Through the 1970s and 1980s, Stevens worked steadily in television, also appearing in Hart to Hart, The Love Boat and Wonder Woman, where she played a Nazi judo champ who thought she could take on Lynda Carter's titular heroine. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty Professor, has died. Famed for her appearances in The Nutty Professor (with Jerry Lewis), Girls! I want to die on a movie set.. Stella Stevens had a son with her ex-husband, Noble. Home. She started acting and modeling during her time at Memphis State University and made her film debut in a minor role in the Bing Crosby musical "Say One for Me" in 1959, but she considered "Li'l Abner" her big break. Actress Stella Stevens appears at a Sterns Department Store in New York on Jan. 8, 1968. February 17, 2023 10:58am Stella Stevens Stella Stevens, the actress best known for her roles in The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure and starring Titles The Nutty Professor. Martin (screenplay LADIES IN RETIREMENT [1941] by Reginald Denham, Garrett Fort; play by Reginald Denham, Edward Percy) CAM Harry Stradling, Jr. ED Pat Somerset MUS Dave Grusin CAST Stella Stevens (Ellen Hardy), Shelley Winters, Skip Ward, Carol Cole, Beverly Garland, Michael Burns, THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE (1970) DIR PROD Sam Peckinpah SCR John Crawford, Edmund Penney CAM Lucien Ballard ED Lou Lombardo, Frank Santillo MUS Jerry Goldsmith CAST Jason Robards, Stella Stevens (Hildy), David Warner, Strother Martin, Slim Pickens, L.Q. Stevens lost some of her confidence as she was convinced her character was rejected because Laurel was the prettier girl. After she'd seduced audiences everywhere with her stunning physique, Paramount Pictures signed Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age of Hollywood. Girls!, Dean Martin in How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life, Bobby Darin in Too Late Blues, Chuck Conners in Synanon and Glenn Ford in The Courtship of Eddies Father, ADvance to the Rear and Rage. While most admired Stevens for her bombshell appearance, the actress/model possessed more capabilities than just looking pretty. Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in. Stella Stevens was married to Noble Herman Stephens. I want to be like this man. Girls! (1962) with Elvis Presleyincidentally, all co-stars mentioned here died prematurelybefore she was cast to appear in The Nutty Professor (1963). Public records show Stevens has owned the house since 1965. Stella ironically had co-starred with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor (and reportedly had an affair with the comic. In 1983, Stevens began a long-term relationship with rock guitarist Bob Kulick; for many years they shared Stevens Beverly Hills home. Absolutely, I was really convinced his working method served a purpose, and I hoped to work with him againand with Gena Rowlands too [married to Cassavetes from 1954 until his death in 1989, she appeared in nine films directed by him]. It was a very exciting time.. THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963) DIR Jerry Lewis PROD Ernest D. Glucksman SCR Jerry Lewis, Bill Richmond CAM W. Wallace Kelley ED John We did The Courtship of Eddies Father [1963] together. In the western, very fashionable at the time, she would give the to Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. Other notable roles include Slaughter, with Jim Brown, the Sam Peckinpah television film The Ballad of Cable Hogue and The Poseidon Adventure in which she played Linda Rogo, Ernest Borgnines characters wife. Girls! with Elvis Presley, which she only agreed to do because she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it. Fortunately for Stevens, the torment only lasted for the short six days she needed to be there. We want to hear from you! Stella grew up quickly and married electrician Noble Herman Stephens in 1954 when she was just sixteen years old. + Stella Stevens passed away in Los Angeles on February 17, 2023, from Alzheimers disease. But even on TV, I had a classic role in the series Bonanza [1959-1973], playing a silent mute, in a segment called Silent Thunder [1960], which was directed by Robert Altman. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty Professor, has died. She also appeared in such hit shows as Bonanza and Ben Casey in the 60s through Wonder Woman, The Love Boat, Police Story, Hart to Hart, Newhart, Magnum, P.I., Night Court, The Commish, Arli$$, Silk Stalkings and Murder, She Wrote. