Lani O'Grady
Encyclopedia
Lani O'Grady was an American
actress and the sister of actor
/musician
Don Grady
. O'Grady is best-remembered for her role as Mary Bradford, the eldest sister from Eight Is Enough
.
to Mary Grady, a children's talent agent, O'Grady began acting at the age of 13 with a role in the television series High Chaparral
. In the early 1970s, she appeared on Harry O
and had a role in the 1975 television movie
Cage Without a Key
, starring Susan Dey
. In 1976, she co-starred in Massacre at Central High
, a theatrical movie, along with Kimberly Beck
(who appeared as Nancy in the Eight is Enough pilot). The following year, she landed the role of Mary Bradford in the ABC
series Eight Is Enough. After the series ended in 1981, O'Grady had a role in the 1982 television movie The Kid with the Broken Halo
starring Gary Coleman
. She also reprised the role of Mary Bradford in two Eight Is Enough reunion television movies in 1987 and 1989. O'Grady's last acting role was as Mrs. Kramer in the soap opera
Days of our Lives
in 1990.
and memory blackouts in the early 1990s, O'Grady retired from acting and became a talent agent. She also began taking nonnarcotic medication for a diagnosed brain chemical imbalance. In a 1994 interview with the Los Angeles Times
, O'Grady said she had suffered from severe panic attacks since the age of 18 but was not diagnosed with panic disorder until she was 21. She also admitted that she abused prescription drugs and alcohol, including Valium.
In December 1998, she checked into the Thalians Mental Health Department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
for detox.
and antidepressant Prozac in her bloodstream, and the Los Angeles County Coroner
's office said she died of "multiple drug intoxication."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and the sister of actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
/musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Don Grady
Don Grady
Donald Michael Agrati , better known as Don Grady, is an American composer, musician and actor. He is remembered both as one of Mickey Mouse's original Mouseketeers, and as Robbie Douglas, from My Three Sons. His sister was also an actress, billed as Lani O'Grady...
. O'Grady is best-remembered for her role as Mary Bradford, the eldest sister from Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...
.
Career
Born Lanita Rose Agrati in Walnut Creek, CaliforniaWalnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek is an incorporated city located east of the city of Oakland. It lies in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. While not as large as neighboring Concord, Walnut Creek serves as the business and entertainment hub for the neighboring cities within central Contra Costa...
to Mary Grady, a children's talent agent, O'Grady began acting at the age of 13 with a role in the television series High Chaparral
High Chaparral
High Chaparral is a racehorse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 2002, and the winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf in 2002 and 2003 .-2001: Two-year-old season:...
. In the early 1970s, she appeared on Harry O
Harry O (TV series)
Harry O is an American crime drama series that aired for two seasons on ABC from 1974 to 1976. The series starred David Janssen and was executive produced by Jerry Thorpe...
and had a role in the 1975 television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
Cage Without a Key
Cage Without a Key
Cage Without a Key is a 1975 made-for-TV movie starring Susan Dey and Sam Bottoms, with Jonelle Allen and Lani O'Grady in supporting roles. The movie appeared on the NBC television network, later repeating on The CBS Late Movie...
, starring Susan Dey
Susan Dey
Susan Dey is an American actress, known primarily for her roles in film and television. Her more prominent parts came as elder daughter, Laurie Partridge, on the 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family, and as Grace Van Owen, a California assistant district attorney and judge on the dramatic series, L.A...
. In 1976, she co-starred in Massacre at Central High
Massacre at Central High
Massacre at Central High is a 1976 horror-thriller film directed by Dutch director Rene Daalder, a protegé of Russ Meyer. Despite its title, it is not at all a slasher film; the film is more an odd and violent political allegory, which tells the story of a series of revenge killings at a fictional...
, a theatrical movie, along with Kimberly Beck
Kimberly Beck
Kimberly Beck is an American actress with over sixty television and film roles to her credit.-Biography:...
(who appeared as Nancy in the Eight is Enough pilot). The following year, she landed the role of Mary Bradford in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series Eight Is Enough. After the series ended in 1981, O'Grady had a role in the 1982 television movie The Kid with the Broken Halo
The Kid with the Broken Halo
The Kid with the Broken Halo is a 1982 made-for-television movie starring Gary Coleman, Robert Guillaume, June Allyson, Mason Adams and Ray Walston about a wise-cracking "angel-in-training" who needs constant help from his frustrated heavenly teacher. The comedy was directed by Leslie H...
starring Gary Coleman
Gary Coleman
Gary Wayne Coleman was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars". After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman...
. She also reprised the role of Mary Bradford in two Eight Is Enough reunion television movies in 1987 and 1989. O'Grady's last acting role was as Mrs. Kramer in the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
in 1990.
Personal life
After suffering from agoraphobiaAgoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms in a situation from which it is perceived to be difficult to escape. These situations can include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions...
and memory blackouts in the early 1990s, O'Grady retired from acting and became a talent agent. She also began taking nonnarcotic medication for a diagnosed brain chemical imbalance. In a 1994 interview with the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, O'Grady said she had suffered from severe panic attacks since the age of 18 but was not diagnosed with panic disorder until she was 21. She also admitted that she abused prescription drugs and alcohol, including Valium.
In December 1998, she checked into the Thalians Mental Health Department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
for detox.
Death
O'Grady died in her home in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California at age 46 on September 25, 2001. An autopsy revealed toxic levels of the painkiller VicodinVicodin
Hydrocodone/paracetamol is a combination of two analgesic products hydrocodone and paracetamol used to relieve moderate to severe pain...
and antidepressant Prozac in her bloodstream, and the Los Angeles County Coroner
Los Angeles County Coroner
The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner was created in its present form in Boyle Heights on December 7, 1990 by an ordinance approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, though it has existed in some form since the late 19th century....
's office said she died of "multiple drug intoxication."
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1976 | Baby Blue Marine | Girl #2 | |
| Massacre at Central High | Jane | Alternative title: Blackboard Massacre | |
| 1977 | The Hazing | Campus Girl | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1969 | The High Chaparral The High Chaparral The High Chaparral is a Western-themed television series starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The show was created by David Dortort, who had previously created the hit Bonanza for the network... |
Penny | 1 episode |
| 1970 | The Headmaster The Headmaster (TV series) Headmaster is a half-hour television comedy-drama starring Andy Griffith and broadcast by CBS in the United States during the 1970-71 season.... |
Jody | Unknown episodes |
| 1973 | The Delphi Bureau The Delphi Bureau The Delphi Bureau was a dramatic television series aired in the United States by ABC as one of three elements of The Men, a wheel series shown as part of its 1972-73 schedule.... |
Girl | 1 episode |
| 1975 | Cage Without a Key Cage Without a Key Cage Without a Key is a 1975 made-for-TV movie starring Susan Dey and Sam Bottoms, with Jonelle Allen and Lani O'Grady in supporting roles. The movie appeared on the NBC television network, later repeating on The CBS Late Movie... |
Noreen | Television movie |
| Harry O | Jean Helen |
2 episodes | |
| 1977–1981 | Eight Is Enough | Mary Bradford | 112 episodes |
| 1979–1980 | The Love Boat The Love Boat The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain... |
Robin Maude Victor |
3 episodes |
| 1982 | The Kid with the Broken Halo | Julie McNulty | Television movie |
| 1987 | Eight Is Enough: A Family Reunion | Mary Bradford | Television movie |
| 1989 | An Eight Is Enough Wedding | Mary Bradford | Television movie |
| 1990 | Days of Our Lives | Mrs. Kramer | Unknown episodes |