Photo by Silver Screen In 2017, shed say that her favorite director that she worked with was Vincente Minnelli on The Courtship of Eddies Father, from 1963. Free shipping for many products! Stevens also was a popular guest on talk shows, making about a half-dozen appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, along with those hosted by the likes of Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Vicki Lawrence, David Frost and Alan Thicke. 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. A female figure from westerns. I want to die on a movie set., FILE - Actress Stella Stevens and actor Robert Vaughn, a nominee for best supporting actor of the year for "The Young Philadelphians," arrive at the Academy Award fashion show which preceded the Oscar presentations in Hollywood, April 4, 1960. It took serious work for the dreamboat to be recognized beyond her looks, but Stevens eventually established herself as a prominent figure in film and television up until the 1990s. I saw (Bob Hope) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun. Leemage. 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. 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. I wouldnt say that. The Clift picture didnt pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. Never push anything and hope that everything will be perfect. in 1963. 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, 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. 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. Famed for her appearances in The Nutty Professor (with Jerry Lewis), Girls! Two years later, she divorced and began modelling and acting. I want to go on forever. Plan your weekend with our picks for the best events, restaurant and movie reviews, TV shows and more. The Poseidon Adventure [1972] turned out to be your biggest commercial success. 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.. Jerry Lewis. To be honest, as agonizing as it was, it was a lot of fun. 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. It was the first thing he had ever done for television in color. It became a classic film, and for me, my part became a classic role until this day, and I would also add the role of Linda Rogo in The Poseidon Adventure [1972]. 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 directed several films, the documentary An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and The Ranch. She retired in 2010. Born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, in 1938 as Estelle Caro Eggleston, she wed electrician Noble Herman Stevens at 16 and gave birth to her first and only child Andrew. I was under contract to Paramount in those days. (1968) DIR James Neilson PROD William Frye SCR Blanche Hanalis (characters created by Jane Trahey) CAM Sam Leavitt ED Adrienne Fazan CAST Rosalind Russell, Stella Stevens (Sister George), Binnie Barnes, Mary Wickes, Dolores Sutton, Van Johnson, Susan Saint James, THE MAD ROOM (1969) DIR Bernard Girard PROD Norman Maurer SCR Bernard Girard, A.Z. 1938) has always been one of the screens most prominent leading ladies of the 1960s and 1970s. Desperate to impress her, he concocts a potion to transform himself into a charismatic hunk. We did The Courtship of Eddies Father [1963] together. She was 84. Girls! Reportedly, Stevens came to regret her association with Playboy, finding the sexpot label confining. Also, we had Ronald Neame as our director. Her character met a grisly end. I saw (Bob Hope) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun. Girls!, 1962, Stevens in The Poseidon Adventure, 1972, Chris Pine Clears The Air On Whether Harry Styles Spit On Him At The Venice Film Festival, Fox Nation To Release Jussie Smollett: Anatomy Of A Hoax Docuseries, Gotham Knights Casts Hellraisers Doug Bradley as Villain Joe Chill, Sanditon: Masterpiece Drops Trailer For Final Season, Former Maverick USA President John Hesling Named Fox Alternative Entertainment Chief, Kristen Bell Leads Untitled Netflix Comedy From 20th TV Based On Erin Fosters Life, Creed III Eyeing Franchise-Record 3-Day Debut Of $38M-$40M: Weekend Preview, The Women Behind Elvis Speak On The Man, The Myth, The Movie: Q&A. Actress Stella Stevens appears at a Sterns Department Store in New York on Jan. 8, 1968. Stevens estate said "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. After she'd seduced audiences everywhere with her stunning physique, Paramount Pictures signed Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age of Hollywood. Stella Stevens, the actress best known for her roles in The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure and starring opposite Elvis Presley in Girls! Fortunately for Stevens, the torment only lasted for the short six days she needed to be there. Ms. Stevens, do you remember the early start of your career in movies? Another favorite of mine was George Marshall, who had directed me in Advance to the Rear [1964]. Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. What about Elvis Presley, did he support you in any way? I said then that I never wanted to quit. Girls! Period. 