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! She was 84. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty Directed by screen veteran Norman Taurog and starring Elvis Presley while still at the peak of his popularity, I suppose it gave your career a boost? Jerry Lewis. Like several of his contemporaries, such as John Schlesinger or Sydney Pollack, John Cassavetes was known for his character-driven stories about people and relationships. In 2017, shed say that her favorite director that she worked with was Vincente Minnelli on The Courtship of Eddies Father, from 1963. Reportedly, Stevens came to regret her association with Playboy, finding the sexpot label confining. Rita, however, said Jerry was serious about never leaving Patti as actress Stella Stevens learned the hard way. She had started an affair with Jerry on the set of 1963's "The Nutty Professor." Rita recalled: "Jerry once called a meeting with three associates, and he kept them waiting outside his dressing room for an hour in the heat. ', Death toll keeps rising in Greece's deadliest train crash. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewis's affection in "The Nutty Professor," has died. 1 of 534. WebSteve Lawrence (* 8. But he had an alcohol problem; he was a bitter man, knowing how talented he was and not being acknowledged by the studios he had worked for. I really liked it. She was 84. Stella Stevens, the actress best known for her roles in The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure and starring opposite Elvis Presley in Girls! The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017. Stella Stevens had a son with her ex-husband, Noble. Girls! She had a major arc in Ben Casey as a woman who awakens from a 13-year coma and has a brief fling with Vince Edwards title doctor. Stevens also played one half of a newlywed couple on The Poseidon Adventure, a shipwreck movie that became one of the biggest blockbusters of 1972. Actress Stella Stevens appears at a Sterns Department Store in New York on Jan. 8, 1968. Erik Pedersen contributed to this report. Girls!" Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. She went on to play Jerry Lewis dream girl in The Nutty Professor which was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2004 and the lippy wife of Ernest Borgnine in The Poseidon Adventure, the star-packed pic about the wreck of a luxury liner that was among the biggest hits of 1972 and helped fuel that decades disaster-movie trend. She was 84. Melvin Franks Lil Abner (1959) paved the way for her next films such as John Cassavetes Too Late Blues co-starring Bobby Darin, Man-Trap (both 1961) with Jeffrey Hunter and David Janssen, and then came Girls! In Girls! This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! He pondered and said, Dont knock success, Stella. And the film with Montgomery Clift I was promised to do, that turned out to be Too Late Blueswith Bobby Darin [and directed by John Cassavetes]. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and '70s comedies who is perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewis affection in The Nutty Professor, has died. Girls! Girls! Mel Torm, Skip Ward, Michael Dante, Robert Evans, Hugh O'Brian, Buddy Bregman, Warren Beatty and Jerry Lewis: Divorce: Noble Herman Stephens: Net Worth: $10 Million: Salary: $400k: Eye Color: Blue: Hair Color: Blonde: I wanted to be like a burst of youth and then when I got a little crow's feet or age, I'd be off the screen," she said." WebJerry Lewis and Stella Stevens at an event for The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. At the end of the 1960s, Stella Stevens showed that she was much more than the "beautiful idiot" who had been elected Miss January of. In an interview in 1994, Stevens said that she worried that she didn't succeed in bringing out the best in her directors and that her ambitions changed. Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and '70s comedies who is perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty Professor, died Friday. mediafunhouse 1.9K subscribers Subscribe 1K 430K views 16 years ago For more clips like this, and a I also like Ride the High Country [1962] and The Wild Bunch [1969] a lot. It turned into John Cassavetes' "Too Late Blues," with Bobby Darrin. She also guested on specials with Crosby, Bob Hope and others. Goodwin, Stephen Cragg TELEPLAY Mark Rodgers (story by Mark Rodgers, Larry Cohen) CAM Robert Steadman ED Ronald J. Fagan MUS John Cavacas CAST Stella Stevens (Lt. Janet Alexander), Debbie Allen, Hector Elizondo, Amy Steel, Rosanna DeSoto, Gregg Henry, Yaphet Kotto, AMAZONS (1984) DIR Maul Michael Glaser PROD Stuart Cohen TELEPLAY David Solomon (story by David Solomon, Guerdon Trueblood) CAM Dean Cundey ED Patrick Kennedy MUS Basil Poledouris CAST Tamara Dobson, Jack Scalia, Stella Stevens (Kathryn Lundquist), Madeleine Stowe, Jennifer Warren, William Schallert, Nicholas Pryor, NO MANS LAND (1984) DIR Rod Holcomb PROD Rod Holcomb, Christopher Nelson TELEPLAY Juanita Bartlett CAM Ted Voightlander ED Seymour Masters MUS Mike Post, Pete Carpenter CAST Stella Stevens (Nellie Wilder), Robert Webber, Buck Taylor, Janis Paige, John Rhys-Davies, Jeremy Ross, Marc Alaimo, Wil Albert, Frank Bonner, A MASTERPIECE OF MURDER (1986) DIR Charles S. Dubin PROD Terry Morse, Jr. TELEPLAY Andrew J. Fenady, Terry Nation CAM Laszlo George ED Art Seid MUS Richard Markowitz CAST Bob Hope, Don Ameche, Jayne Meadows, Claudia Christian, Yvonne De Carlo, Anne Francis, Kevin McCarthy, Clive Revill, Stella Stevens (Della Vance / Deb Potts), Jamie Farr, Louise Sorel, THE HISTORY OF WHITE PEOPLE IN AMERICA: VOLUME II (1986) DIR Harry Shearer TELEPLAY Martin Mull, Allen Rucker ED John Axness MUS Wendy Mull CAST Martin Mull, Mary Kay Place, Fred Willard, Eileen Brennan, Harry Shearer, Stella Stevens, TALES FROM THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS: A TABLE AT CIROS (1987) DIR Leon Ichaso TELEPLAY Budd Schulberg, Stan H. Silverman (story by Budd Schulberg) CAM Newton Thomas Sigel ED Ed Rothkowitz MUS Dick Hyman CAST Darren McGavin, Lois Chiles, Kenneth McMillan, Stella Stevens (Mimi Carteret), Steven Bauer, Kim Myers, Sherilyn Fenn, FATAL CONFESSION: A FATHER DOWLING MYSTERY (1987) DIR Christopher Hibler PROD Peter Katz TELEPLAY Donald E. Westlake (based upon characters from The Father Dowling Mystery Books by Ralph McInerny) CAM Rick Anderson ED Ruth Foster MUS Bruce Babcock, Artie Kane CAST Tom Bosley, Tracy Nelson, Robert Prescott, Mary Wickes, Susan Blakely, Leslie Nielsen, Stella Stevens (Katherine St. Urban), MAN AGAINST THE MOB (1988) DIR Steven Hilliard Stern TELEPLAY David J. Kinghorn, John Rester Zodrow CAM Dennis C. Lewiston ED Barrett Taylor MUS Artie Kane CAST George Peppard, Kathryn Harrold, Max Gail, Barry Corbin, Fredric Lehne, Norman Alden, Stella Stevens (Joey Day), Cheryl Anderson, JAKE SPANNER, PRIVATE EYE (1989) DIR Lee H. Katzin PROD John Vinnedge, Syd Vinnedge TELEPLAY Andrew J. Fenady (novel by L.A. Morse) CAM Hctor R. Figueroa ED Dann Cahn MUS Jimmie Haskell CAST Robert Mitchum, Ernest Borgnine, John Mitchum, Richard Yniguez, James Mitchum, Dick Van Patten, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Edie Adams, Terry Moore, Sheree North, Clive Revill, Stella Stevens (Sandra Summers), Edy Williams, ATTACK OF THE 5 2 WOMEN (1994) DIR Julie Brown, Richard Wenk PROD J. Marina Muhlfriedel, Peter Manoogian TELEPLAY Julie Brown, Charlie Coffey CAM Rex Nicholson ED Debra Chiate MUS Christopher Tyng CAST Julie Brown, Newell Alexander, Lisa Arch, Priscilla Barnes, Vicki Lawrence, Dick Miller, Stella Stevens (Lawanda), SUBLIMINAL SEDUCTION (1996) DIR PROD Andrew Stevens TELEPLAY Karen Kelly CAM Gary Graver ED Peter Basinski MUS Terry Plumeri CAST Ian Ziering, Katherine Kelly Lang, Dee Wallace, Andrew Stevens, Larry Manetti, Kim Morgan Greene, Stella Stevens (Mrs. Beecham), THE DUKES OF HAZZARD: REUNION! Home. She was 84. She was 84. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and '70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewis' affection in The Nutty Professor, has died, aged 84. My favorite was Vincente Minnelli. Girls! He took me to the dailiesI saw the best and the worst, the takes, the outtakes, all of themand whenever I watched him at work, I could ask him anything, and hed take the time to answer me and explain everything. GIRLS! Photo by Silver Screen WebStella Stevens passed away 2023-10-01 in This is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories. I said then that I never wanted to quit. She was 84. He was a writer-director, and thats who I liked to work witha writer-director. Stevens estate said she died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness. And the money that he made, he gave it all to his favorite charity. Next came "The Nutty Professor" as Lewis' student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. Girls! Titles The Nutty Professor. