Garn Stephens
Garn Stephens | |
|---|---|
 Stephens in 1976. | |
| Born | 10 April 1936 Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, writer |
| Years active | 1975–1993 |
| Spouse | Tom Atkins (divorced) |
| Partner | Stuart Niemi (?–?) |
| Children | Spencer Baird Niemi |
Garn Stephens (born April 10, 1936) is an American film, television and theatre actress and writer. She is known for her roles in television series Phyllis and horror film Halloween III: Season of the Witch.
Career
Stephens began her career on stage as a theatre actress. She performed as 'Estelle' in the original stage play Father's Day in 1971. In 1972 she played the original character 'Jan' in the Broadway production of Grease.[1] Her role in the musical is perhaps one of her best known performances.
She made many television guest appearances throughout her career which lasted almost twenty years. In 1975 she made her first appearance on the series Wide World Mystery, what followed was another guest role on CBS sitcom All in the Family. The following year, Stephens received a leading role on the Golden Globe-winning television sitcom Phyllis, with Cloris Leachman. The series was the second spin-off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She did not receive another leading role in a television series. From the late seventies until the early nineties, Stephens appeared in several top rated television series including Charlie's Angels, Family Ties, Falcon Crest and Quantum Leap.
During her career, Stephens starred in three feature films. In 1975 she appeared in The Sunshine Boys with Walter Matthau and George Burns, and Jake's M.O. She is best known for the role as 'Marge Guttman' in the 1982 horror film Halloween III: Season of the Witch, with starred her then-husband Tom Atkins. In 2003 she appeared at the Halloween: 25 Years of Terror convention, in which she discussed how she received the role, having been friends with John Carpenter's then-wife Adrienne Barbeau, whom she worked with on Grease, she and Atkins were invited to see the original Halloween in 1978 with Carpenter and Barbeau. Carpenter later offered her the role in Halloween III.
Stephens has written for television. In 1983 she had written for an episode of medical drama series St. Elsewhere, in which she received Emmy Award nomination.[2] Her writing credits include Trapper John, M.D., Hotel and Trial by Jury.
Personal life
Stephens was formerly married to actor Tom Atkins.[3] She lived with musician Stuart Niemi, with whom she has one child, Stuart Baird Niemi.
She is currently writing crime/mystery stories.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Wide World Mystery | Waitress | Episode: "Please Call It Murder" |
| 1975 | The Sunshine Boys | Eddie | |
| 1975 | All in the Family | Dotty | Episode: "Gloria is Nervous" |
| 1976–1977 | Phyllis | Harriet Hastings | Leading role; 24 episodes |
| 1978 | Charlie's Angels | Elizabeth Mary 'Pokey' Jefferson | Episode: "Angels in the Backfield" |
| 1978 | Barney Miller | Susan Schuman-Edwards | Episode: "Evaluation" |
| 1979 | Blind Ambition | Carol | Television mini-series |
| 1980 | Portrait of a Rebel: The Remarkable Mrs. Sanger | Mollie | Television film |
| 1980 | The Seduction of Miss Leona | June Setzer | Television film |
| 1982 | Halloween III: Season of the Witch | Marge Guttman | |
| 1983 | Princess Daisy | Candice Bloom | Television film |
| 1984 | Family Ties | Elizabeth Davidson | Episode: "Baby Boy Doe" |
| 1984 | Children in the Crossfire | Doctor | Television film |
| 1986 | Foley Square | Mrs. Sullivan | Episode: "Kid Stuff" |
| 1987 | Jake's M.O. | Liz Reardon | |
| 1988 | Buck James | Amy Ferguson | Episode: "Heal Thyself" |
| 1988 | Killer Instinct | Claire | Television film |
| 1989 | Have Faith | Edith Crepps | Episode: "Letters from Home" |
| 1990 | Family of Spies | Mary | Television film |
| 1990 | Falcon Crest | Ellen | Episode: "Finding Lauren" |
| 1992 | Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story | Gwen | Television film |
| 1993 | Quantum Leap | Gladys | Episode: "Memphis Melody" |
Writer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | St. Elsewhere | Episode: "Newheart" — Nominated: Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series[2] shared with John Masius, Tom Fontana and Emilie R. Small |
| 1982–1985 | Trapper John, M.D. | Episodes: "Russians and Ruses", "Long Ago and Far Away" |
| 1986 | Hotel | Episode: "Double Jeopardy" |
| 1991 | Trial by Jury | Episode: "The Case of the Venal Veteran" |
References
- ^ "Grease". broadwaymusicalhome.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
- ^ a b "Outstanding Writing In A Drama Series 1984". emmys.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
- ^ "Tom Atkins Biography (1935-)". filmreference.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