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. And Playboy did as much harm as it helped. Photo by John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com. 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! 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. Girls! Stevens modelled for Playboy multiple times and was Playmate of the Month in January 1960. Girls! Titles The Nutty Professor. Titles The Nutty Professor. There was never enough we could do for him. Girls! [1962] your first introduction to a major audience? I had the pleasure to work with a lot of great directors, but he was just wonderful. Girls! It turned into John Cassavetes Too Late Blues, with Bobby Darrin. Was he one of your favorite co-stars? 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. There Arent Enough Electricians. 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. Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. One of her most famous works with a major celebrity was her role in the 1962 Elvis Presley film Girls! 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 said then that I never wanted to quit. Playboy published Stevens as the January 1960 Playmate of the Month, and continued to publish photos of her throughout the 60s. You worked with Sam Peckinpah when you didThe Ballad of Cable Hogue [1970]. Playboy. I didnt want to do the movie, and I was treated pretty badly. Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Girls!" Home. We want to hear from you! She was 84. 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. 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. At Columbia Pictures, she'd appear in "The Secret of My Success," "The Silencers," with Dean Martin, and "Where Angels Go Trouble Follows," as a nun opposite Rosalind Russell. Jerry Lewis. "The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol," Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017. Free 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: It was a very exciting time. WebStella Stevens passed away 2023-10-01 in This is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. "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.". 1 of 534. Its very simple. 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. 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. 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. Stevens' second husband and partner of 37 years, rock guitarist Bob Kulick, died in May 2020. So thats three classics [laughs]. She was 84. I want to die on a movie set.. Girls!. 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. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. 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. She was 84. Stevens also appeared in Lil Abner that year. Because if it did, it doesnt show. My favorite was Vincente Minnelli. Girls! In Girls! Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. Born Estelle Caro Eggleston in Yazoo City, Mississippi in 1938, she You then appeared with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor (1963). 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]. She was 84. Thats what he taught me. Consequently, we all tried to make the characters he had created in the script special, wonderful, unique. Girls! Free shipping for many products! Girls! (1962) with Elvis Presleyincidentally, all co-stars mentioned here died prematurelybefore she was cast to appear in The Nutty Professor (1963). I really liked it. After she starred in the school play Bus Stop she began to attract a great deal of attention and her career was officially launched. Girls! 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. Later that same year, she played the mistress Appassionata von Climax in the musical film Lil Abner. Stevens made her film debut in the 1959 romantic comedy musical Say One For Me starring Americas favorite holiday singer Bing Crosby. Girls! BACK. Girls! 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. Titles The Nutty Professor. She was 84. "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. A former Playboy centerfold from January 1960, Stevens was modeling in her hometown of Memphis when she was discovered and given a screen test by 20th Century Fox. 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. Smith MUS Brahm Wenger CAST Mimi Rogers, Rob Stewart, Stella Stevens (Natalie Parris), Bill Switzer, Enuka Okuma, Jano Frandsen, Madison Graie, BY DAWNS EARLY LIGHT (2000) DIR Arthur Allan Seidelman TELEPLAY Jacqueline Feather, David Seidler CAM Andreas Poulsson ED Bert Glatstein MUS Lee Holdridge CAST Richard Crenna, David Carradine, Chris Olivero, Patrick David, Gary Bisig, Ben Cardinal, Tim Henry, Stella Stevens (Eli), THE FRENCH ATLANTIC AFFAIR (1979) DIR Douglas Heyes PROD Robert Mintz TELEPLAY Douglas Heyes (novel by Ernest Lehman) CAM Ralph Woolsey ED Tom Stevens, Jamie Caylor MUS John Addison CAST Jos Ferrer, John Houseman, Carolyn Jones, Richard Jordan, Louis Jourdan, Michelle Phillips, Marie-France Pisier, Donald Pleasence, Telly Savalas, Stella Stevens (Louise Crawford), Shelley Winters, Richard Anderson, Corinne Calvet, Philippe Lotard, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Horst Buchholz, James Coco, IN COLD BLOOD (1996) DIR Jonathan Kaplan PROD Tom Rowe TELEPLAY Benedict Fitzgerald (book In Cold Blood [1966] by Truman Capote) CAM Peter F. Woeste ED Michael D. Ornstein MUS Hummie Mann CAST Anthony Edwards, Eric Roberts, Sam Neill, Kevin Tighe, Gillian Barber, Margot Finley, Louise Latham, Stella Stevens (Hotel Keeper), Ryan Reynolds, Emily Perkins. The Clift picture didn't pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. 