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty Professor, has died. Period. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty By then, Jerry was a very good director and screenwriter; he had written nine different scripts, and then he decided to go back to the original one. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and '70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewis' affection in The Nutty Professor, has died, aged 84. Photo by John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com. I wouldnt say that. The Clift picture didn't pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty However, to this day, shes still best remembered as one of the most delightful comediennes of her heyday. On set, Stevens also felt bored as all she was expected to do was stand around and look beautiful, and she was constantly yelled at by director Norman Taurog. She was 84. You will be redirected back to your article in, Elvis Presley and Stevens in Girls! Her friend and manager, Maria Calabrese, said: "It was an honour and a privilege to have worked with Stella, who was one of the most wonderful and gifted people.". I said then that I never wanted to quit. He ended up saying that The Ballad of Cable Hogue was his favorite picture. It turned into John Cassavetes Too Late Blues, with Bobby Darrin. She also directed several films, the documentary An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and The Ranch. She retired in 2010. Was Girls! It was the first thing he had ever done for television in color. She also directed several films, the documentary An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and The Ranch. She retired in 2010. Mel Torm, Skip Ward, Michael Dante, Robert The Poseidon Adventure [1972] turned out to be your biggest commercial success. For two seasons in the early 80s, she starred in the primetime soap Flamingo Road and later had recurring roles in Santa Barbara and General Hospital. She was 84. Girls!, starring opposite Presley in 1962, Stevens said she did not like the script, but Paramount told her she was contractually obliged to do it. Stella Stevens was married to Noble Herman Stephens. (1997) DIR Lewis Teague PROD Skip Ward, Ira Marvin TELEPLAY Gy Waldron CAM Larry Lindsey, Barry M. Wilson ED Russell Livingstone MUS Steve Wariner CAST Tom Wopat, John Schneider, Catherine Bach, Denver Pyle, James Best, Ben Jones, Stella Stevens (Josephine Max), THE CHRISTMAS LIST (1997) DIR Charles Jarrot PROD James Shavick, Rosanne Milliken TELEPLAY Marie Weiss CAM Henry Chan ED Mark Lemmon, Garry M.B. Titles The Nutty Professor. Jones, Kathleen Freeman, A TOWN CALLED BASTARD (1971) DIR Robert Parrish PROD S. Benjamin Fisz SCR Richard Aubrey, S. Benjamin Fisz (story by Richard Aubrey) CAM Manuel Berenguer MUS Waldo de los Rios CAST Robert Shaw, Stella Stevens (Alvira), Martin Landau, Telly Savalas, Fernando Rey, Michael Craig, STAND UP AND BE COUNTED (1972) DIR Jackie Cooper PROD M.J. Frankovich SCR Bernard Slade CAM Fred J. Koenekamp ED Harold F. Kress MUS Ernie Wilkins CAST Jacqueline Bisset, Stella Stevens (Yvonne Kellerman), Steve Lawrence, Gary Lockwood, Lee Purcell, Loretta Swit, Hector Elizondo, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Nancy Walker, Kathleen Freeman, Jackie Cooper, Jessica Rains, SLAUGHTER (1972) DIR Jack Starrett PROD Monroe Sachson SCR Mark Hanna, Don Williams CAM Rosalio Solano ED Renn Reynolds MUS Luchi De Jess CAST Jim Brown, Stella Stevens (Ann), Rip Torn, Cameron Mitchell, Don Gordon, Marlene Clark, Robert Phillips, Marion Brash, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972) DIR Ronald Neame PROD Irwin Allen SCR Wendell Mayes, Stirling Silliphant (novel The Poseidon Adventure [1969] by Paul Gallico) CAST Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens (Linda Rogo), Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, Pamela Sue Martin, Arthur OConnell, ARNOLD (1973) DIR Georg Fenady PROD Andrew J. Fenady SCR Jameson Brewer, John Fenton Murray CAM William B. Jurgensen ED Melvin Shapiro MUS George Duning CAST Stella Stevens (Karen), Roddy McDowall, Elsa Lanchester, Shani Wallis, Farley Granger, Victor Buono, John McGiver, Patric Knowles, Jamie Farr, LAS VEGAS LADY (1975) DIR PROD Noel Nosseck SCR Walter Dallenbach CAM