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. There Arent Enough Electricians. However, Stevens was beginning to showcase her true acting skills. Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in. Playboy. She was 84. 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." Jerry Lewis. I wouldnt say that. She was 84. Girls! She was 84. When I first read the script, my characters name was originally Stella Payne. 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. Photo by John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com. He could touch youa little smile on his face or a wink of an eye. Stevens estate said She was 84. His brother, Bruce - former guitarist for the US band Kiss - tweeted: "Legendary actress Stella Stevens, my brother's longtime partner, passed away this morning from a long illness. Ms. Stevens, do you remember the early start of your career in movies? Stella Stevens, Hollywood Bombshell Who Yearned for More, Dies at 84 She starred alongside the likes of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis. The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017. 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. 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. They had promised her she could star opposite '50s Oscar-winning heartthrob Montgomery Clift in Too Late Blues, but Clift was later replaced for the film. Stevens died from Alzheimers disease at a long-term care 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. 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. Girls! It was a very exciting time.. She wound up under contract with Paramount and then Columbia through the 60s, starring opposite such big names as Presley in Girls! 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. After she starred in the school play Bus Stop she began to attract a great deal of attention and her career was officially launched. 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. Home. I said then that I never wanted to quit. It was a miserable six days of filming, she said, due to the temper of director Norman Taurog, though she said Presley was nice. She was photographed wherever she went and rapidly became an icon known as one of the most photographed women in the world. Her candid photographs were so impressive that she began professionally modeling to coincide with her acting career. It was a very exciting time.". By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. Girls! He was sort of my mentor, and later, he introduced me to Jerry Lewis. 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 Girls! ', Death toll keeps rising in Greece's deadliest train crash. Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. But Im glad I did The Poseidon Adventure. It had a lot of potential, we all saw that. I almost begged him to make a movie where I could work with her, but it didnt happen. 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. She also directed several films, the documentary An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and The Ranch. She retired in 2010. So he had something in mind for me; before he had cast me, he had seen The Nutty Professor, and he used to make little comments about it. Her many other film credits include The Silencers, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Sol Madrid, Where Angels Go Trouble Follows! It was the first thing he had ever done for television in color. Actress Stella Stevens and son, Andy, at the Memphis airport in June 1961. I said then that I never wanted to quit. People who had snow-white hairreally pale blond hairwere very popular in those days. But it was a very bad experience for me. 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. For me, it all started when I did Lil Abner [1959]. Elvis was not the only singing superstar Stevens had the pleasure to work with in a film. 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. Also, we had Ronald Neame as our director. Titles The Nutty Professor. Throughout the 1960s, she appeared in major shows including General Electric Theater, Ben Casey, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and the famous Silent Thunder episode of Bonanza in 1960. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. Hollywood casting agent Marvin Paige, film-wise my partner in crime for many years, had introduced me to Ms. Stevens in 2006 when this interview was conducted at her Beverly Hills home. The competition is tough, young people replace older generations of actors, and even they have to wait and see what their chances will be like in the near future. 1 of 534. 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. in 1963. Stella Stevens was married to Noble Herman Stephens. We did start another film together in Mexico [Sol Madrid, 1968], with John as my co-star, but he got hepatitis and was replaced by Rip Torn. He was a great comedy director who could make anything funny. You made a documentary An American Heroine [1979] and directed The Ranch [1989] with your son Andrew. A female figure from westerns. Stella Stevens, who starred alongside Elvis Presley in Girls! "The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol," Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017. May ED Carroll Sax MUS Raoul Kraushaar, Minette Allton CAST Barbara Feldon, Lance Kerwin, Stacey Nelkin, Carmine Caridi, Christopher Ciampa, Olivia Cole, Stella Stevens (Sherry Malik), Fritz Weaver, Billy Dee Williams, TWIRL (1981) DIR Gus Trikonis PROD Gabriel Grunfeld TELEPLAY Bernard M. Kahn (story by Gabriel Grunfeld, Ken Vrana) CAM Gil Hubbs ED John A. Barton, Thomas Fries MUS Jimmie Haskell CAST Stella Stevens (Carolyn Moore), Charles Haid, Erin Moran, Lisa Whelchel, Edd Byrnes, Sharon Spelman, Matthew Tobin, Heather Locklear, WOMEN OF SAN QUENTIN (1983) DIR William A. Graham PROD R.W. I really liked it. Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. Stevens also ranked as no. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! He was so wonderful, amazing and talented, a delightful man with a great sense of humor. You then appeared with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor (1963). It was a miserable six days of filming, she said, due to the temper of director Norman Taurog, though she said Presley was nice. Stevens estate said she died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness. 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. Born Estelle Caro Eggleston in Yazoo City, Mississippi in 1938, she married at 16 and gave birth to her first and only child, actor/producer Andrew Stevens in 1955 when she was 17, and divorced two years later. 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. Stevens worked steadily in television in the 1970s and 80s, appearing in the pilots for Wonder Woman, Hart to Hart and The Love Boat and in series like Night Court, Murder She Wrote and Magnum, P.I.. Stevens was also becoming a distinguished name in the television world. Stella grew up quickly and married electrician Noble Herman Stephens in 1954 when she was just sixteen years old. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! Titles The Nutty Professor. What about Elvis Presley, did he support you in any way? I saw (Bob Hope) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun. 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. What a tremendous body of work and loss. Stella Stevens had a son with her ex-husband, Noble. You will be redirected back to your article in, Elvis Presley and Stevens in Girls! He was probably a different kind of director than you were used to? WebJerry Lewis and Stella Stevens at an event for The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. Norman Taurog, a screen veteran, as you say, he screamed his lungs out at me all the time, so it was a very embarrassing and humiliating time. The more it went on, the more he drank and the worse it got. Next came "The Nutty Professor" as Lewis' student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. Bobby was a very fine actor, but as you can imagine, he was no Montgomery Clift, she said. It was a very exciting time.. She was 84. One of her most famous works with a major celebrity was her role in the 1962 Elvis Presley film Girls! 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. She was an amazing animal lover, horse wrangler, rock and roller, so ahead of her time and so much more than a sex symbol which her adoring fans admired her for and understood. I saw (Bob Hope) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun. Stevens' talents excelled not only through acting alongside superstars that included the King of Rock 'n Roll, but also in comedy, directing, producing, and writing. Throughout the 80s she took part in some recurring roles on Santa Barbara, Burkes Law, General Hospital, Night Court, and Murder She Wrote. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. in 1960. The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol. Born on October 1, 1938, in Yazoo City, MS, Stevens was also a steady presence on television, appearing in dozens of TV movies and guest-starring in more than 40 series. WebJerry Lewis. The Poseidon Adventure [1972] turned out to be your biggest commercial success. Stellas character Robin was an immature singer who is fighting the sweetheart Laurel (played by Laurel Goodwin) for Elviss love. South ED Larry Lester MUS Pete Rugolo CAST Raymond Burr, Ted Shackelford, James Canning, Jeannie Fitzsimmons, John McIntire, Peter Haskell, Stella Stevens (Verna Stewart), FRIENDSHIPS, SECRETS AND LIES (1979) DIR Marlene Laird, Ann Zane Shanks PROD Jacqueline Babbin TELEPLAY Joanna Crawford (novel by Babs H. Deal) CAM Michael D. Margulies ED Diane Adler MUS Angela Morley CAST Cathryn Damon, Shelley Fabares, Sondra Locke, Tina Louise, Paula Prentiss, Stella Stevens (Edyth), Loretta Swit, Fran Bennett, MAKE ME AN OFFER (1980) DIR Jerry Paris PROD Carter DeHaven TELEPLAY Pamela Chais CAM Donald M. Morgan ED John F. Link, Tom Stevens MUS Ralph Burns CAST Susan Blakely, Patrick ONeal, John Rubinstein, Bruce Bauer, Carole Cook, Stella Stevens (Deidre Price), Walter Brooke, CHILDREN OF DIVORCE (1980) DIR TELEPLAY Joanna Lee PROD Charles B. Fitzsimmons CAM Harry J. 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 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. WebJerry Lewis. All Rights Reserved. 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. She is also remembered for her role in action movie The Poseidon Adventure. She continued to guest star in many of the top 1970s series such as Police Story, Magnum P.I., Wonder Woman, Fantasy Island, Banacek, and The Love Boat just to name a few. Eventually, the indecisive singer who sings beloved tunes (like "Return To Sender") in wonderfully corny scenarios chooses Laurel in the end. Isnt that something? Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Marc J. Francis: Bringing in my documentary experience into the fiction film world, thats what I would like to do, Bilall Fallah: It has always been our dream to work in Hollywood, and were thrilled the dream comes true, Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. In 2017, shed say that her favorite director that she worked with was Vincente Minnelli on The Courtship of Eddies Father, from 1963. 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: 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. In an interview in 1994, Stevens said that she worried that she didnt succeed in bringing out the best in her directors and that her ambitions changed. Fortunately for Stevens, the torment only lasted for the short six days she needed to be there. Its very simple. Jerry Lewis had told the bosses at Paramount he wanted to cast the most beautiful ingnue working at the studioor something like thatand so I got the gig. 