‘Family Ties' Dad Michael Gross Gave a Shoutout to His TV Wife Meredith Baxter on Their Mutual Birthday
Michael Gross, who played the beloved father Steven Keaton on Family Ties, is wishing his legendary costar Meredith Baxter a happy birthday, too. The duo turned 79 on the same day!
Gross and Baxter, both 79, rose to stardom on the hit NBCsitcom, which followed former hippies Steven and Elyse Keaton as they raised their family during the Reagan era. Of course, that included their aspiring capitalist son, Alex, played by Michael J. Fox in his breakthrough role, and their superficial daughter, Mallory, played by Justine Bateman. Younger daughter Jennifer, played by Tina Yothers, rounded out the bunch. The series became a favorite throughout the '80s and highlighted the sharp contrast between the ideals of the baby boomer generation and those of their children.
Since Gross and Baxter share the same birthday and are still close, Gross wished Baxter a happy birthday in a sweet new Instagram post.
"79 years ago today, baby Michael was born in the Central Time Zone and baby Meredith in the Pacific Time Zone. Thirty-five years later, the two of them met and played husband and wife on @nbc's FamilyTies. @familytiescentral#fans already know this, but for those who don't, "Happy Birthday, Meredith Baxter!!!" Gross captioned the throwback shot.
Gross and Baxter Still Keep in Touch
The beloved Family Ties parents still stay in touch, and reunited back in 2011 alongside Fox and his wife, Tracy Pollan. But who could forget their dynamic together onscreen?
Here's a fun flashback from a memorable Family Ties episode:
Tina Yothers Recently Turned 53
Yothersrose to stardom as a child actress on Family Ties, but she's all grown up and recently turned 53.
The former child actress played Jennifer Keaton on Family Ties. But in a sweet reunion back in 2023, Yothers reunited with her onscreen older brother, Fox, to attend the 2023 A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Cure Parkinson's event at Casa Cipriani in New York City. 24 years after the show ended, the duo still keeps in touch!
Related: ‘80s ‘Family Ties' Star Justine Bateman Turns 60 and Isn't Afraid To Voice Her Opinions
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 7:17 AM.