Skip Stephenson
Encyclopedia
Charles Frederick "Skip" Stephenson (April 18, 1940 - May 18, 1992) was an American
actor
and comedian
. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska
, and graduated in 1958 from Holy Name High School. After attending a year at University of Omaha
, Stephenson took a job as a DJ in Alliance, Nebraska
.
In the 1970s he moved to Los Angeles
, where he performed stand-up comedy
at the L.A. Cabaret Comedy Club in Encino and the legendary Comedy Store. His big break came in 1979 as the co-host of NBC
's Real People
. Wearing bright crew-necked sweaters, he was known for his quirky comments and playful flirtings with co-host Sarah Purcell
.
Alongside this success came appearances on The Love Boat
, Hart to Hart
, Match Game
, Hollywood Squares
, Password Plus, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
, The Dinah Shore Show
and The Merv Griffin Show
. He released a comedy album, The Real Comedy of Skip Stephenson on Laff Records
. His career declined after the cancellation of Real People. He dabbled in country music in 1982. In 1991, he starred in the video Skip Stephenson Live at the Comedy Store.
Stephenson died of a heart attack at his home in 1992 exactly one month after his 52nd birthday. He is buried near his parents at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Omaha. He is survived by a daughter and son. His son Charles Fredrick Stephenson III born August 13, 1990 is now following in his fathers footsteps as an actor in Los Angeles.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, and graduated in 1958 from Holy Name High School. After attending a year at University of Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska at Omaha is a four-year state university located in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Founded in 1908 as Omaha University, the institution became the public Municipal University of Omaha in 1931. It assumed its current name in 1968 following a merger into the University...
, Stephenson took a job as a DJ in Alliance, Nebraska
Alliance, Nebraska
-External links:* * *...
.
In the 1970s he moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he performed stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
at the L.A. Cabaret Comedy Club in Encino and the legendary Comedy Store. His big break came in 1979 as the co-host of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Real People
Real People
Real People is an NBC reality television series that aired from 1979 to 1984, on Wednesday and then Sunday nights. Its initial episodes aired live in the Eastern and Central Time Zones.-Synopsis:...
. Wearing bright crew-necked sweaters, he was known for his quirky comments and playful flirtings with co-host Sarah Purcell
Sarah Purcell
Sarah Purcell is an American former talk show host, game show host, and panelist.She was co-host of The Better Sex , Real People , America , and The Home Show , and made guest appearances on several TV dramas. She also co-starred in the 1981 film Terror Among Us with Tracy Reed...
.
Alongside this success came appearances on The Love Boat
The Love Boat
The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
, Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart is an American television series, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, a wealthy couple who also moonlighted as amateur detectives. The series was created by writer Sidney Sheldon and produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg...
, Match Game
Match Game
Match Game is an American television game show in which contestants attempted to match celebrities' answers to fill-in-the-blank questions...
, Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
, Password Plus, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
, The Dinah Shore Show
The Dinah Shore Show
The Dinah Shore Show is an American variety show which was broadcast by NBC from November 1951 to January 1956, sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet division...
and The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
. He released a comedy album, The Real Comedy of Skip Stephenson on Laff Records
Laff Records
Laff Records was a small independent record label specializing in comedy and party records originating on the West Coast of the United States. Amongst their artists were Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, LaWanda Page, George Carlin, black ventriloquist duo Richard And Willie, Kip Addotta, Belle Barth, Rex...
. His career declined after the cancellation of Real People. He dabbled in country music in 1982. In 1991, he starred in the video Skip Stephenson Live at the Comedy Store.
Stephenson died of a heart attack at his home in 1992 exactly one month after his 52nd birthday. He is buried near his parents at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Omaha. He is survived by a daughter and son. His son Charles Fredrick Stephenson III born August 13, 1990 is now following in his fathers footsteps as an actor in Los Angeles.