Stephen W. Burns

• Name — Stephan W. Burns • Birth Name — Stephan William Burns • Born — 14 November 1954 • Birthplace — Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, U.S. • Died — 22 February 1990 • Place of death — Santa Barbara, California, U.S. • Other Names — Stephen W. Burns Stephan Burns • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1978–1987

Burns was born Stephan William Burns on November 14, 1954, in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the small town of Chews Landing, New Jersey. As soon as he graduated high school, Burns moved to New York City to study theater. He worked odd jobs during the day to pay for his rent and the acting classes he attended at night. Auditions eventually led to an offer for the lead role in the national touring production of the Broadway hit Grease. Burns moved to Hollywood and within six months, he was offered the role of Li'l Abner in the 1978 TV special Li'l Abner in Dogpatch Today. During his short career, Burns starred as Pete Stancheck in Walt Disney Productions' Herbie Goes Bananas and appeared on several television shows, as well as starring in the ABC series 240-Robert and The Thorn Birds miniseries. Other credits include Eight Is Enough, Heart of the City and Simon & Simon.

After being involved in a traffic collision in 1984, Burns received an emergency blood transfusion. The blood was contaminated, infecting him with HIV. Burns died at age 35 on February 22, 1990, in Santa Barbara, California.

Film and television • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1978 — Li'l Abner in Dogpatch Today — Li'l Abner — TV movie • 1979 — Eight Is Enough — Dixon — Episode - "The Better Part of Valor" • 1979 — When She Was Bad... — Orderly — TV movie • 1980 — Herbie Goes Bananas — Pete Stancheck — Feature film • 1981 — 240-Robert — Deputy Brett Cueva — Episodes: "A Cool Welcome", "First Loss", "Hostages" • 1982 — The Day the Bubble Burst — TV movie • 1983 — The Thorn Birds — Jack Cleary — TV miniseries (3 episodes) • 1986 — Spiker — Sonny Reston — Feature film • 1987 — Heart of the City — Del Ruth — Episode - "Beauty and a Couple of Beasts" • 1987 — Simon & Simon — David Jenner — Episode - "Walking Point" • 1987 — Werewolf — Brother Mark — Episode - "Let Us Prey" (final role)