Gwendolyn Ruth Arner"Miss Arner Wed to New York Man". Evening World-Herald. November 17, 1955. p. 21. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "J. E. Arner has announced the marriage of his daughter, the former Miss Gwen Ruth Arner, and John M. Olson of New York City. Mr. and Mrs. Olson, both graduates of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, are now completing their Master's Degrees in speech. They plan to move soon to New York City. Mrs. Olson is affiliated with Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa honoraries; [...] The couple was married in Point Pleasant, N. J., in July.""Little Wardens". Omaha World-Herald. December 12, 1943. Omaha World-Herald. p. 20. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Helping to boost the Good Fellows fund by appearing in the show sponsored by the Omaha Eagles Friday night were these three little girls who presented an air raid song and dance. Left right: Carol Tietgen, Gwendolyn Arner and Jane Lodge.""Drink-to-Minors Decision Delayed". Evening World-Herald. April 6, 1951. p. 8. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Municipal Judge Frank Nimtz Friday delayed ruling on a case involving two men, two teen-age girls and a waiter charged under the liquor law aimed at drinking by minors. Three State Liquor Commission testified the two girls had agents signed statements after they were arrested Thursday night with two young men and the waiter at the Hilltep House, 4911 Dodge Street. [...] The girls are Gwendolyn Ruth Arner, 18, of 5013 Western Avenue, and Kay Randol, 18, of 4911 Webster Street." (born November 23, 1932) is an American director and actress. She co-founded the Los Angeles Actors' Theatre and directed stage productions there, as well as at the Mark Taper Forum and in the Midwestern United States. She also directed episodes of The Waltons, Dallas, Falcon Crest, and Dynasty.
Early life and career Born on November 23, 1932, in McCook, Nebraska,"Locals and Personals". Crawford Tribune. December 2, 1932. p. 7. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Born—To Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Arner, of McCook, Nebr., November 23rd, a daughter." and raised in Omaha,Citron, Peter; Zuegner, Carol (July 21, 1977). "Going Through Channels: Soaper Jerry Lacey Is Looking for Lucy". Omaha World-Herald. p. 45. Retrieved March 9, 2025. "Donald Moffat, who will play an android on the TV version of "Logan's Run," is married to a Nebraskan. She was born Gwen Arner in McCook and went to Benson High in Omaha." Arner is the daughter of banker John Erwin Arner and his first wife, Mary Alice Trivelpiece."Obituaries: John E. Arner". Arizona Republic. November 29, 1984. p. E3. Retrieved March 8, 2026. "John E. Arner, 85, who retired as vice president of Federal Intermediate Credit Bank in Omaha, Neb., died Nov. 27, 1984, at his Phoenix residence. [...] Survivors include his wife, Eleanore; daughters, Gwanendolyn Moffat and Jeanette Dinzole; sons, Dr. Douglas G. and James; a sister; a brother; five grandchildren and two great -grandchildren.""MRS. ERWIN ARNER; FORMER RESIDENT, DIES". The Curtis Enterprise. March 18, 1954. p. 1. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Mrs. Irwin [sic] Arner of Omaha died Thursday, March 4 at Emmanuel Hospital in Omaha. Mrs. Arner, the former Marie Trivelpiece, is survived by her husband, two daughters and one son.""Commencement Calendar, 1923; Class Roll". The Curtis Enterprise. April 20, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Peterson, Violetta Esther; Trivelpiece, Marie Alice; Turner, Ethyl Land;" Having gotten her first taste of public performance plus press coverage at age 10 (as one of three "Little Wardens" headlining a World War II-related relief effort),"Little Wardens". Omaha World-Herald. December 12, 1943. p. 20. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Helping to boost the Good Fellows fund by appearing in the show sponsored by the Omaha Eagles Friday night were these three little girls who presented an air raid song and dance. Left right: Carol Tietgen, Gwendolyn Arner and Jane Lodge." she began studying theater at Omaha's Benson High School, where, during her senior year,"Locals". Crawford Tribune. June 9, 1950. p. 4. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Miss Gwen Arner, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Arner of Omaha, grad uated June 8th from the Benson high school. She is a granddaughter of John Arner of this city." Arner starred as Phoebe Throssel / Livvie in a production of J. M. Barrie's Quality Street.Limprecht, Hollis (March 31, 1950). "Spinster Schoolma'ms Love, 'Quality Street' Discloses". Evening World-Herald. p. 23. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "It's Phoebe's play, and Gwen Arner does it to the hilt. She's an accomplished young actress. Her dialog isn't merely recited; she gives every word full meaning and her gestures and expressions were expert." She then briefly attended University of Omaha,"Gwen Arner Cops". Omaha World-Herald. May 28, 1951. p. 11. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Gwen Arner, University of Omaha freshman, Sunday upset Evelyn Buras in the feature match as the Sports Club Tennis League met at Dewey. Miss Arner surprised her more experienced foe, 6-4.""Players will take over Thursday convocation". The Gateway. April 24, 1951. p. 1. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Two women meet for a tea in 'Overtones' and carry on an amiable conversation. But the audience will see and hear what their inner-selves are really saying. The women and their 'true selves' will be portrayed by Barbara Haugness, Gwen Arner, Mary Rispler and Leonore Marx. Student director for the sketch, written by Alice Gerstenberg, is Leonore Marx," before transferring to the University of Michigan, where she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in the field.
