Here is the rewritten biography of Shawn Stevens:
Shawn Stevens was born on April 5, 1958, in Morristown, New Jersey, to Gary Kieth Stevens, a carpenter, pilot, and construction contractor, and Gladys Edna (Chich) Smith, a homemaker. He was the first of three children, with a sister, Jodi Beth Blatz, and a brother, Gary Kieth Jr.
Stevens grew up in Morristown, New Jersey, and later moved to Burbank, California, in 1969. He developed an early interest in acting and music, and his parents encouraged his creative pursuits. His maternal grandparents, who were Methodists, introduced him to music and the arts, and his paternal grandmother, a Church of Christ minister, instilled in him a strong faith.
Stevens' early exposure to live theater came when his grandmother took him to the Papermill Playhouse in Milburn, New Jersey, to see children's plays and musicals. He also remembers seeing Raymond Burr in a live stage production and attending the world premiere of The Unsinkable Molly Brown at Radio City Music Hall.
As a child, Stevens' first performance opportunity came in kindergarten, where he played a clown in a school variety show. He was hooked on acting and went on to perform in numerous school productions, including The Mighty Oak, The Oak and the Reed, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In his teenage years, Stevens continued to pursue his passion for acting, joining the Glendale Centre Theatre in neighboring Glendale, California, where he performed in numerous productions, including A Christmas Carol, The Remarkable Mister Pennypacker, and I Remember Mama. He also developed a love for singing and was involved in his junior high school and senior high school drama, choral music, and band departments.
After high school, Stevens attended Los Angeles Valley College, where he participated in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. He then landed the lead role in a low-budget independent feature film, No Place to Ride, which was filmed in Utah. This experience sparked his interest in the LDS Church, and he became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) in 1977 at age 19.
Stevens' big break into television came in 1978 when he landed the leading role in the ABC series The Mackenzies of Paradise Cove. He went on to appear in numerous television shows and films throughout the early and mid-1980s, including soaps, sit-coms, afterschool specials, and mini-series. He also used his celebrity status to participate in charitable causes, such as being a national spokesman for the March of Dimes' Walk America and hosting the Miss Teen USA Pageant.
In addition to acting, Stevens pursued a singing career, releasing an album and performing live events across the country and on television. He also founded the Children's Theater of Los Angeles, which produced two original musicals, I Will and Big Time.
In 1983, Stevens met his future wife, Kaylene McLaws, at church, and they were married in 1984. They have four children and one grandchild, and are expecting a second grandchild in the summer of 2014. After searching his conscience, Stevens voluntarily put his professional career on hold to allow a missionary film to serve its purpose worldwide. He has since focused on his family and personal growth.
In 2012, Stevens was given the opportunity to audition for the legendary 50's and 60's doo wop group The Diamonds, and he was invited to perform with them during a four-month engagement at the Palm Springs Follies. This experience reignited his passion for performing, and he has since been working on various projects, including a feature film and reality show concepts.
