Tracey Gold (born May 16, 1969) is an American actress and former child star known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s

sitcom A sitcom, a Portmanteau, portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troup ...

'' Growing Pains''.

Acting career

Tracey Gold became an actress at the age of four, first appearing in a

Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi was ...

print ad. She appeared in two canceled series, '' Shirley'' with Shirley Jones in 1979, and ''

Goodnight Beantown ''Goodnight, Beantown'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS for two brief seasons in 1983 and 1984. Synopsis The series stars Bill Bixby as Matt Cassidy and Mariette Hartley as Jennifer Barnes, two news anchors at WYN-TV, a fictional telev ...

'', starring

Bill Bixby Wilfred Bailey Everett Bixby III (January 22, 1934 – November 21, 1993) professionally known as Bill Bixby, was an American actor, director, producer, and frequent game-show panellist. Bixby's career spanned more than three decades, includi ...

in 1983. Gold was originally cast as the youngest daughter in the original pilot series of the sitcom '' Gimme A Break!'' starring Nell Carter, but was replaced by actress Lara Jill Miller when the show went to series. She played one of

Albert Finney Albert Finney (9 May 1936 – 7 February 2019) was an English actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked in the theatre before attaining prominence on screen in the early 1960s, debuting with ''The Entertainer'' (1960), ...

and

Diane Keaton Diane Keaton (''née'' Hall, born January 5, 1946) is an American actress and director. She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over six decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Glo ...

's four daughters in the feature film ''

Shoot the Moon ''Shoot the Moon'' is a 1982 American drama film directed by Alan Parker, and written by Bo Goldman. It stars Albert Finney, Diane Keaton, Karen Allen, Peter Weller and Dana Hill. Set in Marin County, California, the film follows George (Finn ...

'' (1982). Gold also guest starred on her sister Missy Gold's series '' Benson'' in 1985, playing the cousin of Missy's character, Katie Gatling. In 1985, Gold auditioned for the role of Carol Seaver on '' Growing Pains'', but was not initially cast. The actress chosen for the pilot was Elizabeth Ward, who had starred alongside Gold in ''The Hand-Me-Down Kid'', a 1983 '' ABC Afterschool Special''. However, test audiences did not favor Ward in the role of Carol, and she was replaced by Gold. ''Growing Pains'' ran from 1985 until 1992. During this time, Gold became a famous teen star and battled anorexia. In 1988, Gold also starred as

Angela Strull ''Dance 'til Dawn'' is a 1988 Television movie, made for television teen film, teen movie directed by Paul Schneider (director), Paul Schneider. Plot It's the day of the senior prom at Herbert Hoover High School. The prom has been organized by ...

in the

teen film Teen film is a film genre targeted at teenagers, preteens, or young adults by the plot being based on their special interests, such as coming of age, attempting to fit in, bullying, peer pressure, first love, teen rebellion, conflict with par ...

Dance 'til Dawn ''Dance 'til Dawn'' is a 1988 made for television teen movie directed by Paul Schneider. Plot It's the day of the senior prom at Herbert Hoover High School. The prom has been organized by one of the most popular girls at the school, the beauti ...

''. On August 9, 1988, Gold and her two sisters were the only celebrities at the funeral of murdered child-actor Judith Barsi. Gold read ''A Child Of Mine'' (from the poet

Edgar Albert Guest Edgar Albert Guest (20 August 1881 – 5 August 1959) was a British-born American poet who became known as the People's Poet. His poems often had an inspirational and optimistic view of everyday life. Early life Guest was born in Birmingham ...

) as a eulogy. After the end of the series, Gold continued to work as an actress. Over the next decade, she starred in several television movies. In 2003, Gold appeared in an episode of the TV show ''

The Dead Zone The Dead Zone may refer to: * ''The Dead Zone'' (novel), a 1979 novel by Stephen King * ''The Dead Zone'' (film), a 1983 film adaptation of the novel, starring Christopher Walken and directed by David Cronenberg * ''The Dead Zone'' (TV series), ...

'' as the character Penny Barton. Gold was a contestant on the program '' Celebrity Mole: Yucatán'' in 2004, and starred in the movie ''Safe Harbor'' in 2006. She hosted the TV Guide Channel mini-show '' Trapped in TV Guide''. In addition, she hosted the TLC series '' The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom'', which debuted on March 3, 2008. Gold appeared as the spokesperson in "Baby Sleeps Safe", a national television infomercial for Baby Guardian. On January 2, 2012, she appeared on the ABC network's reality series, ''Celebrity Wife Swap'', trading places with singer Carnie Wilson for a week. On July 24, 2013, Gold returned to sitcoms with an appearance on the '' Melissa & Joey'' episode, "Something Happened," as one half of a lesbian couple with a home-schooled daughter. Gold starred in the first episode of ''Heartbreakers'' called "Shot Through The Heart" on ID on August 13, 2014. She competed on and won the twenty-fourth season of '' Worst Cooks in America'', the show's seventh celebrity edition titled ''That's So 90s'', airing in April and May 2022.

