American actor Stephen Collins was born on October 1, 1947 in Des Moines, Iowa. As a student of Amherst College, he played bass guitar and rhythm guitar for several bands. He eventually graduated with !$#!# laude honors. He started acting for the screen in 1974, when he took on a supporting role in the television movie The Michele Lee Show. He has played guest roles in many television shows, including The Waltons, Barnaby Jones, Good Heavens, Great Performances and Charlie’s Angels. He also starred in a number of movies, including All the President’s Men, The Promise, Loving Couples and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Collins snagged his first regular television role in 1982, when he signed on for the lead in Tales of the Gold Monkey. His character, Jake Cutter, is a former pilot who now owns a cargo delivery service. Despite being well received, it did not last beyond a season, partly because of expensive production costs. His next starring role was in the short-lived series Tattingers, where he played a co-owner of a posh Manhattan restaurant who is having a second go at running it. The program failed in the ratings and was quickly cancelled, although NBC relaunched it as the sitcom Nick & Hillary, which was cancelled after two episodes.
After a role in the final season of the drama series Sisters, Collins took on what is perhaps his most memorable television role. In the long-running family drama 7th Heaven, he plays the head of the family, Eric Camden, an involved church pastor who deals with the problems of the members of the community, as well as the members of his own family. The series lasted for 11 seasons, and was well received by audiences and critics.
Collins also acted for the stage, appearing in Broadway productions such as The Ritz, No Sex Please, We’re British, and most recently, Spamalot. He has also written two novels, both released in the 1990s.
Spouse: Faye Grant (21 April 1985 - present)
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1991" in John Willis's Screen World, Vol. 31. [1991]
He and wife Faye Grant have a daughter named Kate (born 1989).
His full name is Stephen Weaver Collins. His middle name, Weaver, is a family name on his mother's side. His great-great grandfather was General James B. Weaver, the 1880 Greenback party candidate and the 1892 Populist party candidate for President of the United States. In 1892 General Weaver won 22 electorial votes.
His wife Faye Grant is an actress. One of her roles was the character 'Rhonda Blake' in the series "The Greatest American Hero" (1981).
Author of two novels, Eye Contact and Double Exposure.
Graduated from Hastings High School, in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. In 2003, he was the guest speaker at the high school graduation.
He is an accomplished guitarist and songwriter.
Loves classic rock music.
