Garn Stephens

Garn Stephens

Stephens in 1976.
Born (1936-04-10) 10 April 1936
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Occupation Actress, writer
Years active 1975–1993
Spouse(s) Tom Atkins (divorced)
Partner(s) 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

  1. ↑ "Grease". broadwaymusicalhome.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Outstanding Writing In A Drama Series 1984". emmys.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  3. ↑ "Tom Atkins Biography (1935-)". filmreference.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
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