Bridgette Andersen
| Bridgette Andersen | |
|---|---|
 Andersen in Savannah Smiles in 1982.[1] | |
| Born |
Marriah Bridget Andersen July 11, 1975 Inglewood, California, USA |
| Died |
May 18, 1997 (aged 21) Los Angeles, California, USA |
Cause of death | Overdose of alcohol and drugs |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1982–1987 |
Bridgette Andersen (July 11, 1975 – May 18, 1997) was an American child actress best known for her part in the title role of the 1982 comedy Savannah Smiles.
Early life and career
Born Marriah Bridget Andersen in Inglewood, California to Frank Glass and Teresa Andersen, Bridgette Andersen (as she was known professionally) was raised in Malibu, California, and from an early age, she showed exceptional intelligence. By age two, she decided she wanted to be an actress and eventually began a career as a child model before breaking into acting at age seven in the 1982 TV movie, Washington Mistress. Later that year, Andersen appeared in her most memorable role as the title character in Savannah Smiles, followed by roles in Family Ties, Remington Steele, and as a young Mae West in the TV biopic of the actress' life.
In 1983, Andersen appeared as Celia in the short lived sitcom Gun Shy, and was also nominated for a Young Artist Award for her role in Savannah Smiles. She followed up with a role in the horror film, Nightmares. She was nominated for a second time for a Young Artist Award for her role in Gun Shy the following year.
Throughout the mid-1980s, Andersen continued to appear in episodic television, TV movies and features films, including: A Summer to Remember in 1985, Hotel, Fever Pitch with Ryan O'Neal, The Golden Girls, and The Parent Trap II with Hayley Mills.
By 1987, Andersen's roles were infrequent with her only appearances being in an episode of CBS Summer Playhouse and an independent film entitled Too Much. One of Andersen's last roles was a small part in a Pepsi commercial that aired during Super Bowl XXX on January 28, 1996. Shortly before her death, she performed in the independent feature Locker 28. To date, the film remains unreleased.
Death
Andersen was reportedly not close to her family and had little contact with them. During her teen years, she struggled with an addiction to heroin, and at the time of her death, was attempting to stay clean while working at Erewhon Health Food Store in Los Angeles, California.
On May 18, 1997, Andersen died of an accidental overdose of alcohol and heroin.[2] She was 21 years old. On May 25, 1997, funeral services were held at Malibu United Methodist Church and Andersen's ashes were scattered at Zuma Beach in Malibu, California.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Washington Mistress | Jenny | Television movie |
| 1982 | King's Crossing | Mimi Hadary | Episode: "Triangle" |
| 1982 | Mae West | Mae (Age 7) | Television movie |
| 1982 | Savannah Smiles | Savannah | |
| 1982 | Family Ties | Young Mallory | Episode: "A Christmas Story" |
| 1983 | Gun Shy | Celia | 6 episodes |
| 1983 | Nightmares | Brooke Houston | Segment: "Night of the Rat" |
| 1983 | Fantasy Island | Episode: "Random Choices/My Mother, the Swinger" | |
| 1983 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Gretel | Episode: "Hansel and Gretel" |
| 1984 | Remington Steele | Angel Gallen | Episode: "Blood Is Thicker Than Steele" |
| 1984 | The Mississippi | Abigail Marshall | Episode: "Abigail" |
| 1984 | The Return of Marcus Welby, M.D. | Television movie | |
| 1985 | A Summer to Remember | Jill | Television movie |
| 1985 | Hotel | Lindsay Pomeroy | Episode: "Lost and Found" |
| 1985 | Fever Pitch | Amy | |
| 1986 | The Golden Girls | Charley | Episode: "The Truth Will Out" |
| 1986 | Between Two Women | Kate Petherton | Television movie |
| 1986 | The Parent Trap II | Mary Grand | Television movie |
| 1987 | Too Much | Susie | |
| 1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Jamie | Episode: "Doctors Wilde" |
Award nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Motion Picture Actress | Savannah Smiles | Nominated |
| 1984 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Comedy Series | Gun Shy | Nominated |
| 1985 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress - Guest in a Television Series | The Mississippi | Nominated |
| 1986 | Young Artist Award | Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress in a Television Special or Mini-Series | A Summer to Remember | Nominated |
References
External links
- Bridgette Andersen at the Internet Movie Database
- Bridgette Andersen at AllMovie
- Bridgette Andersen at Find a Grave
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