Nancy Stephens (born July 2, 1949)
is a former American actress who has starred in many films and television shows. Stephens is perhaps best known for her role as Nurse
Marion Chambers in
John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he worked in various film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He ...
's
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
''
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
'' (1978). She reprised this role in ''
Halloween II'' (1981), ''
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'' (1998) and again in ''
Halloween Kills
''Halloween Kills'' is a 2021 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green and co-written by Green, Danny McBride and Scott Teems. It is the sequel to 2018's ''Halloween'' and the twelfth installment in the'' Halloween'' franchise. The f ...
'' (2021).
Early life
Stephens was born July 2, 1949
[ in ]Rusk, Texas
Rusk is a city and the county seat of Cherokee County in the U.S. state of Texas. At the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 5,285.
History
The town was established by an act of the Texas Legislature on April 11, 1846. It was named ...
. Stephens attended the Connecticut College
Connecticut College (Conn College or Conn) is a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. It is a residential, four-year undergraduate institution with nearly all of its approximately 1,815 students living on campus. The college w ...
, from which she graduated in 1967.
Career
A life member of The Actors Studio
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 44th Street (Manhattan), West 44th Street between Ninth Avenue (Manhattan), Ninth and Tenth Avenue (Manhattan), Tenth avenues in the ...
, Stephens starred in the soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''Bright Promise
''Bright Promise'' is an American daytime soap opera that ran on NBC from September 29, 1969 to March 31, 1972.
Synopsis
The show revolved around students and faculty at the fictional Bancroft College, located in the community of Bancroft, somew ...
'' as Jennifer Matthews from 1969–1970; her first role in a television series. She later appeared in the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives
''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...
'' as Mary Anderson in 1975.
Stephens made her film debut in 1978 in John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he worked in various film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He ...
's classic horror ''Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
'', playing the supporting role of Nurse Marion Chambers, who was attacked by Michael Myers in the film's early scenes. She was cast in John Carpenter's next film in 1981, ''Escape from New York
''Escape from New York'' is a 1981 American science fiction action film co-written, co-scored and directed by John Carpenter. It stars Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau, and Harry Dea ...
'', and later that year, reprised her role as Marion with the sequel '' Halloween II'', having a much more significant presence on-screen. She appeared in several films such as '' American Dreamer'', ''Russkies
''Russkies'' is a 1987 American comedy-drama film starring Whip Hubley and Leaf Phoenix, directed by Rick Rosenthal with cinematography by Reed Smoot.
Plot
A few nights before Independence Day, three 12-year old military brats (Danny, Adam, ...
'', and '' D2: The Mighty Ducks'', before appearing for the third time as Marion Chambers in '' Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'', the seventh film in the franchise. In 2002 she appeared in ''A Time for Dancing
''A Time for Dancing'' is a 2002 American drama film directed by Peter Gilbert and starring Larisa Oleynik, Shiri Appleby and Peter Coyote. It is an adaptation based on the novel of the same name by Davida Wills Hurwin. The film had its United S ...
''. Stephens has made guest appearances on many sitcoms such as ''All in the Family
''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series '' Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...
'', ''CHiPs
''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The serie ...
'', ''Cheers
''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...
'', '' Ally McBeal'', and ''Boston Legal
''Boston Legal'' is an American legal drama and comedy drama television series created by former lawyer and Boston native David E. Kelley, produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC. The series aired from October 3, 2004, t ...
''. She reprised the role of Marion again in David Gordon Green's 2021 sequel ''Halloween Kills
''Halloween Kills'' is a 2021 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green and co-written by Green, Danny McBride and Scott Teems. It is the sequel to 2018's ''Halloween'' and the twelfth installment in the'' Halloween'' franchise. The f ...
'', with her character in the rebooted continuity again being killed by Myers (as she was in ''H20'').
Personal life
Stephens has been married to Rick Rosenthal
Richard L. Rosenthal, Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American film instructor and director, known for directing '' Halloween II'' and '' Halloween: Resurrection''.
Early life, family and education
Rosenthal was born in New York City, the son o ...
since May 23, 1981. Stephens and Rosenthal met while filming ''Halloween II''. They have three children, one of whom is cinematographer Noah Rosenthal.
Filmography
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, Nancy
1949 births
Actresses from Texas
American soap opera actresses
American television actresses
Connecticut College alumni
Living people
21st-century American women