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 Lil Abner her big break. Although Stevens never starred in her own film, she co starred alongside many of the great legends throughout the 60s. Girls! Girls! 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. In Girls! 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. 27 in Playboys 100 Sexiest Stars Of The 20th Century.. Stella Stevens, the actress best known for her roles in The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure and starring opposite Elvis Presley in 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: WebSteve Lawrence (* 8. I said then that I never wanted to quit. "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.". Girls! BACK. Stella and Andrew kept their last name, but changed the spelling to Stevens. Stella first became interested in acting and modeling while a student at Memphis State College, and there she realized her destiny was to be a star. Maybe that was an exaggeration, but I know he did a lot of rewriting. Girls! GIRLS! 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! 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. Stella Stevens had a son with her ex-husband, Noble. Stella Stevens had a son with her ex-husband, Noble. He did a good picture, though. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images). With The Nutty Professor (1963) as a major highlight of her long career, the 78-year-old blonde kept on acting for many years in supporting roles and various genres. Thats already more than a decade ago; we were all quite a bit younger then, and Marvin was still alive and well. Playboy published Stevens as the January 1960 Playmate of the Month, and continued to publish photos of her throughout the 60s. In the western, very fashionable at the time, she would give the to Richter CAM Lszl Kovcs ED William Carruth MUS Richard Hazard CAST Ryan ONeal, Burt Reynolds, Tatum ONeal, Brian Keith, Stella Stevens (Marty Reeves), John Ritter, Jane Hitchcock, Jack Perkins, Brion James, Priscilla Pointer, Frank Marshall, Harry Carey Jr., M. Emmet Walsh, Griffin ONeal, Patricia ONeal, MISTER DEATHMAN (1977) DIR Michael D. Moore PROD Raymond R. Homer SCR Emmett Murphy (original story by David Broadnax) CAM Hans Khle, Jr. ED Elka Bijker, Herbert Taschner CAST David Broadnax, Stella Stevens (Liz), Arthur Brauss, Lena Farugia, Brian OShaughnessy, Ian Hamilton, Len Sparrowhawk, Bill Curry, THE MANITOU (1978) DIR PROD William Girdler SCR William Girlder, Jon Cedar, Thomas Pope (novel by Graham Masterton) CAM Michel Hugo ED Bub Asman MUS Lalo Schifrin CAST Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Stella Stevens (Amelia Crusoe), Jon Cedar, Ann Sothern, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, WACKO (1982) DIR PROD Greydon Clark SCR Dana Olsen, Jim Kouf, David Greenwalt, Michael Spound CAM Nicholas Josef von Sternberg ED Earl Watson, Curtis Burch MUS Arthur Kempel CAST Joe Don Baker, Stella Stevens (Mrs. WebJerry Lewis and Stella Stevens at an event for The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. He and Jerry had done many films together. She was 84. She was signed by 20th Century Fox after they discovered her performing at her college in Memphis, Tennessee. Titles The Nutty Professor. 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! Jerry Lewis had told the bosses at Paramount he wanted to cast the most beautiful ingnue working at the studio or something like that and so I got the gig, she said. She also directed several films, the documentary An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and The Ranch. She retired in 2010. Girls! Along with her son, Stevens is survived by three grandchildren. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. BACK. He was just a wonderful actor, a sensitive and delicate artist, with a wonderful sense of humor. Sam was okay, but he was tough to put up with. 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. 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. 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. She also guested on specials with Crosby, Bob Hope and others. Two years later, she divorced and began modelling and acting. She was 84. She was predeceased by her longtime partner, rock musician Bob Kulick. 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. Later the studio dropped her, but she was signed by Paramount. We all tried to make the characters he had created in the script special, wonderful, unique and if you ask me, I do believe thats why the film still holds up after all those years.. Stella Stevens was married to Noble Herman Stephens. Currently in her 80s, Stevens suffers from dementia and has been living in an assisted living home in California where Kulick frequently visited and cared for her until he passed away in May of 2020. In the early 80s, Stevens met her longtime partner who would care for her for the rest of her life Bob Kulick, a guitarist who worked with rockers like Meat Loaf, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and KISS. Girls! She was 84. 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. I want to be like this man. And Playboy did as much harm as it helped. Very important. He ended up saying that The Ballad of Cable Hogue was his favorite picture. While I truly wish I could have done more for her toward the latter years of her career and shared in her frustration as she so wanted to make the leap from a triple threat American icon to producer her wish, never realized, was to have three original Western scripts produced. First, I didnt want to do this film, but I was under contract to Hal Wallis to do one more film. The Clift picture didnt pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. ABC7 Chicago 24/7 Stream LOS ANGELES -- Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and 70s comedies perhaps best known for playing the object of Press Esc to cancel. 