Why Did Stepfanie Kramer Leave TV’s ‘Hunter’?
What To Know
- Stepfanie Kramer left the TV series Hunter after its sixth season due to exhaustion.
- Although it took nearly a decade after her departure, she eventually released her debut album.
- Today, Kramer remains active in entertainment, sharing inspirational content on YouTube.
I took notice of Stepfanie Kramer before she was in the popular TV series Hunter, which she would later leave. I first noticed her in the 1980s sitcom We’ve Got It Made, which ran for just two seasons from 1983-84. Although she was only on that show during its first season, what was clear to me way back then was that we would see plenty more of her.
I wasn’t wrong. Soon afterward, she was costarring with football great Fred Dryer on the NBC crime drama Hunter in 1984, playing Sergeant Rick Hunter’s crime-fighting partner, Sergeant Dee Dee McCall.
During Hunter’s first season, the show struggled to find its audience and was at risk of being cancelled due to poor ratings. Fearing the worst, the show’s producers invited NBC President Brandon Tartikoff to a special private screening of a two-part episode that they believed might convince Tartikoff to renew the show for a second season. That screening, along with a little bit of retooling, convinced Tartikoff that the show was worth saving.
© Stephen J. Cannell Prod. / Everett Collection
Even with the reprieve, Stepfanie has said that while she hoped the show would have a long run on NBC, she was not expecting it. Along with acting, Stepfanie had dreams of making music. She loved singing, and as the show picked up more viewers and got renewed season after season, she found that Hunter‘s grueling film schedule was starting to become more of a hindrance than a help when it came to achieving her musical aspirations. Determined not to let the show get in the way, Stepfanie cultivated a friendship with Mike Post, the composer of Hunter’s theme music, and started working on a rock album with him.
By the time the sixth season rolled around, Stepfanie was absolutely exhausted from both acting and recording her debut album. Because of that, she announced that it would be her last season on the show.
© Stephen J. Cannell Prod. / Everett
Ironically, even after her departure, it would take almost an entire decade for Stepfanie to finally release her album, One Dream. You can listen to that album on most major streaming platforms. The songs are best described as adult contemporary and easy listening, so it’s not the stuff that she was working on with Post. That said, it’s still great and well worth a listen if you’re a fan.
Although Rick Hunter had a couple of different partners during the show’s seventh and final season, Sergeant Dee Dee McCall returned to action when Hunter was resurrected for a couple of TV movies and, later, a limited-run series. I guess Stepfanie really just said goodbye for a little while, and I think those of us who are fans of the show and the actress are glad she had a change of heart.
More recently, Stepfanie has started her own YouTube channel where she shares inspiring quotes on how to live a more joyful and fulfilling life. And, for those who are curious, she is also still active in the mainstream entertainment industry. Although these days she writes more than she acts, you can still see her onscreen from time to time. In fact, it wasn’t all that long ago that she made an appearance in an episode of 9-1-1.
In 2024, Stepfanie stepped in front of the camera once again, this time on Facebook, to talk about the show’s enduring appeal during its 40th anniversary. In that video she said that she felt “enormous gratitude to all of you fans, all over the world who have shown continued support, loyalty and love.”
Stepfanie reunited with Fred Dryer at the Hollywood Show in Burbank, California, in early 2026. You can read more about that in the post below.
Remind