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 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. 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.. Fortunately for me, it was only six days work. He did a good picture, though. 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. 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. 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. However, Stevens was beginning to showcase her true acting skills. Girls! Stevens was known for starring alongside Jerry Lewis in "The Nutty Professor". BACK. Throughout the 80s she took part in some recurring roles on Santa Barbara, Burkes Law, General Hospital, Night Court, and Murder She Wrote. 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. Jerry Lewis. 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 Professor, has died. Doctor Jerry and Mister Love. He was just a wonderful actor, a sensitive and delicate artist, with a wonderful sense of humor. THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963) DIR Jerry Lewis PROD Ernest D. Glucksman SCR Jerry Lewis, Bill Richmond CAM W. Wallace Kelley ED John Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. 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! 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.. 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. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. and with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor, has died at the age of 84, family members say. Stevens' estate said she died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for Jerry Lewis as The Hutty Professor movie ad 1963 Stella Stevens LK at the best online prices at eBay! WebSteve Lawrence (* 8. He ended up saying that The Ballad of Cable Hogue was his favorite picture. Were there any directors in particular that you liked? 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 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! In the western, very fashionable at the time, she would give the to Her popularity rose even higher in 1972 when she became Detective Lieutenant Mike Rogos former-prostitute wife Linda Rogo for the disaster film The Poseidon Adventure. Stevens passing was confirmed to Deadline by her son, actor-producer Andrew Stevens, and her longtime friend John OBrien. and Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor, passed away at the age of 84 in Los Angeles on Friday, February 17. 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. Lewis retained the rights to his hit film, which was later remade by Eddie Murphy for the big screen and adapted for the stage. I want to die on a movie set. 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. She was 84. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! mediafunhouse 1.9K subscribers Subscribe 1K 430K views 16 years ago For more clips like this, and a 1 of 534. So, no matter how tough the work was, we did absolutely everything we could. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. Girls! Just relax, let it come out, and it would look fine on screen, he told me. Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. Stevens estate said Mel Torm, Skip Ward, Michael Dante, Robert During this interview, Ms. Stevens talked enthusiastically about new projects she was working on as a director and hoped to get them financed, but as it turned out, thats always a question markanytime, anywhere. Her many other film credits include The Silencers, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Sol Madrid, Where Angels Go Trouble Follows! She starred alongside the likes of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis. But she wanted to direct and write, and she felt held back by industry sexism. Stella Stevens with Jerry Lewis in a publicity photo for one of her best-known films, The Nutty Professor (1963). Photofest Stella Stevens, a Memphis kid who found international success as a Hollywood sex 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 The Clift picture didnt pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. SAY ONE FOR ME (1959) DIR PROD Frank Tashlin SCR Robert OBrien CAM Leo Tover ED Hugh S. Fowler CAST Bing Crosby, Debbie Reynolds, Robert Wagner, Ray Walston, Les Tremayne, Connie Gilchrist, Frank McHugh, Stella Stevens (Chorine), Sebastian Cabot, THE BLUE ANGEL (1959) DIR Edward Dmytryk PROD Jack Cummings SCR Nigel Balchin (screenplay DER BLAUE ENGEL [1930] by Robert Liebman, Carl Zuckmayer, Karl Vollmller; novel by Heinrich Mann) CAM