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Gwen Arner

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gwen Arner
Born1936 or 1937 (age 86–87)
Omaha, Nebraska,U.S.
EducationUniversity of Michigan
Occupations
  • Television director
  • stage director
  • actress
Spouse
​
​
(m.1970; died 2018)​
Children2

Gwen Arner(born 1936 or 1937) is an American director and actress. She co-founded theLos Angeles Actors' Theatreand directed stage productions there, as well as at theMark Taper Forumand in the Midwestern United States. She also directed episodes ofThe Waltons,Dallas,Falcon Crest,andDynasty.

Biography

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Gwen Arner was born in 1936 or 1937 inOmaha, Nebraska,and later raised there.[1]Having become interested in acting during her adolescence, she studied theater at theUniversity of Michigan,gaining her bachelor's and master's degrees in the field.[1]

After abandoning her initial pursuit for a doctoral degree in favor of stage performance work, she made her acting debut at theMark Taper Forumand later co-founded theLos Angeles Actors' Theatre(LAAT), where she marked her directorial debut.[1]In 1970, she marriedDonald Moffat,who was one of the LAAT's co-founders; they would remain married until his death on December 20, 2018.[1][2]

Among her LAAT directing credits are productions ofThe KitchenandWaiting for Godot,the latter which was shown atGreat Performanceson PBS in 1977.[1][3]Writing forKing Features Syndicate,Charles Witbeck praised herWaiting for Godotproduction as a "lively, joyful version" of the original, saying that "word reached New York that Los Angeles had aBeckettsmasher, the "definitive Godot" in the words of an influential critic. "[3]Dana Elcar,who starred in the production, also recalled that Arner had "managed the transition without losing touch".[3]Two of her Mark Taper Forum productions,The Vienna Notes(1979) andPassion Play(1984), won theDrama-Logue Awardfor Outstanding Direction.[4]Passion Playwas also nominated for Best Direction at the 1984Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards.[5]AfterPassion Play,she stopped doing stage direction work in Los Angeles for a while, preferring work intelevision filmsfor residency flexibility reasons.[1]

In 1974, she directed one episode ofThe Waltons,having received an opportunity to do so "through a connection".[1]She later went on to direct episodes ofThe Bionic Woman,The Paper Chase,American Playhouse,Dallas,The Colbys,Falcon Crest,Dynasty,Hotel,Alien Nation,The Commish,Law & Order,Beverly Hills, 90210,Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,Sisters,andHomicide: Life on the Street.[6]She also directed the filmsMy Champion(1981),Please Don't Hit Me, Mom(1981),Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain(1982),My Town(1986),Necessary Parties(1988),Majority Rule(1992), andSomething Borrowed, Something Blue(1997).[6]

Although Arner "found directing much more interesting, more stimulating", she also had some acting credits.[1]particularly inThe Trial of the Catonsville Nine(1972),A Question of Love(1978),Stickin' Together(1978), andMaking Love(1982).[6]

Arner continued her stage direction career in the Midwestern United States. In his review of a 1988 production ofThe White Plague(an adaptation ofThe White Disease) inEvansville, Indiana(starring Derek Rhys-Evans,John Gegenhuber,andBruce A. Young), Tom Valeo said that, as director, she "heightens the impact of the words by encouraging the cast to deliver them without affectation or melodrama".[7]In 1991, she directed the world premiere of Jeremy Lawrence's playUncommon Groundat the Northlight Theatre inEvanston, Illinois,starring his husband Moffat andAnna Gunn.[8]

Writing for theLos Angeles Times,Jan Breslauer wrote in 1996 that Arner "has accomplished what few women in her generation--or any generation, for that matter--have. At 59, she's had a successful directing career in both theater and television for more than 20 years."[1]

Filmography

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As director

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Television
Year Title Notes Ref.
1978 The Bionic Woman 1 episode [9]
1978 The Paper Chase 1 episode [10]
1980 The Waltons 13 episodes [11]
1984 American Playhouse 1 episode [12]
1984 Dallas 5 episodes [13]
1986 The Colbys 2 episodes [14]
1986 Falcon Crest 8 episodes [15]
1987 Dynasty 11 episodes [16]
1988 Hotel 1 episode [17]
1990 Alien Nation 2 episodes [18]
1991 The Commish 1 episode [19]
1991 Law & Order 2 episodes [20]
1993 Beverly Hills, 90210 1 episode [21]
1993 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman 1 episode [22]
1993 Sisters 2 episodes [23]
1996 Homicide: Life on the Street 1 episode [24]
Film
Year Title Ref.
1981 My Champion [25]
1981 Please Don't Hit Me, Mom [26]
1982 Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain [27]
1986 My Town [28]
1988 Necessary Parties [29]
1992 Majority Rule [30]
1997 Something Borrowed, Something Blue [31]

As actress

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Year Title Role Ref.
1972 The Trial of the Catonsville Nine Marjorie Melville [32]
1978 A Question of Love [33]
1978 Stickin' Together Miss Steigler [34]
1982 Making Love Arlene [35]

Awards and nominations

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Year Title Award Result Ref.
1979 The Vienna Notes Drama-Logue Awardfor Outstanding Direction Won [4]
1984 Passion Play Won [4]
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awardfor Best Direction Nominated [5]

References

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  1. ^abcdefghiBreslauer, Jan (November 10, 1996)."THEATER; Bouncing Back to the Boards".Los Angeles Times.p. 43 – viaProQuest.
  2. ^McFadden, Robert D. (December 20, 2018)."Donald Moffat, 87, a Top Actor Who Thrived in Second Billings, Dies".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedOctober 1,2023.
  3. ^abcWitbeck, Charles (June 25, 1977)."Los Angeles actors produce lively and joyful Godot version".Winnipeg Free Press.p. 132 – viaNewspaperArchive.
  4. ^abc"MARK TAPER FORUM AWARDS"(PDF).Center Theatre Group. 2020. pp. 11–12.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  5. ^abChriston, Lawrence (March 7, 1985)."CRITICS PICK BEST DRAMA CANDIDATES".Los Angeles Times.ProQuest292049722.RetrievedOctober 6,2023.
  6. ^abc"Gwen Arner List of Movies and TV Shows".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 5,2023.
  7. ^Valeo, Tom (February 24, 1988)."Wisdom of play isn't lost in the translation".Arlington Heights Daily Herald.p. 13 – viaNewspaperArchive.
  8. ^"'Uncommon Ground' set in restless 1968 ".Chicago Tribune.January 11, 1991. p. 12.ProQuest282944915– viaProQuest.
  9. ^"The Bionic Woman - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  10. ^"The Paper Chase - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  11. ^"The Waltons - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  12. ^"American Playhouse - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  13. ^"Dallas - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  14. ^"The Colbys - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  15. ^"Falcon Crest - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  16. ^"Dynasty - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  17. ^"Hotel - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  18. ^"Alien Nation - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  19. ^"The Commish - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  20. ^"Law & Order - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  21. ^"Beverly Hills, 90210 - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  22. ^"Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  23. ^"Sisters - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  24. ^"Homicide: Life on the Street - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  25. ^"My Champion - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  26. ^"Please Don't Hit Me, Mom - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  27. ^"Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  28. ^"My Town - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  29. ^"Necessary Parties - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  30. ^"Majority Rule - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  31. ^"Something Borrowed, Something Blue - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  32. ^"The Trial of the Catonsville Nine - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  33. ^"A Question of Love - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  34. ^"Stickin' Together - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
  35. ^"Making Love - Full Cast & Crew".TVGuide.RetrievedOctober 4,2023.
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