After abandoning her initial pursuit of a doctoral degree in favor of stage performance work, Arner made her professional acting debut at the Mark Taper Forum and later co-founded the Los Angeles Actors' Theatre (LAAT), where she marked her directorial debut.
Among her LAAT directing credits are productions of The Kitchen and Waiting for Godot, the latter which was shown at Great Performances on PBS in 1977. Writing for King Features Syndicate, Charles Witbeck praised her Waiting for Godot production as a "lively, joyful version" of the original, saying that "word reached New York that Los Angeles had a Beckett smasher, the "definitive Godot" in the words of an influential critic." Dana Elcar, who starred in the production, also recalled that Arner had "managed the transition without losing touch". Two of her Mark Taper Forum productions, The Vienna Notes (1979) and Passion Play (1984), won the Drama-Logue Award for Outstanding Direction. Passion Play was also nominated for Best Direction at the 1984 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. After Passion Play, she stopped doing stage direction work in Los Angeles for a while, preferring work in television films, allowing her to spend more time in New York.
In 1974 she directed one episode of The Waltons, having received an opportunity to do so "through a connection". She later went on to direct episodes of The Bionic Woman, The Paper Chase, American Playhouse, Dallas, The Colbys, Falcon Crest, Dynasty, Hotel, Alien Nation, The Commish, Law & Order, Beverly Hills, 90210, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Sisters, and Homicide: Life on the Street. She also directed the films My Champion (1981), Please Don't Hit Me, Mom (1981), Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain (1982), My Town (1986), Necessary Parties (1988), Majority Rule (1992), and Something Borrowed, Something Blue (1997).
Although Arner "found directing much more interesting, more stimulating", she also had some acting credits. particularly in The Trial of the Catonsville Nine (1972), A Question of Love (1978), Stickin' Together (1978), and Making Love (1982).
Arner continued her stage direction career in the Midwestern United States. In his review of Northlight Theatre's 1988 U.S. premiere of Karel Capek's The White Plague (an adaptation of The White Disease) in Evanston, Illinois (starring Derek Rhys-Evans, John Gegenhuber, and Bruce A. Young), Tom Valeo said that, as director, she "heightens the impact of the words by encouraging the cast to deliver them without affectation or melodrama". In 1991, she directed the world premiere of Jeremy Lawrence's play Uncommon Ground at the Northlight Theatre in Evanston, Illinois, starring her husband Donald Moffat and Anna Gunn.
Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Jan Breslauer wrote in 1996 that Arner "has accomplished what few women in her generation – or any generation, for that matter – have. At 59, she's had a successful directing career in both theater and television for more than 20 years."
Personal life In July 1955, Arner married fellow University of Michigan speech major and graduate student, John M. Olson."In Speech Department Play". The Ann Arbor News. April 28, 1955. p. 21. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "'The Clugstone Inheritance,' an original play by James Harvey, a former University student, will be given its premiere performance at 8 p.m. today in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater. Pictured in rehearsal are Gwen Arner and John Olson, two of the heirs who vie for their father's inheritance in the character study play."Lawrason, Bruce (December 9, 1954). "Gwen Arner Gives Excellent Performance in 'Dream Girl'". The Ann Arbor News. p. 34. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "After a first few moments of bad timing, Gwen Arner last night conquered opening night jitters and went on to lead an excellent University Speech Department cast through Elmer Rice's "Dream Girl,' was one of the better productions to grace Lydia Mendelssohn Theater's stage so far this season. [...] Other good support came from John Olson and Paul Rebinot. Olson might bring a little more strength to his characterization. but he won the opening night audience to him and kept them." Judging from an item later published in the Stamford Advocate, they remained married for eight years."At UConn Branch". September 5, 1963. p. 19. Retrieved March 9, 2026. "Gwen Arner Olson, a native of McCook, Neb., will teach speech at the Stamford Branch of the University of Connecticut this fall. Mrs. Olson received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1955 and her master’s degree in 1956. She also studied at the University of Omaha. She is a member of Zeta Phi Eta, the National Speech Arts Fraternity; Phi Kappa Phi, and Phi Beta Kappa."
In 1969, she married Donald Moffat, who was one of the LAAT's co-founders; they raised their four children and would remain married until Moffat's death on December 20, 2018.
Filmography As director + Television Year Title Notes 1978 The Bionic Woman 1 episode 1978 The Paper Chase 1 episode 1980 The Waltons 13 episodes 1984 American Playhouse 1 episode 1984 Dallas 5 episodes 1986 The Colbys 2 episodes 1986 Falcon Crest 8 episodes 1987 Dynasty 11 episodes 1988 Hotel 1 episode 1990 Alien Nation 2 episodes 1991 The Commish 1 episode 1991 Law & Order 2 episodes 1993 Beverly Hills, 90210 1 episode 1993 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman 1 episode 1993 Sisters 2 episodes 1996 Homicide: Life on the Street 1 episode + Film Year Title 1981 My Champion 1981 Please Don't Hit Me, Mom 1982 Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain 1986 My Town 1988 Necessary Parties 1992 Majority Rule 1997 Something Borrowed, Something Blue
As actress Year Title Role 1972 The Trial of the Catonsville Nine Marjorie Melville 1978 A Question of Love 1978 Stickin' Together Miss Steigler 1982 Making Love Arlene
Awards and nominations YearTitleAwardResultRef.1979The Vienna NotesDrama-Logue Award for Outstanding Direction1984Passion PlayLos Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Direction
References
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