Press Kit (1982) - About the Players - Kristy McNichol
At 19 years of age, Kristy McNichol had already been featured in four motion pictures and a popular TV series prior to being cast in the lead role of Mabel in “The Pirate Movie.”
She has established herself as a major talent in the film industry, particularly after her performance in the Neil Simon comedy “Only When I Laugh.”
McNichol first stepped in front of the camera to make a commercial when she was seven and, as she grew up, was seen in many commercials and small parts in TV shows.
She got a major break after she appeared in a part on “Strarsky and Hutch.” The creators of the TV series “Family” saw her in that show and offered her the role of Buddy.
Her acting in “Family” earned her two Emmy awards and she went on to win the People’s Choice and Golden Globe Awards.
She moved into feature films and co-starred with Tatum O’Neal in “Little Darlings.” She says now that it was the picture she most enjoyed doing prior to the “Pirate Movie.”
Her next movie was “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” with Mark Hamill. In this film she had to sing and it was her vocal ability that led producer David Joseph to seek her for the role of Mabel in “The Pirate Movie.”
After “The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia,” McNichol starred in “Only When I Laugh” with Marsha Mason.
”I do think that ‘Only When I Laugh’ was the major step in my career to prove that I could handle working with prestigious people like that,” she says.
Then, before coming to Australia to make “The Pirate Movie,” she starred in “White Dog,” a powerful suspense film directed by Samuel Fuller.
McNichol says she was attracted to “The Pirate Movie” because she gets to play “a different kind of girl” from her earlier films.
She says that one challenge for her in the film is that is “is a real comedy and the other movies I’ve done are not as comical as this one.”
Asked her preference between drama and comedy, she says, “I really love drama because I’m an emotional person. But I also very much like doing comedy. It’s a lot more fun, although drama is more intriguing emotionally.”
As for working with Christopher Atkins, she said, “He was a lot of fun to work with. He has a great sense of humor.”
In her spare time, McNichol leads a very active life. “I love sports. I love anything that’s active and up. “ She is particularly keen on football. “I love watching it and I love playing it.”
Her other interests? “Cutting hair, photography, and I do love to sing and travel.”
Asked if she any professional ambitions, apart from being an actress, she says, “No, I really just want to continue what I’m doing. It looks like I will stay in this business as long as I can because I do enjoy it so much.
Judging by the success she’s enjoyed with both critics and audiences, that will come as welcome news to film fans everywhere.
