Stephanie Beacham is an illustrious British actress renowned for her striking beauty and impressive acting skills. Born in Hertfordshire, England, to an insurance executive and a housewife, Beacham developed an early passion for acting, which led her to study mime in Paris at the prestigious Étienne Decroux school.
After completing her studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, Beacham began her career with guest roles on British television, including appearances on The Saint and UFO in the late 1960s. Her breakthrough came with the starring role opposite Marlon Brando in the cult horror film The Nightcomers, earning her critical acclaim and widespread recognition.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Beacham became a staple in British horror films, appearing in Dracula A.D. 1972, The Confessional, Schizo, and Inseminoid. She also continued to work on television, with her own soap opera, Marked Personal, and regular modeling work.
The 1980s marked a significant turning point in Beacham's career, with starring roles in acclaimed television series Tenko and Connie, the latter gaining particular attention in the US. Her move to Hollywood in the mid-1980s led to her iconic role as Sable Colby in the ABC soap opera The Colbys, followed by her role as Sable in Dynasty, where she remained until the show's cancellation.
As the glamour-puss wife of Charlton Heston's character Jason and cousin of Joan Collins' Alexis, Beacham became a household name on both sides of the Atlantic, with the two characters frequently embroiled in a 'battle of the bitches' scenario. Following Dynasty's cancellation, Beacham headlined the sitcom Sister Kate, earning a Golden Globe Award nomination, before going on to have main roles in Beverly Hills, 90210, SeaQuest 2032, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Beacham continued to maintain a regular presence on television and in theatre, both in the US and the UK, throughout the 1990s. She then played Phyllida Oswyn in the prison series Bad Girls from 1999 to 2006, followed by roles in films such as Love and Other Disasters, Moving Target, and Wild Oats, as well as appearances in Coronation Street and other television shows.
