David Birney, Star of St. Elsewhere and Bridget Loves Bernie , Dead at 83

François Pugnet/Sygma/Getty

David Birney, an actor known for his roles in TV's St. Elsewhere and Bridget Loves Bernie, has died. He was 83.

The stage and television performer passed away of Alzheimer's disease on Friday at his home in Santa Monica, California, his life partner Michele Roberge confirmed to The New York Times.

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE on Tuesday, Birney's ex-wife Meredith Baxter remembered the late star.

"I was very saddened by the death of David Birney. My heart goes out to our children, Kate, Peter and Mollie. David was a dominant influence in their lives and the loss of him will be deeply felt," the Family Ties actress said. "And I send love and support to Michele Roberge, David's life-partner, who so lovingly cared for him for many many years."

The former couple got married in 1974 and divorced in 1989. Baxter accused her ex-husband of abuse in her 2011 book Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame and Floundering. He denied the allegations at the time, calling her claims "an appalling abuse of the truth."

RELATED: David Birney Denies Abuse Claims by Meredith Baxter

The pair starred together as on the short-lived 1970s sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie. The show chronicled the interfaith marriage between an Irish Catholic teacher (Baxter) from a wealthy family and a Jewish cab driver (Birney).

The show received criticism from Jewish groups for its portrayal of interfaith marriage and Jewish stereotypes, according to The New York Times, and was canceled after one season.

"One segment of the protesters is truly concerned about the dilution of their faith," Mr. Birney told the New York Daily News, per the Times, several months after the cancellation. "But intermarriage is on the rise, nevertheless. The threat doesn't come from a harmless show such as ours, but from within."

RELATED: Once a Devoted Hollywood Duo, Meredith Baxter and David Birney Call It Quits After 15 Years

Birney went on to play John Quincy Adams in the PBS production of The Adams Chronicles and took on the role of Frank Serpico in an NBC adaptation of Sidney Lumet's 1973 film Serpico.

He drew acclaim for his role as Antonio Salieri in Peter Shaffer's Amadeus on Broadway. He was part of the original cast of St. Elsewhere on NBC before leaving for the stage role, according to The New York Post.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Birney also appeared on Broadway in The Good Woman of Setzuan (1970), The Playboy of the Western World (1971), An Enemy of the People (1971), Antigone (1971) and Benefactors (1985), according to Deadline.