Laurie Walters, born on January 8, 1947, in San Francisco, California, is an American retired actress best known for her role as Joanie Bradford on the popular television series "Eight Is Enough," which aired from 1977 to 1981.

Before her acting career took off, Laurie initially enrolled in Humboldt State College with plans to major in wildlife conservation but later switched to theater, briefly attending UC Santa Barbara.

She moved to Berkeley, California, where she helped form the Berkeley Repertory Theater and earned her equity card at the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival.

Her early career included roles in films such as "The Harrad Experiment" (1973) and "Warlock Moon" (1973), where she played memorable characters like the shy Sheila Grove and the spunky Jenny Macallister.

Her breakout role came with "Eight Is Enough," where she portrayed the endearing Joanie Bradford, a character that resonated with audiences and became a beloved part of television history. Following the show's cancellation, she continued to make guest appearances on various television series, including "Cheers," "Highway to Heaven," and "The Love Boat," among others.

Laurie Walters also appeared in several TV movies and theatrical productions, such as "An Eight Is Enough Wedding" and "The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story".

She toured in dinner theater and acted in plays like "Richard III" and "Playboy of the Western World." Laurie retired from acting in the late 1990s and became a dedicated environmentalist, coordinating the volunteer program for the Los Angeles organization Tree People.

More recently, she has resumed acting on stage in Southern California and directed theater productions in Ojai, California, under her married name, Laurie Walters Slade.

Laurie Walters was married to John Currie Slade from 1999 until his death in 2017. She has been highly involved in environmental matters and has been a member of a movie club in Los Angeles.