Cole Stephanie

British actress who gained national attention in 1981 with the 30 episode TV dramatic series "Tenko" 10/20/1981 to 12/16/1984 about the Japanese POW camp for women. She was also noted for her comedy work, named the UK Comedy Actress of 1992. Her dad left before she was born; she grew up displaying a happy, sunny nature, describing herself as a hippie. At 21, she met her dad for the first time. She married in 1972; the marriage dissolved in 1988. She showed herself to be a natural actress at her pro debut at 17 when she played a 90-year-old woman. The year 1971 was traumatic when her half-brother was diagnosed as schizophrenic, and she herself had a period of agoraphobia from 1973-1975. In 1986 she began meditation and psychoanalysis, a period of personal growth; Cole played in many regional theaters and toured New Zealand the latter half of 1993 in a one-woman show. She was also a script co-writer and the author of her autobiography "Following My Bliss." Her stage role in "A Passionate Woman" was a triumph from its opening on 11/07/1994. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less