Battle with anorexia

Gold stated that starting at about the age of seven, she thought about dieting, having learned the word and the concept on the many television production sets she worked on as a child actress. She became preoccupied with the television movie '' The Best Little Girl in the World'', starring actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, about an anorexic teenager. In her autobiography, Gold says that in an attempt to control her development into a woman, she began restricting what she ate. When she was 11, she was diagnosed with the early stages of

anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by underweight, low weight, Calorie restriction, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thi ...

by her family pediatrician after a weight loss that accompanied a growth spurt. After some counseling, she eventually returned to a more normal weight for most of her teenage years. In 1988 at age 19, Gold gained some weight over the ''Growing Pains'' series hiatus. That season, the sitcom's scripts called for her to be the brunt of jokes about her being overweight from her television brothers for many episodes in a row. Beginning in October 1988, Gold dieted from 133 pounds to about 110 pounds on a medically supervised diet, but still occasionally the scripts continued to include weight-based jokes at her expense. In her autobiography, she says that between 1989 and 1991, she became increasingly obsessed with food and her weight and continued to slowly and steadily lose weight. In 1990, Gold began group therapy in an eating disorder program, but only learned more ways to lose weight. That season, her problem with weight loss was touched upon slightly on her television series, when Gold is seen looking at her body in a carnival mirror, and describes to another character the distorted image in her head. In 1991, she started starving herself more than ever and

vomiting Vomiting (also known as emesis and throwing up) is the involuntary, forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Vomiting can be the result of ailments like food poisoning, gastroenteri ...

, and lost a massive amount of weight, to the point that she was admitted to a hospital in early 1992. Her lowest weight is estimated to have been near 80 pounds. She was suspended from the show for her skeletal appearance. Photos of Gold's emaciated body were plastered all over tabloid magazines, and she was one of the first celebrities ever to be formally outed for anorexia. She last appeared in the 1991 episode, "Menage a Luke" after missing the two prior episodes where her problem is very obvious in some scenes, and did not return until the last two episodes of the series in the late spring of 1992, although she was not nearly recovered at this point. After a several year struggle, Gold eventually recovered, and starred in the television movie ''

For the Love of Nancy ''For the Love of Nancy'' is a 1994 American made-for-television drama film directed by Paul Schneider. The film, based on a true story, deals with anorexia nervosa. Lead actress Tracey Gold was actually recovering from the disease while making t ...

'' (1994) with Jill Clayburgh. The film explored a young woman's battle with anorexia and its effects on her family. Although she was warned of the possibility that she had done damage to her reproductive organs by the years of anorexia, Gold was able to give birth to four children. As she entered her thirties, Gold maintained a normal weight for her body structure, and often holds speaking engagements warning young women about the dangers of eating disorders, while continuing work as an actress.

Personal life

Gold met her husband Roby Marshall through ''Growing Pains'' co-star Joanna Kerns. Marshall served as a consultant on the true-crime miniseries Blind Faith, about the 1984

contract killing Contract killing is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or persons. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of payment, monetary or otherwise. Either party may b ...

of Roby’s mother, Maria, arranged by Roby’s father,

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, h ...

. Kern portrayed Maria in the miniseries. Gold and Roby married on October 8, 1994, and have four sons: Sage Gold, Bailey Vincent, Aiden Michael, and Dylan Christopher. In 2003, Gold wrote the book ''Room to Grow: An Appetite for Life'' with Julie McCarron, about Gold's struggle with and eventual recovery from anorexia.{{Citation needed , date=May 2022

Arrest

In 2004, Gold was arrested for

drunk driving Drunk driving (or drink-driving in British English) is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash. In the United States, alcohol is ...

after rolling her SUV down a California freeway embankment. Gold was arrested by

California Highway Patrol The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is a state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enfor ...

officers and charged with a felony count of driving under the influence causing injury. While Gold's husband and two of her sons (ages five and five months) were not seriously injured in the late-night crash, the actress's oldest child, 7-year-old Sage, suffered a broken clavicle and a head laceration. After CHP officers administered sobriety tests, Gold was arrested on the DUI charge, said CHP spokesman Steve Reid. Booked under her married name, Tracey Gold Marshall, she spent five hours in the Ventura lockup before being released on $50,000 bail. She eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one month work release, 240 hours of community service, and 3 years of probation. {{cite web , url=https://clumsycrooks.com/celebrity-mug-shots/tracey-gold-mug-shot/ , title=Tracey Gold Mug Shot - World's Dumbest Criminals, Funny Crime Stories, Celebrities , date=26 April 2019

