. November 20, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  4. ^ "Tina Yothers Played Jennifer on "Family Ties." See Her Now at 48. — Best Life". bestlifeonline.com.
  5. ^ "The Cast of 'Family Ties': Where Are They Now?". Peoplemag.
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