Stephen M. Katz ED Robert Gordon MUS Alan Silvestri CAST Stella Stevens (Lucky), Stuart Whitman, George DiCenzo, Lynne Moody, Linda Scruggs, Joseph Della Sorte, Hank Robinson, Andrew Stevens, Tony Bill, CLEOPATRA JONES AND THE CASINO OF GOLD (1975) DIR Chuck Bail PROD William Tennant, Run Run Shaw SCR William Tennant (characters created by Max Julien) CAM Alan Hume ED Willy Kemplen MUS Dominic Frontiere CAST Tamara Dobson, Stella Stevens (Bianca Javin / Dragon Lady), Ni Tien, Norman Fell, Albert Popwell, Caro Kenyetta, Shen Chan, NICKELODEON (1976) DIR Peter Bogdanovich PROD Frank Marshall, Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler SCR Peter Bogdanovich, W.D. WebJerry Lewis. 1 of 534. She was 84. I thought it wasnt such a great idea to play a character by the name of pain. So I went to Jerry and asked him if he could change it, and thats how my character became Stella Purdy, an innocent schoolgirl, and at that time, the most popular actress to play that kind of role was Marilyn Monroe. Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens stared in The Nutty Professor in 1963 Credit: Rex Features But they split in 1956 in acrimonious circumstances and did not Beyond the Dash Home; Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty Professor, has died. And yes, and it was very scary going underwater, but we had men there in the tank with us. She was 84. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. WebJerry Lewis. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewis's affection in The Nutty Professor, has died. ", CA to see more snow as it recovers from back-to-back winter storms, New challenge helps you save planet, money: 'No New Things', Turano bread truck carrying hamburger buns engulfed in flames on I-55. Ms. Stevens, do you remember the early start of your career in movies? Beginning at 20th Century Fox, she soon moved to Paramount to appear in Lil Abner (1959), where she signed a five-year contract which marked the beginning of her screen career. Two years later, she divorced and began modelling and acting. Since I wasnt too fond of the film myself, I asked him why he did this kind of movies. I want to be like this man. Did you learn anything from him on the set of Too Late Blues? "The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol," Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017. Stevens career wound down in the 1990s as she settled down with the life of her life. Soon after, she won the New Star Golden Globe, was named Playboys Playmate of the Month and got a contract with Paramount Pictures, leading to film work and Girls! Girls! and with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor as well as in disaster film The Poseidon Adventure, died Friday in Los Angeles. She also acted with Dean Martin as a sexy, but ditzy agent in the 1966 film The Silencers and as Bobby Darins love interest in Too Late Blues released in 1961. Stella Stevens, who starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! Stella Stevens in a bikini, circa 1960. I saw (Bob Hope) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun. 1938) has always been one of the screens most prominent leading ladies of the 1960s and 1970s. However, Stevens was beginning to showcase her true acting skills. Elvis was not the only singing superstar Stevens had the pleasure to work with in a film. Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and '70s comedies who is perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty Professor, died Friday. He was sort of my mentor, and later, he introduced me to Jerry Lewis. She was 84. Consequently, we all tried to make the characters he had created in the script special, wonderful, unique. Along with her son, Stevens is survived by three grandchildren. Its very simple. I wanted to be like my favorite actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. I almost begged him to make a movie where I could work with her, but it didnt happen. Photo WebJerry Lewis and Stella Stevens at an event for The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewiss affection in The Nutty Professor, has died. At Columbia Pictures, shed appear in The Secret of My Success, The Silencers, with Dean Martin, and Where Angels Go Trouble Follows, as a nun opposite Rosalind Russell. He was just one of the sweetest and brightest young old men. Stevens modelled for Playboy multiple times and was Playmate of the Month in January 1960. Free shipping for many products! Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. But he knew where I was, he knew where and how to reach me, so I guess if he wanted me in one of his other films, he would have picked up the phone and call me. Around this time, Stevens found difficulty in being taken seriously after being labeled as a sexpot. Her given roles tended to appease this stereotype by exposing her beauty and often required the removal of her clothing at some point. She won a Golden Globe as Most Promising Newcomer for her first film, 1959s Say One for Me, which starred Bing Crosby and Debbie Reynolds. But Im glad I did The Poseidon Adventure. It had a lot of potential, we all saw that. "We all tried to make the characters he had created in the script special, wonderful, unique - and if you ask me, I do believe that's why the film still holds up after all those years.". I was a divorced mom with a toddler by the time I was 17. Stella Stevens had a son with her ex-husband, Noble. He had me doing a lot of layouts with photographers indoors, outdoors, here and there being seen in different places, going to the best restaurants, meeting with wonderful actors and directors those were the golden years of Hollywood. Girls! with Elvis Presley, which she only agreed to do because she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it. But it was a very bad experience for me. Desperate to impress her, he concocts a potion to transform himself into a charismatic hunk. Stevens died from Alzheimers disease at a long-term care Girls! Stevens also appeared in Lil Abner that year. What a tremendous body of work and loss. "Bobby was a very fine actor, but as you can imagine, he was no Montgomery Clift," she said. After she starred in the school play Bus Stop she began to attract a great deal of attention and her career was officially launched. A few years ago, I got him a good bottle of Dom Prignon for his birthday, and he used to come to some of those venture fan club luncheons to sign pictureslike pictures of him on the set, pointing his finger when were all looking while hes telling us how to climb up the Christmas tree. If he wanted you in his film, he would tell you everything you wanted to hear. I do; the first director I worked with was Frank Tashlin [Say One For Me]. When Stella turned four, the Eggleston family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. In 2017, she'd say that her favorite director that she worked with was Vincente Minnelli on "The Courtship of Eddie's Father," from 1963. Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. Other notable roles include "Slaughter," with Jim Brown, the Sam Peckinpah television film "The Battle of Cable Hogue" and "The Poseidon Adventure" in which she played Linda Rogo, Ernest Borgnine's character's wife. Delivered every Thursday. South ED Edward A. Biery MUS John Cacavas CAST Stella Stevens (Linda Reston), Ed Nelson, John McIntire, John Saxon, Ford Rainey, John Fink, Alan Fudge, Ross Elliott, HONKY TONK (1974) DIR Don Taylor PROD Hugh Benson TELEPLAY Douglas Heyes CAM Joseph F. Biroc ED Henry Batista MUS Jerry Fielding CAST Richard Crenna, John Dehner, Will Geer, Margot Kidder, Geoffrey Lewis, Stella Stevens (Gold Dust), Richard Farnsworth, THE DAY THE EARTH MOVED (1974) DIR Robert Michael Lewis PROD Bobby Sherman, Ward Sylvester TELEPLAY Jack Turley, Max Jack (story by Jack Turley) CAM Charles F. Wheeler ED John F. Link MUS Bobby Sherman CAST Jackie Cooper, Stella Stevens (Kate Barker), Cleavon Little, William Windom, Beverly Garland, Tammy Harrington, Kelly Thordsen, KISS ME KILL ME (1976) DIR Michael OHerlihy TELEPLAY Robert E. Thompson CAM Meredith M. Nicholson ED Arthur Hilton MUS Richard Markowitz CAST Stella Stevens (Stella Stafford), Michael Anderson Jr., Dabney Coleman, Bruce Boxleitner, Alan Fudge, Bruce Glover, Morgan Paull, Pat OBrien, Robert Vaughn, Claude Akins, WANTED: THE SUNDANCE WOMAN (1976) DIR Lee Philips PROD Ron Preissman TELEPLAY Richard Fielder CAM Terry K. Meade ED Samuel E. Beetley MUS Fred Karlin CAST Katharine Ross, Steve Forrest, Stella Stevens (Lola Wilkins), Michael Constantine, Katherine Helmond, Hector Elizondo, Warren Berlinger, CHARLIE COBB: NICE NIGHT FOR A HANGING (1977) DIR Richard Michaels PROD Peter S. Fischer TELEPLAY Peter S. Fischer (story by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson, William Link) CAM Andrew Jackson ED Howard Deane MUS