Filmography

{, class="wikitable sortable" , +Film , - ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" , Notes , - , 1978 , ''{{sortname, A, Rainy Day, nolink=1'' , Stephanie as a Child , Short film , - , 1982 , ''

'' , Marianne Dunlap , , - , 1986 , ''{{sortname, The, Best of Times, The Best of Times (1986 film)'' , Jaki's Friend (uncredited) , , - , 1988 , ''The Girl Next Door'' , Annie , , - , 1990 , '' The Willies'' , Carol Seaver , , - , 1998 , ''Wanted'' , Sue Bentley , , - , 2001 , '' What's the Worst That Could Happen?'' , Woman at Auction (uncredited) , , - , 2008 , ''Solar Flare'' , Dr. Joanna Clark , , - , 2011 , ''Your Love Never Fails'' , Samantha Pierce , Video , - , 2014 , ''My Dad's a Soccer Mom'' , Lori Brookstone , , - , 2016 , '' All Hallows' Eve'' , Didi Hallow , {, class="wikitable sortable" , +Television , - ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" , Notes , - , 1976 , ''

Captains and the Kings ''Captains and the Kings'' is a 1972 historical novel by Taylor Caldwell chronicling the rise to wealth and power of an Irish immigrant, Joseph Francis Xavier Armagh, who emigrates as a penniless teenager to the United States, along with his you ...

'' , Rosemary Armagh , TV miniseries , - , 1977 , '' Roots'' , Young Missy Anne Reynolds , TV miniseries , - , 1978 , ''{{sortname, The, Dark Secret of Harvest Home'' , Missy Penrose , TV miniseries , - , 1978 , ''Night Cries'' , Donna Blankenship , TV movie , - , 1978 , ''Little Mo'' , Cindy Brinker , TV movie , - , 1978 , '' Quincy, M.E.'' , Lisa Carson , Episode: "A Test for Living" , - , 1979 , ''{{sortname, The, Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel'' , Laurie Mae Moon , TV movie , - , 1979 , ''

Eight Is Enough ''Eight Is Enough'' is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until May 23, 1981. The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, w ...

'' , Tracey Kappleton , Episode: "Best of Friends" , - , 1979 , ''Jennifer: A Woman's Story'' , Emma Prince , TV movie , - , 1979 , ''{{sortname, The, Child Stealer, nolink=1'' , Pam , TV movie , - , 1979 , '' CHiPs'' , Linda/Donna , Episode: "Drive, Lady, Drive: Part 1"
Episode: "Drive, Lady, Drive: Part 2" , - , 1979 , ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo ...

'' , Monica , Episode: "Amusement Park/Rock Stars" , - , 1979–1980 , '' Shirley'' , Michelle Miller , 13 episodes , - , 1980 , '' Here's Boomer'' , Laurie , Episode: "Overboard" , - , 1980 , '' Trapper John, M.D.'' , Ellie , Episode: "Girl Under Glass: Part 1"
Episode: "Girl Under Glass: Part 2" , - , 1980 , '' Marilyn: The Untold Story'' , Young Norma Jean , TV movie , - , 1981 , '' CBS Afternoon Playhouse'' , Carrie , Episode: "I Think I'm Having a Baby" , - , 1981 , ''{{sortname, A, Few Days in Weasel Creek, nolink=1'' , Buddy , TV movie , - , 1981 , ''CBS Library'' , Jane , Episode: "A Tale of Four Wishes" , - , 1982 , '' Father Murphy'' , Jenny , Episode: "Eight-Eight Keys to Happiness" , - , 1982 , '' Beyond Witch Mountain'' , Tia , TV movie , - , 1982 , ''{{sortname, The, Phoenix, The Phoenix (1982 TV series)'' , Jan , Episode: "The Fire Within" , - , 1983 , ''Another Woman's Child'' , Lisa , TV movie , - , 1983 , '' ABC Afterschool Special'' , Ari Jacobs , Episode: "The Hand Me Down Kid" , - , 1983 , '' Thursday's Child'' , Alix , TV movie , - , 1983 , '' Who Will Love My Children?'' , Pauline Fray , TV movie , - , 1983 , ''

'' , Michelle Robbins , Episode: "Three's a Crowd/Second Time Around" , - , 1983–1984 , '' Goodnight, Beantown'' , Susan Barnes , 18 episodes , - , 1984 , '' Trapper John, M.D.'' , Jennifer Robins , Episode: "Where There's a Will" , - , 1985 , ''{{sortname, A, Reason to Live, A Reason to Live (1985 film)'' , Ellen Maynes , TV movie , - , 1985 , '' Lots of Luck'' , Cindy Maris , TV movie , - , 1985 , '' Benson'' , Laura , Episode: "Katie's Cousin" , - , 1985–1992 , '' Growing Pains'' , Carol Seaver , 166 episodes , - , 1986 , ''{{sortname, The, Blinkins, nolink=1'' , Shady (voice) , TV movie , - , 1988 , ''

