Stephanie
Beacham, a star of the hit U.S. television series The Colbys,
has revealed she is suffering from a serious hearing handicap and
intense loneliness.
Stephanie
who plays the part of superbitch Sable, is totally deaf in one
ear and 70 per cent deaf in the other. She also spoke of her
gratitude to her co-stars Charlton Heston and Linda Evans.
"They
are well aware of the problem and a real help," Stephanie
said.
"Linda
quietly moved me to her right side... she's delightful.
"She
had the sensitivity to give me my best shot.
"Chuck
(Heston) does that endlessly. I love him. He's such a gentleman
and a delight."
But
Stephanie admitted her hearing impairment was becoming an
increasing problem.
"I
lip read, of course, even from a distance, as long as people are
facing me.
"But
I feel I sometimes stare, and I hope people don't find me
impolite."
Stephanie
was told at drama school her hearing problem was so acute that
she would never be a successful actress.
"I
worry about becoming completely deaf," Stephanie said.
"I
understand it's terribly lonely and I think it's the reason I'm
not sociable.
"When
I'm talking one to one I'm all right. But when I'm in a room
where everyone is talking to me I get very muddled and
disorientated and don't enjoy it."
Separated
from her actor husband John McEnery, Stephanie also has had to
cope with living alone in California.
Their
two daughters, Phoebe, 11, and Chloe, 9, attend boarding school
in England. Stephanie's 27-year-old lover Martyn Stanbrldge also
is in England.
"They
call me the nun of Malibu," she said.
"These
last months in Hollywood have been the loneliest of my life.
"After
filming, I come home to empty rooms."
Although
Stephanie receives a salary of $35,000 for each Colbys
episode and "home" is a luxury beach apartment in
Malibu, the loneliness is something she has not expected.
"I
thought it would be a lot of makeup, some glamorous outfits and
a couple of days' work a week. I really didn't think the work
would be quite so intense as it has been," she confessed.
However,
her conversion to the Buddhist faith two years ago helps her
withstand the loneliness and hearing handicap.
She
had previously been admitted to hospital for a routine
operation, which went wrong.
"I
felt I was being led away by cloaked figures and I'm sure I
actually died," she said.
"Suddenly
I saw a huge close-up of my daughter Chloe's eyes and that told
me I had to fight."
Article
Courtesy of Anja