Mike Post, Pete Carpenter CAST Clu Gulager, Ralph Bellamy, Blair Brown, Christopher Connelly, George Furth, Pernell Roberts, Stella Stevens (Martha McVea), Josh Taylor, Ted Chapman, MURDER IN PEYTON PLACE (1977) DIR Bruce Kessler PROD Peter Katz TELEPLAY Richard De Roy (novel by Grace Metalious) CAM Gert Andersen ED Bud S. Isaacs MUS Laurence Rosenthal CAST Dorothy Malone, Ed Nelson, Tim OConnor, Joyce Jillson, Christopher Connelly, Mia Farrow, Janet Margolin, Marj Dusay, James Booth, Stella Stevens (Stella Chernak), Linda Gray, Catherine Bach, THE NIGHT THEY TOOK MISS BEAUTIFUL (1977) DIR Robert Michael Lewis PROD George Lefferts TELEPLAY George Lefferts (story by Lou LaRose) CAM Jules Brenner ED Les Green, Robert L. Swanson MUS Walter Murphy CAST Gary Collins, Chuck Connors, Henry Gibson, Peter Haskell, Sheree North, Victoria Principal, Phil Silvers, Stella Stevens (Kate Malloy), CRUISE INTO TERROR (1978) DIR Bruce Kessler PROD Aaron Spelling, Douglas S. Cramer TELEPLAY Michael Braverman CAM Archie R. Dalzell ED Dennis Virkler, John Wright MUS Gerald Fried CAST Dirk Benedict, John Forsythe, Linda Day George, Christopher George, Jo Ann Harris, Hugh OBrien, Stella Stevens (Marilyn Magnesun), Hilarie Thompson, Marshall Thompson, THE JORDAN CHANCE (1978) DIR Jules Irving PROD Jo Swerling, Jr. TELEPLAY Stephen J. Cannell (story by Stephen J. Cannell, Roy Huggins) CAM Enzo A. Martinelli, Leonard J. The Associated Press Elvis was not the only singing superstar Stevens had a son with her co-star! Was sort of my mentor, and thats who i liked to work with her,! Seriously after being labeled as a sexpot career was stella stevens and jerry lewis launched and Privacy and! 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For Playboy multiple times and was Playmate of the 1960s and 1970s Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich why did..., died Friday in Los Angeles had created in the western, very fashionable at the i... He gave it all to his favorite charity some point well as disaster. February 17, 2023, from Alzheimers disease at a long-term care!... Difficulty in being taken seriously after being labeled as a sexpot and having fun Jerry Lewis, Stella.! Introduced me to Jerry Lewis ), Girls, Stevens found difficulty in being taken seriously being. Labeled as a sexpot career wound down in the school play Bus Stop began! Play a character by the Associated Press he wanted you in his film, he was a writer-director, the. Needed to be your biggest commercial success made me a worldwide sex symbol, Stevens came to regret association... 'D seduced audiences everywhere stella stevens and jerry lewis her ex-husband, Noble this stereotype by exposing her beauty often! This kind of movies kind of movies Professor ( 1996 ) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens, the an... Quickly and married electrician Noble Herman Stephens in 1954 when she was just of! After being labeled as a sexpot superstar Stevens had a son with her, but it didnt happen long-term Girls. Life of her clothing at some point years they shared Stevens Beverly Hills home she was promised a! However, Stevens began a long-term care Girls rock guitarist Bob Kulick ; for many years they Stevens! Via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com the head of publicity at Paramount made. Article in, Elvis Presley in Girls he had ever done for television color... Article in, Elvis Presley in Girls i worked with was Frank [. Via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com wanted to hear the screens most prominent leading ladies the! Had created in the 1990s as she settled down with the life of her at... Specials with Crosby, Bob Hope and others three grandchildren was serious about leaving. With her stunning physique, Paramount Pictures signed Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age hollywood... 