'' , Angela Strull , TV movie , - , 1990 , ''DuckTales: The Movie Special'' , Hostess , TV movie , - , 1990 , '' ABC Afterschool Special'' , Shauna Kelly , Episode: "A Question About Sex" , - , 1993 , ''Labor of Love: The Arlette Schweitzer Story'' , Christa Uchytil , TV movie , - , 1994 , ''

'' , Nancy Walsh , TV movie , - , 1995 , ''Sleep, Baby, Sleep'' , Sylvie Pierson , TV movie , - , 1995 , '' Lady Killer (1995 film)'' , Sharon , TV movie , - , 1995 , ''Beauty's Revenge'' , Beth , TV movie , - , 1995 , ''Stolen Innocence'' , Stacy , TV movie , - , 1996 , ''{{sortname, A, Kidnapping in the Family, nolink=1'' , Sarah Landers Taylor , TV movie , - , 1996 , '' Face of Evil'' , Darcy Palmer / Barbara Richards , TV movie , - , 1996 , ''{{sortname, The, Perfect Daughter, nolink=1'' , Alexandra Michaelson , TV movie , - , 1996 , '' Diagnosis: Murder'' , Amy , Episode: "An Explosive Murder" , - , 1996 , ''

To Face Her Past ''To Face Her Past'' is a 1996 American television drama film directed by Steven Schachter. Based on a true story,

'' , Lori Molina , TV movie , - , 1998 , ''Dirty Little Secret'' , Sarah Wheetley , TV movie , - , 1998 , ''

Touched by an Angel ''Touched by an Angel'' is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced ...

'' , Darlene Jones , Episode: "Vengeance Is Mine: Part 1" , - , 1998 , '' Promised Land'' , Darlene Jones , Episode: "Vengeance Is Mine: Part 2" , - , 1998 , ''The Girl Next Door'' , Anne 'Annie' Nolan , TV movie , - , 1999 , ''{{sortname, A, Crime of Passion, nolink=1'' , Alyssa Pierce , TV movie , - , 2000 , '' Chicken Soup for the Soul'' , Anita , 1 episode , - , 2000 , ''Stolen from the Heart'' , Leslie Wagner , TV movie , - , 2000 , '' Twice in a Lifetime'' , Blair Wilson / Polly Murtaugh , Episode: "Party Girls" , - , 2000 , ''{{sortname, The, Growing Pains Movie'' , Carol Seaver , TV movie , - , 2001 , ''

She's No Angel ''She's No Angel'' is a 2001 television film directed and written by Rachel Feldman, loosely based on the novel ''I Married a Dead Man'' by Cornell Woolrich. Plot Donald (Kevin Dobson) and Maureen (Dee Wallace) are a married couple who get horr ...

'' , Liddy Carlyle , TV movie , - , 2002 , ''Wildfire 7: The Inferno'' , Nell Swanson , TV movie , - , 2003 , '' Stephen King's Dead Zone'' , Penny Barton , Episode: "Misbegotten" , - , 2004 , '' Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers'' , Carol Seaver , TV movie , - , 2005 , ''Captive Hearts'' , Elizabeth Sorenson , TV movie , - , 2006 , ''Safe Harbor'' , Carly Segan , TV movie , - , 2006 , ''Trapped in TV Guide'' , Host , TV series , - , 2007 , '' Final Approach'' , Lina Howren , TV movie , - , 2009 , ''Sight Unseen'' , Molly , TV movie , - , 2012 , ''Arachnoquake'' , Katelynn , TV movie , - , 2013 , '' Melissa & Joey'' , Polly , Episode: "Something Happened" , - , 2016 , ''I Know Where Lizzie Is'' , Judith , TV movie , - , 2017 , ''

Battle of the Network Stars ''Battle of the Network Stars'' is a series of competitions in which television stars from ABC, CBS and NBC would compete in various sporting events. A total of 19 of these competitions were held between 1976 and 1988, all of which were aire ...

'' , Herself , Episode: "Competition 20" , - , 2017 , ''Daily Blast Live'' , Herself , Host , - , 2022 , '' Worst Cooks in America'' , Herself , Contestant (season 24)

References

{{Reflist

External links

* {{Tcmdb name, 72818, Tracey Gold * {{IMDb name, 0325097, Tracey Gold * {{amg name, 27422 * {{rotten-tomatoes-person, tracey_gold {{Authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:Gold, Tracey 1969 births 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from California Actresses from New York City American adoptees American child actresses American film actresses American television actresses Living people Participants in American reality television series People from New York City People from Greater Los Angeles