- published: 04 Aug 2015
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Stephanie Beacham (born 28 February 1947) is a British television, film and theatre actress. Making her film debut in 1971's The Nightcomers opposite Marlon Brando and becoming more well-known on British television in the BBC series Tenko (1981–84) and the ITV series Connie (1985), her worldwide breakthrough came as a result of playing the very bitchy and very rich Sable Colby in the ABC series The Colbys (1985–87) and in the final season of Dynasty (1988–89).
Beacham, one of four children, was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, the daughter of Joan, a housewife, and a father who was an insurance executive and the managing director of the Grosvenor estate.
Shortly after birth, she was diagnosed as being completely deaf in her right ear, as her mother had contracted chickenpox during her pregnancy.[citation needed] She has about 75% of normal hearing capacity in her left ear.[citation needed] She attended a Catholic girls' school (although she was not brought up as a Catholic) and later travelled to Boulogne-Billancourt in Paris, France to study mime with Étienne Decroux, before attending Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.[citation needed]