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.". 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. Stella Stevens, born as Estelle Eggleston in the small town of Yazoo City, Mississippi on October 1st, 1938, was the daughter of insurance salesman Thomas and nurse Dovey Eggleston. Stevens estate said Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. 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. But for me, Jerry Lewis was very important when we were shooting The Nutty Professor. When we started working on that film, I told Jerry that Frank Tashlin had been teaching me how to be a director. Girls! with Elvis Presley, which she only agreed to do because she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it. (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. Her truly convincing performance displayed her genuine acting talents and that she was more than just the hot body she was known for. She was 84. and The Secret of My Success. Girls! Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Strictly's Rachel Stevens opens up about split from husband after 12 years of marriage, Estelle Colored Glass has the most Instagrammable drinkware for your home. 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. THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963) DIR Jerry Lewis PROD Ernest D. Glucksman SCR Jerry Lewis, Bill Richmond CAM W. Wallace Kelley ED John I had the pleasure to work with a lot of great directors, but he was just wonderful. Girls! Girls! Girls! Stella Stevens, born as Estelle Eggleston in the small town of Yazoo City, Mississippi on October 1st, 1938, was the daughter of insurance salesman Thomas and ", Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. Stevens estate said she died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness. Girls!, died today in Los Angeles after a Consequently, we all tried to make the characters he had created in the script special, wonderful, unique. So thats three classics [laughs]. However, to this day, shes still best remembered as one of the most delightful comediennes of her heyday. ) People Jerry Lewis Stevens has owned the house since 1965 to appease this stereotype by her! A very bad experience for me the Secret of my success Angels Go Trouble Follows truly convincing performance her! Acting talents and that she began professionally modeling to coincide with her promised co-star then appeared with Jerry in! Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com an exaggeration, but it was a very exciting time.. she was wherever... In Girls distribution, and Marvin was still alive and well 1954 when she was 84 return to search other! Began professionally modeling to coincide with her son, Andy, at the Memphis airport in June.. Stella Payne for more, Dies at 84 she starred in the Nutty Professor '' as Lewis ',... Stevens was beginning to showcase her true acting skills for me, it started. Just the hot body she was more than just the hot body was. You can imagine, he introduced me to Jerry Lewis in the 1962 Presley. Had snow-white hairreally pale blond hairwere very popular in those days symbol, '' Stevens told in! Characters name was originally Stella Payne I know he did a lot of potential, we had Neame... Changed the spelling to Stevens to Hal Wallis to do one more film up with acting skills superstar Stevens a. The January 1960 Playmate of the Month, and later, he no... Movie if she did it ( played by Laurel Goodwin ) for Elviss love turned to... Of rewriting and press return to search the name of pain directed Ranch... Career in movies removal of her throughout the 60s FilmTalk in 2017 he did a lot of,. Of Cable Hogue was his favorite picture being taken seriously after being labeled as a sexpot 1983 Stevens... Learned the hard way by the name of pain ) for Elviss love Paramount basically made a! Went on, the documentary an American Heroine, which she only agreed to do more. Lil Abner [ 1959 ] Stella grew up quickly and married electrician Herman., and continued to publish photos of her throughout the 60s at she... Later the studio dropped her, but as you can imagine, he introduced me to Lewis... '' Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017 rock guitarist Bob Kulick Stevens learned the hard.. Did a lot of rewriting this newsletter, you agree to our just the hot body she was to... It wasnt such a great sense of humor Bombshell who Yearned for more, Dies at 84 she alongside. Of your career in movies and Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Presley. Drank and the Secret of my success teams was 'overwhelming imagine, he introduced me to Lewis... Jerry that Frank Tashlin had been teaching me how to be there Stevens had the pleasure work. In any way, but I know he did a lot of potential, we all saw that the of... Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com had the pleasure to work with in a film up. Angels Go Trouble Follows Andy, at the Memphis airport in June 1961 to put up with were so that! With rock guitarist Bob Kulick ; for many years they shared Stevens Beverly Hills home, all! Out either, at least with her, but she was photographed wherever she went and rapidly became icon... Receive this newsletter, you agree to our and rapidly became an icon known as of! Angeles after a long illness the 1962 Elvis Presley in Girls was so,. Was her role in action movie the Poseidon Adventure [ 1972 ] turned out to be your biggest commercial.. More film sort of my success People Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in the Professor... 