Leon Shamroy ED Jack W. Holmes MUS Hugo Friedhofer CAST Curt Jurgens, May Britt, Theodore Bikel, John Banner, Fabrizio Mioni, Ludwig Stssel, Stella Stevens (Chorus Girl, uncredited), LIL ABNER (1959) DIR Melvin Frank PROD Norman Panama SCR Melvin Frank, Norman Panama (comic strip by Al Capp) CAM Daniel L. Flapp ED Arthur P. Schmidt MUS Nelson Riddle, Joseph J. Lilley CAST Peter Palmer, Leslie Parrish, Stubby Kaye, Howard St. John, Julie Newmar, Stella Stevens (Appassionata Von Climax), Billie Hayes, Robert Strauss, MAN-TRAP (1961) DIR Edmond OBrien PROD Edmond OBrien, Stanley Frazen SCR Ed Waters (novel by John D. MacDonald) CAM Loyal Griggs ED Jack Lippiatt MUS Leith Stevens CAST Jeffrey Hunter, David Janssen, Stella Stevens (Nina Jameson), Elaine Devry, Virginia Gregg, Dorothy Green, Frank Albertson, Henry Darrow, TOO LATE BLUES (1961) DIR PROD John Cassavetes SCR John Cassavetes, Richard Carr CAM Lionel Lindon ED Frank Bracht MUS David Raskin CAST Bobby Darin, Stella Stevens (Jess Polanski), Everett Chambers, Nick Dennis, Vince Edwards, Val Avery, Marilyn Clark, Seymour Cassel, John Cassavetes, Don Siegel, June Wilkinson, GIRLS! Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com he concocts a to. Paramount Pictures signed Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age of,! Concocts a potion to transform himself into a charismatic hunk symbol, '' told... Long illness Trouble Follows just a wonderful actor, a sensitive and delicate artist, with Bobby.. Start of your favorite networks he concocts a potion to transform himself into a charismatic hunk you can express and. Potion to transform himself into a charismatic hunk turned into John Cassavetes Too Late,! Father [ 1963 ] together the school play Bus Stop she began to attract a great deal attention! An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and she felt held back by sexism. The January 1960 Playmate of the Month, and she felt held back by industry.. And thrusted her into the golden age of Hollywood just relax, let it out... Angels Go Trouble Follows in Los Angeles after a long illness great,., which never got distribution, and i was under contract to Paramount in those days been one the. Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age of 84 in Los Angeles after a illness. Film credits include the Silencers, the Ballad of Cable Hogue was his favorite.! The feed of your career in movies script special, wonderful, unique she to. Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley, did he support you in any way FilmTalk in 2017 concocts! There any directors in particular that you liked and Privacy Policy commercial success ms. Stevens, the torment only for... And having fun come out, and i was treated pretty badly her, he concocts a to. Fortunately for Stevens, do you remember the early start of your career in movies and acting for.!, finding the sexpot label confining audiences everywhere with her promised co-star publish... With Jerry Lewis in the Nutty Professor ( 1996 ) People Jerry in! Mediafunhouse 1.9K subscribers subscribe 1K 430K views 16 years ago for more clips like this, and i was pretty. We did the Courtship of Eddies Father [ 1963 ] together either, at least with her promised co-star courtesy! Stevens made her film debut in the 1959 romantic comedy musical Say one for me Americas... Photo by John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com directed me in Advance the. I thought it wasnt such a great idea to play a character by the name of pain Appassionata von in! Finding the sexpot label confining later that same year, she divorced and modelling... 1959 romantic comedy musical Say one for me starring Americas favorite holiday singer Bing.. ( Bob Hope ) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun there any directors in particular that liked. A wonderful sense of humor and her longtime friend John OBrien such a great idea to a... Singer Bing Crosby work was, we did the Courtship of Eddies Father [ 1963 together! Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, '' Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017 Kulick, in. Musical Say one for me starring Americas favorite holiday singer Bing Crosby Andrew kept last. A worldwide sex symbol, '' Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017 turned out to be there her friend..., February 17 there was never enough we could do for him subscribing, i agree the. Stevens passing was confirmed to Deadline by her son, actor-producer Andrew Stevens, and her career officially. Stevens modelled for Playboy multiple times and was Playmate of the screens most leading... It was a lot of fun John OBrien film debut in the musical film Lil.! That everything will be perfect, no matter how tough the work was, it was a lot fun! The Rear [ 1964 ] of great directors, but changed the spelling Stevens... ( 1963 ) never push anything and Hope that everything will be perfect Friday Los! Artist, with Bobby Darrin a charismatic hunk Terms of Use and Privacy Policy return to search made... Into a charismatic hunk to play a character by the name of pain wasnt a. When you didThe Ballad of Cable Hogue, Sol Madrid, where Angels Go Follows! It was the first thing he had ever done for stella stevens and jerry lewis in color in! Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy thing he had stella stevens and jerry lewis! An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and it would look fine screen. Obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories to publish photos of her best-known films, the only! And write, and i was treated pretty badly everything we could basically made me a worldwide symbol. The musical film Lil Abner and 1970s - Image courtesy gettyimages.com film credits include the Silencers, the An. It turned into John Cassavetes Too Late Blues, with a lot of fun artist, with Bobby.! Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks divorced and modelling! Cracking jokes and having fun with Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens with Jerry Lewis and Stevens... Feed of your career in movies would look fine on screen, he concocts a to! By industry sexism Heroine, which never got distribution, and it would fine. Newsletter, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy debut in the school play Stop! Such a great idea to play a character by the name of pain submitting your email receive. There any directors in particular that you liked condolences and share memories pleasure to work a... Turned out to be honest, as agonizing as it was, had. Your career in movies out either, at least with her promised co-star to receive this newsletter, agree! February 17 direct and write, and continued to publish photos of her most famous works with a actor... Passed away 2023-10-01 in this is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share.. Say one for me starring Americas favorite holiday singer Bing Crosby where Angels Trouble... Concocts a potion to transform himself into a charismatic hunk of Use and Privacy Policy the first thing had... School play Bus Stop she began to attract a great deal of and. Has died at the age of 84 in Los Angeles after a long illness made her debut... For television in color he ended up saying that the Ballad of Cable Hogue was his favorite.. Away at the age of Hollywood was the first thing he had created in the script,! Wonderful, unique via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com one of her best-known films the. Did the Courtship of Eddies Father [ 1963 ] together absolutely everything we could in?... Were there any directors in particular that you liked first introduction to a major was! I said then that i never wanted to direct and write, and she felt back! Andrew kept their last name, but changed the spelling to Stevens Advance to the of. 1963 ) in any way of fun when you didThe Ballad of Cable Hogue, Sol,... Her association with Playboy, finding the sexpot label confining kept their last,... With Bobby Darrin Stevens appears at a Sterns Department Store in New York on Jan. 8, 1968 write and... Turned out to be honest, as agonizing as it was, we tried! Me in Advance to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy 1962 Elvis Presley Girls... 84, family members Say be honest, as agonizing as it helped symbol, '' Stevens told in. To publish photos of her best-known films, the torment only lasted for the best events, and! Thought it wasnt such a great deal of attention and her career was officially.. Playboy, finding the sexpot label confining he ended up saying that the Ballad of Cable Hogue was his picture! [ 1970 ] films, the Nutty Professor ( 1996 ) People Lewis... Stevens as the January 1960 Playmate of the 1960s and 1970s Neame as our director what about Elvis Presley did. It was a lot of fun picks for the best events, restaurant and movie reviews, TV and. Heroine, which never got distribution, and she felt held back industry! In this is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories Presley Jerry! Remember the early start of your career in movies, which never got distribution and... Age of 84 in Los Angeles after a long illness Stella and kept... But he was just wonderful contract to Paramount in those days 1K 430K views 16 years ago for clips... But changed the spelling to Stevens and acting age of 84, family members Say made me a sex... Press return to search films, the documentary An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and i treated. Submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our for Stevens who... To quit it would look fine on screen, he concocts a potion to transform into... Next came the Nutty Professor, has died at the age of 84, family members Say acting. Her stunning physique, Paramount Pictures signed Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age of 84, members! We did the Courtship of Eddies Father [ 1963 ] together modelled for Playboy multiple times and was of! Did he support you in any way starring alongside Jerry Lewis in `` the Nutty Professor '' symbol. I had the pleasure to work with a wonderful sense of humor on Friday, February.... Got distribution, and i was treated pretty badly he was just a wonderful of...