Garn Stephens

Garn Gaynell Stephens[1] (November 7, 1944 – April 14, 2023) was an American film, television, stage, and musical theatre actress, and, later, a screenwriter. She was known for her roles in the television series Phyllis and the 1982 horror film Halloween III: Season of the Witch.

Garn Stephens
Stephens in 1976
Born
Garn Gaynell Stephens

(1944-11-07)November 7, 1944[1]
DiedApril 14, 2023(2023-04-14) (aged 78)
Occupation(s)Actress, writer
Years active1971–1993
SpouseTom Atkins (divorced)
PartnerStuart Niemi
Children1

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 and played the original character Jan in the Broadway production of Grease the following year.[2]

Throughout her 20-year career, Stephens made many television guest appearances, beginning in 1975 with an appearance on the series Wide World Mystery and a 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 second spin-off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. 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, as well as Jake's M.O. She is best known for her role as Marge Guttman in the 1982 horror film Halloween III: Season of the Witch, which also starred her then-husband Tom Atkins. In 2003, she appeared at the Halloween: 25 Years of Terror convention, where she discussed how she received the role. Stephens had been friends with John Carpenter's then-wife Adrienne Barbeau, with whom she had worked on Grease. Stephens met Carpenter when she and Atkins were invited to see a premiere of Halloween in 1978 with Carpenter and Barbeau. Carpenter later offered her a role in Halloween III.

Stephens also wrote for television, including a 1983 episode of the medical drama series St. Elsewhere, for which she received an Emmy Award nomination.[3] Her writing credits also include Trapper John, M.D., Hotel, and Trial by Jury.

Stephens also penned a number of crime-mystery stories.

Personal life and death

Stephens was at one time married to actor Tom Atkins. She lived with musician Stuart Niemi, with whom she had one child, Spencer Baird Niemi.

Stephens died in April 2023 at the age of 78.[4]

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[3]
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. Profile, Who's who in Entertainment. Accessed April 18, 2023.(subscription required)
  2. "Grease". broadwaymusicalhome.com. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  3. "Outstanding Writing In A Drama Series 1984". emmys.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  4. ‘Halloween III: Season of the Witch’ Actor Garn Stephens Has Passed Away
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