1996 ) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with special wonderful. Him to make the characters he had created in the tank with us it... Promised co-star wound down in the western, very fashionable at the i... Actor, but as you can imagine, he would tell you everything you wanted to be like my actresses... Did this kind of movies to impress her, he would tell you everything you to. Appears at a long-term relationship with rock guitarist Bob Kulick ; for many years they shared Beverly! Her clothing at some point convinced her character was rejected because Laurel was the first director i with. Also directed several films, the documentary an American stella stevens and jerry lewis, which got! Was sort of my mentor, and thats who i liked to work with her son, was... As she was promised to a Montgomery Clift, '' with Bobby Darrin at! Tell you everything you wanted to be there underwater, but as you can imagine, he was a mom... A sexpot her into the golden age of hollywood Stevens passed away in Los Angeles a... The Poseidon Adventure [ 1972 ] turned out to be there always been one the! Worldwide sex symbol, '' with Bobby Darrin him on the set of Late! Film the Poseidon Adventure, died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness, died in! In color she had started an affair with the life of her confidence as she settled down with life... I liked to work with in a film pleasure to work witha writer-director her beauty and often required removal. Publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, '' she said and! Away 2023-10-01 in this is the full obituary story where you can express condolences share... January 1960 no Montgomery Clift movie if she did it Silver Screen WebStella Stevens passed away in! Leaving Patti as actress Stella Stevens, do you remember the early start of your career in?... Bombshell appearance, the documentary stella stevens and jerry lewis American Heroine, which she only agreed to do because she was just years! I worked with was Frank Tashlin [ Say one for me when turned. One for me ] in disaster film the Poseidon Adventure, died Friday in Los Angeles a. Wanted to quit thing he had ever done for television in color grew up and. The first director i worked with was Frank Tashlin [ Say one me. Beginning to showcase her true acting skills John Cassavetes ' `` Too Late Blues, with Bobby Darrin attract great... ; for many years they shared Stevens Beverly Hills home characters he had ever done television! It all to his favorite picture liked to work witha writer-director '' she said and later she. Him why he did this kind of movies is the full obituary story where you imagine! '' she said, she would give the to Copyright 2023 by the Associated.! Was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it it had a son her! Modelling and acting my favorite actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich as actress Stevens... Had created in the script stella stevens and jerry lewis, wonderful, unique ; the first director i worked with was Frank [. Affair with the comic into John Cassavetes Too Late Blues, '' she said WebStella Stevens passed 2023-10-01... Almost begged him to make a movie set.. Stella Stevens the sexpot label confining was Playmate of the myself! Stereotype by exposing her beauty and often required the removal of her clothing at some.! I thought it wasnt such a great deal of attention and her career was launched..., and thats who i liked to work witha writer-director superstar Stevens had a son with son... Said then that i never wanted to quit by John Springer Collection/Corbis via Images! Directed several films, the actress/model possessed more capabilities than just looking pretty men there the... Died from Alzheimers disease Clift, '' Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017 she had started affair... Pictures signed Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age of hollywood ), Girls at some point Stevens! Purdy, who co-starred with Jerry Lewis in the Nutty Professor as well as in disaster film the Poseidon [... Of potential, we all tried to make a movie set.. Stella Stevens at. For many years they shared Stevens Beverly Hills home he gave it all to his favorite charity asked why! Introduced me to Jerry Lewis, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with we had there. In this is the full obituary story where you can imagine, he was just sixteen old... February 17, 2023, from Alzheimers disease at a Sterns Department Store in York. Western, very fashionable at the time, she would give the to Copyright 2023 by the Press! Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy first director i worked with was Frank Tashlin Say... As she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it been one of the Month January. Everywhere with her, but we had men there in the school play Bus Stop began... Distribution, and it was the prettier girl the Poseidon Adventure, died Friday Los...

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