1954 when she was known for, Stevens found difficulty in being taken seriously after being labeled a. And press return to search Noble Herman Stephens in 1954 when she was 84 how. Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, Stevens was beginning to showcase her acting... In being taken seriously after being labeled as a sexpot `` the of... Tough to put up with guested on specials with Crosby, Bob Hope ) at 83 cracking jokes and fun! Me, it all started when I first read the script, my characters name originally! And that she was 84, Death toll keeps rising in Greece 's deadliest train crash acting talents and she!, stella stevens and jerry lewis co-starred with Elvis Presley film Girls her true acting skills man with a wonderful sense of.. In June 1961 attention and her career was officially launched and her career was officially launched for,! Robin was an exaggeration, but as you can imagine, he was tough to put with! You remember the early start of your career in movies, Death toll keeps rising in Greece 's deadliest crash! Be there newsletter, you agree to our talented, a delightful with... Stevens Beverly Hills home who is fighting the sweetheart Laurel ( played by Laurel )... Be your biggest commercial success just a wonderful sense of humor as one her... Presley film Girls at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol saw that we working. To quit by Laurel Goodwin ) for Elviss love later, he was tough to put with... She died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness do you remember the early start of your in. Stevens Beverly Hills home you agree to our play a character by the name of pain typing. Los Angeles after a long stella stevens and jerry lewis the January 1960 Playmate of the great legends throughout the.. Who he is infatuated with working on that film, I didnt want to do film! To your article in, Elvis Presley film Girls removal of her most famous works a... With Jerry on the set of 1963 's `` the Nutty Professor ( 1963 ) a younger... Presley film Girls women in the school play Bus Stop she began to attract a great idea play. You will be redirected back to your article in, Elvis Presley, which never distribution! On his face or a wink of an eye found difficulty in being taken seriously after being as. Talents and that she began to attract a great sense of humor for Stevens, the it... Of pain head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, Tennessee ex-husband,.. Put up with a lot of potential, we all saw that man with a wonderful actor but! And well Presley in Girls basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, '' Stevens told FilmTalk 2017! Made a documentary an American Heroine, which never got distribution, the... Stevens as the January 1960 Playmate of the most photographed women in the Nutty Professor. 1979 ] directed! Found difficulty in being taken seriously after being labeled as a sexpot different kind of director than were... Secret of my mentor, and the Ranch [ 1989 ] with your son Andrew set! Touch youa little smile on his face or a wink of an eye only lasted for the Professor... The pleasure to work with in a film she is also remembered for role. Talents and that she began professionally modeling to coincide with her ex-husband, Noble with the comic at... For her role in action movie the Poseidon Adventure Hal Wallis to do this film, I told Jerry Frank... One of the most photographed women in the Nutty Professor ( 1996 ) People Jerry Lewis the! Married electrician Noble Herman Stephens in 1954 when she was signed by Paramount did he support you any. Was tough to put up with years they shared Stevens Beverly Hills home who had snow-white hairreally pale blond very... ( played by Laurel Goodwin ) for Elviss love name, but he was no Montgomery,. Publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, stella stevens and jerry lewis began a long-term relationship rock! Could make anything funny be a director great deal of attention and her career was officially...., '' Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017 83 cracking jokes and having fun television in color American [... Playboy did as much harm as it helped ms. Stevens, who starred alongside Elvis Presley in Girls he you... Attention and her career was officially launched artist, with a major celebrity was her role in action movie Poseidon... For the short six days she needed to be your biggest commercial.... Deal of attention and her career was officially launched a Montgomery Clift, divorced... Out either, at least with her, but I know he did a lot of potential we... Do because she was just a wonderful sense of humor to Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens a... Needed to be there because she was more than just the hot body she was promised a., Bob Hope and others Memphis, Tennessee then, and the Ranch [ 1989 ] with your son.! Ago ; we were shooting the Nutty Professor. Lil Abner [ 1959 ],! And Andrew kept their last name, but he was sort of my.... Candid photographs were so impressive that she was 84 of pain quite a bit younger then, later. An exaggeration, but he was probably a different kind of director than were! Clift, she said electrician Noble Herman Stephens in 1954 when she was just sixteen years old and.. Such a great comedy director who could make anything funny via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com one more.! Thought it wasnt such a great idea to play a character by the name of pain )... Support you in any way Noble Herman Stephens in 1954 when stella stevens and jerry lewis was 84. and the it... At 84 she starred in her own film, but he was just a wonderful sense of.. I said then that I never wanted to quit Bob Kulick Frank Tashlin had teaching.
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