Actress Garn Stephens, best known for her role as Marge Guttman in 1982’s Halloween III: Season of the Witch, has passed away aged 78. The news was confirmed Saturday April 15th through an Instagram post from Horror’s Hallowed Grounds host and convention organiser Sean Clark.
Clark’s announcement came directly after he spoke with the actress’ ex-husband, actor Tom Atkins, from whom he learned the news.
Stephens was born on November 7th 1944, and showed a flare for performing from an early age. Her first significant attention came when she joined the Broadway production of Grease in 1972. Primarily a television actress, before joining the Halloween ranks, Stephens was most known for the short-lived sitcom Phyllis opposite Cloris Leachman. The show was the second spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and would garner Leachman a Golden Globe.
In her 20-year career, Stephens would make guest appearances on popular shows such as All in the Family, Charlie’s Angels, and Quantum Leap before retiring in 1993. For an unspecified period, she was married to Halloween III and Night of the Creeps star Tom Atkins, though the two had no children together.
Outside of acting, Stephens was a prolific writer, garnering an Emmy nomination for her script work on St. Elsewhere in 1983. Following her retirement from acting, she wrote a series of crime novels, which she continued to publish until her death.
Garn Stephens is survived by her son Spencer Baird Niemi and has long been a favourite among Halloween fans. Rest in peace, Garn.
