Andrea Fay Friedman obit

Andrea Fay Friedman, ‘Life Goes On’ Actor With Down Syndrome, Dies at 53

 She was not on the list.

Andrea Fay Friedman, an actor with Down Syndrome who appeared in drama television series “Life Goes On” and Joseph Travolta’s family drama “Carol of the Bells,” died Sunday in Santa Monica from complications due to Alzheimer’s. She was 53.

Friedman contributed to much-needed representation for individuals with Down Syndrome in the world of entertainment. One of her well-known roles was in “Life Goes On” as Amanda Swanson, the girlfriend of Charles “Corky” Thacher (Chris Burke), who later become Corky’s wife on the show. Throughout her life, the actor also appeared in several television series, including “Baywatch,” “Chicago Hope,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “ER,” “The Division” and “Saving Grace,” establishing her presence in an industry where inclusion was often rare. She was also the subject of the 2009 documentary “A Possible Dream: The Andrea Friedman Story.”

In 2010, Friedman showed her ability to tackle controversy with grace after voicing a character with Down syndrome, Ellen, in an episode of “Family Guy.”

In the cartoon, asked about what her parents do, Ellen says, “My dad’s an accountant and my mom is the former governor of Alaska,” the latter part referencing Former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin’s son, Trig Palin, who also has Down syndrome.

Palin slammed the reference during an appearance on Fox News, stating that “some things just aren’t really funny” and that such a depiction was the product of “cruel, cold-hearted people.”

“I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor,” Friedman wrote in response in an email to the New York Times. She also told ABC News that Palin didn’t get the joke and that her character should be inspirational, rather than someone to be derided.

Friedman’s last film project before her death was in the 2019 family holiday film “Carol of the Bells,” which told the story of Scott Johnson (RJ Mitte), a young man and adoptee who searches for his biological mother (Friedman), finding that she has Down syndrome.

In a Variety guest column by Lauren Appelbaum, Applebaum praised the representation of disability in four holiday films. One of them was “Carol of the Bells,” which she notes “was the world’s first feature film with up to 70 percent of the crew having a developmental disability.”

“When filmmakers choose to include characters with disabilities, they can help to remove the stigmas that currently exist about interacting with individuals with disabilities,” Applebaum wrote. “That is why it is worth celebrating authentic portrayals like those in these holiday films.”

Outside of acting, Friedman also served as an assistant teacher at UCLA’s Pathway program, an initiative for students that teaches them to live independent lives.

Friedman is survived by her sister, Katherine Holland; her brother-in-law, Grant Holland; her nephews, Lawson and Andrew Holland; and her father, Hal Friedman.

 

Actress

Kickback, V

Frieda

Pre-production

 

Carol of the Bells (2019)

Carol of the Bells

7.5

Carol Harris

2019

 

Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Alex Borstein, and Seth MacFarlane in Family Guy (1999)

Family Guy

8.2

TV Series

Ellen (voice, as Andrea Fay Friedman)

2010

1 episode

 

Holly Hunter in Saving Grace (2007)

Saving Grace

7.6

TV Series

Nell Ada (as Andrea Fay Friedman)

2008

1 episode

 

The Division (2001)

The Division

6.6

TV Series

Irene Basso (as Andrea Fay Friedman)

2002–2004

2 episodes

 

George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Ming-Na Wen, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Eriq La Salle, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Maura Tierney, and Goran Visnjic in ER (1994)

ER

7.9

TV Series

Mindy (as Andrea Fay Friedman)

2003

1 episode

 

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

8.1

TV Series

Katie Tolliver (as Andrea Fay Friedman)

2002

1 episode

 

Jessica Biel, Beverley Mitchell, Barry Watson, David Gallagher, Catherine Hicks, Mackenzie Rosman, and Happy in 7th Heaven (1996)

7th Heaven

5.2

TV Series

Molly Connelly (as Andrea Fay Friedman)

2000

1 episode

 

One Bad Day

6.7

Extra

1999

 

Chuck Norris in Walker, Texas Ranger (1993)

Walker, Texas Ranger

5.6

TV Series

Sally (as Andrea Fay Friedman)

1999

1 episode

 

Andrea F. Friedman in Smudge (1997)

Smudge

9.4

TV Movie

Cindy

1997

 

Hector Elizondo, Mandy Patinkin, Roma Maffia, Adam Arkin, Roxanne Hart, and E.G. Marshall in Chicago Hope (1994)

Chicago Hope

6.8

TV Series

Georgia Sardos (as Andrea Fay Friedman)

1997

1 episode

 

Valerie Bertinelli, Roma Downey, John Dye, and Della Reese in Touched by an Angel (1994)

Touched by an Angel

6.0

TV Series

Jeannie (as Andrea Friedman)

1997

1 episode

 

Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth, Alexandra Paul, David Hasselhoff, David Chokachi, Gena Lee Nolin, and Jaason Simmons in Baywatch (1989)

Baywatch

5.4

TV Series

Sammy (as Andrea Friedman)

1993

1 episode

 

Kellie Martin, Chris Burke, Patti LuPone, and Bill Smitrovich in Life Goes On (1989)

Life Goes On

7.1

TV Series

Amanda Swanson

1992–1993

14 episodes