One of the greatest accomplishments of the former "Roots" star Tracey Gold is her impressive career, but it is not the only thing that she is proud of. The actress has one of the most enduring marriages in Hollywood and a happy family with four kids.
Born on May 16, 1969, in New York City, Tracey Gold practically grew up on television after she started making appearances in commercials since she was 5. She was raised by her two creative parents, Harry and Bonnie Gold. Her biological father is Joe Fisher.
Tracey Gold tapes an interview at "Good Morning America" at the ABC Times Square Studio on November 28, 2011. | Source: Getty Images
Tracey's father Harry is the owner of a successful talent agency in Hollywood and her mother Bonnie is a former advertising executive of New York. Besides Tracey, they are proud parents to their three other kids--Missy, Brandy, and Jessie--who are all actors.
Tracey made her TV debut as Missy Ann in the ABC hit mini-series "Roots." That was a great start for the actress who impressed fans with her acting skills and brought a regular flow of TV roles in her way.
THE IMPRESSIVE RESUME OF THE "GROWING PAINS" ALUM
A career that started with commercials quickly got peppered with TV and movie credits. In 2000, Tracey starred in ABC's highest-rated TV movie of the year "Growing Pains."
The actress also co-starred in feature films including "Shoot the Moon," "Best of Times," and "Wanted and Tailspin."
As Tracey's list of TV roles and movie credits lengthened, she developed an interest in reality shows. In 2012, the actress produced and hosted "Starving Secrets," a reality series.
Her impressive resume might induce a sense of awe in her fans, but while Tracey's career touched new heights, she was dealing with serious health issues.
Tracey Gold attends the 2018 STL Pop Culture Con on August 17, 2018. | Getty Images
A PAINFUL STRUGGLE WITH ANOREXIA
While she was starring in "Growing Pains," Tracey was struggling with her own demons--the actress, who was once aglow with healthy radiance, had lost a whopping 90 lbs due to anorexia.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Tracey's mother Bonnie recalled an emotional day when she went to visit her daughter in the set of "Growing Pains."
A portrait of Tracey Gold from July 22, 1985. | Source: Getty Images
“We both stood there crying. She said, ‘Mommy, Mommy, I’m going to get better.’ I said, ‘Tracey, you’ve got to get better, because I’m not going to lose you.'”
The actress was unable to stop dieting after being a part of a doctor-supervised weight-loss program in 1989. Ultimately, her poor health became the reason why she could not be a part of "Growing Pains." "It was also hard to end on that note, being so sick and fragile and with that kind of heaviness,” she revealed in an interview with Oprah.
PERFECTLY HAPPY AT LAST
Luckily, the actress successfully overcame the disorder. She and her husband are proud parents to their four sons, Sage, Bailey, Aiden, and Dylan.
According to the actress, she is still fond of her co-stars from "Growing Pains." "We don't talk every day, but when we get together, it's like we never got out of sync," the actress shared with Oprah.
Although she missed several episodes of the show, fans still remember her character with a full heart.
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