Garn Stephens


Garn Stephens is a retired American film, television and theatre actress and writer. She is known for her roles in the television series Phyllis and the 1982 horror film .

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.
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, whom she had worked with 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 has also written for television, including a 1983 episode of the medical drama series St. Elsewhere, in which she received an Emmy Award nomination. Her writing credits also include Trapper John, M.D., Hotel and Trial by Jury.

Personal life

Stephens was formerly married to actor Tom Atkins. She lived with musician Stuart Niemi, with whom she has one child, Stuart Baird Niemi.
Stephens is currently writing crime/mystery stories.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1975Wide World MysteryWaitressEpisode: "Please Call It Murder"
1975The Sunshine BoysEddie
1975All in the FamilyDottyEpisode: "Gloria is Nervous"
1976-1977PhyllisHarriet HastingsLeading role; 24 episodes
1978Charlie's AngelsElizabeth Mary 'Pokey' JeffersonEpisode: "Angels in the Backfield"
1978Barney MillerSusan Schuman-EdwardsEpisode: "Evaluation"
1979Blind AmbitionCarolTelevision mini-series
1980Portrait of a Rebel: The Remarkable Mrs. SangerMollieTelevision film
1980The Seduction of Miss LeonaJune SetzerTelevision film
1982'Marge Guttman
1983Princess DaisyCandice BloomTelevision film
1984Family TiesElizabeth DavidsonEpisode: "Baby Boy Doe"
1984Children in the CrossfireDoctorTelevision film
1986Foley SquareMrs. SullivanEpisode: "Kid Stuff"
1987Jake's M.O.Liz Reardon
1988Buck JamesAmy FergusonEpisode: "Heal Thyself"
1988Killer InstinctClaireTelevision film
1989Have FaithEdith CreppsEpisode: "Letters from Home"
1990Family of SpiesMaryTelevision film
1990Falcon CrestEllenEpisode: "Finding Lauren"
1992'GwenTelevision film
1993Quantum LeapGladysEpisode: "Memphis Melody"

Writer
YearTitleNotes
1983St. ElsewhereEpisode: "Newheart"
Nominated: Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
shared with John Masius, Tom Fontana and Emilie R. Small
1982-1985Trapper John, M.D.Episodes: "Russians and Ruses", "Long Ago and Far Away"
1986HotelEpisode: "Double Jeopardy"
1991Trial by JuryEpisode: "The Case of the Venal Veteran"