Stepfanie Kramer

Stepfanie Kramer
Born (1956-08-06) August 6, 1956
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active 1977-present
Spouse(s) Mark Richards (I) (1992-2001) (divorced) 1 child
Children Lily Claire Richards (b. 1994)

Stepfanie Kramer (born August 6, 1956) is an American actress, writer, and singer/songwriter. She is probably best known for her role as tough-minded detective Sgt. Dee Dee McCall on the NBC TV series Hunter.[1] She has been nominated for an Emmy in Special Class Programming and won the Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress Award. She also was honored by the First Americans in the Arts organization in 1995, 2002, and 2003.[1] She was voted one of the most beautiful women in television in 1988, through a national TV Guide poll of viewers. Kramer has written and directed for television, and is also a singer.

Biography

Kramer was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is part Native American from her mother's side.[2] Her father was a classically trained violinist and her mother a high-fashion model as well as an artist.[3]

Professional life

Kramer's professional acting career started in the late 1970s, while she was still in school. She guest-starred in several television shows, such as Starsky and Hutch, Dynasty, Bosom Buddies, and Knots Landing. Kramer graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts/West, where she has later taught as a guest instructor.[1] Kramer starred in the NBC sitcom We Got It Made in 1983. Her big break came in 1984, when she landed a starring role in Hunter, a creation of television mogul Stephen J. Cannell.[4] After a rough start, the show became an international hit, and was broadcast for seven consecutive seasons. Kramer starred in six of them, appearing in a total of 130 episodes.[4] In an interview with Jay Leno in 1989, Kramer admitted that she had not believed the show would be as long-lived as it was.[3]

In 1986, Kramer stated she was working on a rock album with composer Mike Post, who had penned music for Hunter. She also announced that she might put out an album the following year.[3] No album was forthcoming, though, and in 1990 Kramer announced her departure from Hunter. Although the press claimed it was to concentrate on her music career,[5] in a television news interview Kramer stated: "I have been most fortunate in that I've acted, written, and directed while on Hunter. It is time for me to move on to the next phase of my life, both professionally and personally."

Shortly after leaving Hunter, she began recording an album in England with producer Nils Lofgren. The album was never released. In 1992 Kramer married and moved to Colorado. Two years later she gave birth to a daughter. She continued to write music and star in successful made-for-TV movies and indie films. She is a trained mezzo soprano,[1] and during the hype of her TV career, she had showcased her musical abilities on several episodes of Hunter, as well as on Bob Hope television specials.[5] Stepfanie's first album came out on October 12, 1999. One Dream contains ten adult contemporary songs. Most are original songs which prove Kramer's talent as both a composer and lyricist.[6] The Great American Song Book, her second album, came out early in 2008.[7] On it, Kramer covers 14 classic songs recorded live in a one-woman show which she performs in various national venues. In 2008, she represented the U.S. by performing at the International Music Festival in Queretero, Mexico.[8] As a singer, she has performed around the globe.

Kramer has continued to work as an actress. After her departure from Hunter, she appeared in several TV shows and movies. Her most notable movie projects include: Twin Sisters (1992), Beyond Suspicion (1994), The Dogwalker (1999) and The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold (2006). She also reprised her role as, "Dee Dee McCall," in the two Hunter television movies (2002 and 2003).[4] Because of their strong ratings, NBC attempted to bring the television show back, but the 2003 revival was canceled after only three episodes.

Kramer has teamed with writer David Chisolm to write feature films, and with Southwestern novelist Jann Arrington Wolcott on a collection of short stories.[1] Kramer has also completed a book reading of the award-winning New York musical A Twist of Fate. She also was a special guest in the Los Angeles stage production of "Menopause- The Musical".[9]

Personal life

On May 24, 1992, Kramer married Mark Richards. The couple divorced in February, 2001.[2]

Filmography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Biography...". Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  2. 1 2 "Biography for Stepfanie Kramer". Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  3. 1 2 3 "Episode dated 4 December 1986". The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Season 25. 1986-12-04.
  4. 1 2 3 "Stepfanie Kramer". Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  5. 1 2 "Channel 4 News". Channel 4 News. 1990-05-??. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ↑ "Stepfanie Kramer: Music". Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  7. ↑ "Welcome...". Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  8. ↑ "In Concert with Stepfanie Kramer". Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  9. ↑ "Stepfanie Kramer - Helene". Retrieved 2008-09-05.

External links

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