American actress and model

Stella Stevens (born Estelle Eggleston; October 1, 1938) is an American retired actress. She began her acting career in 1959, and starred in such popular films as Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962), The Nutty Professor (1963), The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963), The Silencers (1966), Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968), The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970), and The Poseidon Adventure (1972).

Stevens also appeared in numerous television series, miniseries, and movies, including Alfred Hitch* Presents (1960, 1988), Bonanza (1960), The Love Boat (1977, 1983), Hart to Hart (1979), Newhart (1983), Murder, She Wrote (1985), Magnum, P.I. (1986), Highlander: The Series (1995), and Twenty Good Years (2006). In 1960, she won a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress. Stevens has also worked as a film producer, director, and writer. She appeared in three Playboy pictorials, and was Playmate of the Month for January 1960.

Contents

• 1 Early life
• 2 Film career
• 3 Television career
• 4 Additional work
• 5 Personal life
• 6 Filmography
  • 6.1 Films
  • 6.2 Television
  • 6.3 As director
• 7 See also
• 8 References
• 9 External links

Early life

She was born Estelle Eggleston on October 1, 1938 in Yazoo City, Mississippi, the only child of Thomas Ellett Eggleston and his wife Dovey Estelle (née Caro). One of her great-grandfathers was Henry Clay Tyler, an early settler from Boston and a jeweler who gave the Yazoo City courthouse cupola its clock.

When Stevens was four, her parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where they lived on Carrington Road near Highland Street. Her father was an insurance salesman, and her mother was a nurse. Stevens attended St. Anne's Catholic School on Highland Street and Sacred Heart School on Jefferson Avenue, finishing her final year of high school in 1955 at the Memphis Evening School at Memphis Tech High School.

At age 16, she married electrician Noble Herman Stephens on December 1, 1954, probably in Memphis. Six months later, they had one child, Herman Andrew Stephens, who was later known as actor/producer Andrew Stevens. He is Stella's only child. The couple divorced in 1957, but Stella and her son retained a variation of her ex-husband's surname as their own professional surnames. While studying at Memphis State College, she became interested in acting and modeling. According to her official biography, "Her schooling in Memphis, included a couple of years at Memphis State University, where she was noticed in the school play Bus Stop. The Memphis Press-Scimitar review of that performance in Memphis sparked her career."

Film career

Stevens made her film debut in Say One for Me (1959), a modest musical produced by and starring Bing Crosby, appearing in the minor role of a chorus girl. Stevens' contract with 20th Century-Fox was dropped after six months. After winning the role of App*ionata Von Climax in the musical Li'l Abner (1959), she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures (1959-1963). In 1960, she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress for her performance in Say One for Me, sharing the distinction with fellow up-and-comers Tuesday Weld, Angie Dickinson, and Janet Munro.

In January 1960, she was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month, and was also featured in Playboy pictorials in 1965 and 1968. She was included in Playboy's 100 Sexiest Stars of the 20th Century, appearing at number 27. During the 1960s, she was one of the most photographed women in the world.

In 1961, she starred opposite Bobby Darin in John C*avetes' Too Late Blues, and in 1962, she starred opposite Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls!. The following year, she appeared in two successful comedy films: Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor (1963), as his student and love interest Stella Purdy, and in Vincente Minnelli's The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963), playing the would-be "Miss Montana" beauty queen.

In 1964, she signed a contract with Columbia Pictures (1964–68). Following appearances in Synanon (1965) and The Secret of My Success (1965), Stevens starred as a sexy but clumsy government agent opposite Dean Martin in the Matt Helm spy spoof The Silencers (1966). Her final film for Columbia was Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) in which she played Sister George.

In 1970, Stevens starred opposite Jason Robards in Sam Peckinpah's The Ballad of Cable Hogue, for which she received positive reviews. In his review in The New York Times, Roger Greenspun wrote, "But it is Stella Stevens, at last in a role good enough for her, who most wonderfully sustains and enlightens the action." In 1972, she costarred with Jim Brown in blaxploitation Slaughter, later in the year costarring in Irwin Allen's hugely successful disaster film The Poseidon Adventure, starring Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDowall, and Shelley Winters. Stevens played the role of Linda Rogo, the "refreshingly outspoken" ex-pros*ute wife of Borgnine's character. In 1986, she appeared in Monster in the Closet.

Although she continued to appear in feature films for the next four decades, Stevens shifted the focus of her career to television series, miniseries, and movies.

Television career

Stella Stevens and Hugh O'Brian, General Electric Theater, 1961

Stevens appeared in several top television series in the 1960s, including Alfred Hitch* Presents (1960), General Electric Theater (1960, 1961), and Ben Casey (1964). One of her earliest television appearances was in a critically acclaimed 1960 episode of Bonanza, "Silent Thunder", playing a deaf mute.

In the early 1970s, she began working regularly on television series, miniseries, and movies. She appeared in episodes of such popular series as Banacek (1973) and Police Story (1975), as well as the pilot films for Wonder Woman (1975), The Love Boat (1977), and Hart to Hart (1979). In 1979, she appeared along with son Andrew Stevens in The Oregon Trail (1977) episode "Hannah's Girl".

In the 1980s, she continued to work regularly in series such as Newhart (1983), The Love Boat (1983), Fantasy Island (1983), Highway to Heaven (1984), Night Court (1984), Murder, She Wrote (1985), Magnum, P.I. (1986), and Father Dowling Mysteries (1987). Stevens appears in 34 episodes of the primetime soap opera Flamingo Road (1981–82), as Lute-Mae Sanders, the former madam of a brothel.

From 1989 to 1990, she had a role on Santa Barbara as Phyllis Blake. Her string of appearances on popular television series continued into the 1990s with The Commish (1993), Burke's Law (1994), Highlander: The Series (1995), Silk Stalkings (1996), and General Hospital (1996, 1999). She also appeared in the critically acclaimed miniseries In Cold Blood (1996). Her television career continued into the 2000s when she appeared in an episode of Twenty Good Years (2006).

Additional work

In the 1960s, Stevens was a member of a five-voice vocal ensemble called The Skip-Jacks. That group is best known for performing the theme songs for the television programs The Flintstones and The Patty Duke Show.

Stevens appeared in several stage productions, including a touring production of an all-female version of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple opposite Sandy Dennis. Stevens played the Oscar Madison character. She produced and directed two films, The Ranch (1989) and The American *e (1979). In 1999, she co-wrote a novel, Razzle Dazzle, about a Memphis-born singer named Johnny Gault.

Personal life

In late 1976, Stevens purchased a ranch in Methow Valley near Carlton, Washington, on the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains. She also opened an art gallery and bakery in the nearby small town of Twisp, Washington.

In 1983, Stevens began a long-term relationship with rock guitarist Bob Kulick. A little over a year later, he moved into Stevens' Beverly Hills home.In March 2016, Kulick and Stevens sold her longtime Beverly Hills home, and she moved to a long-term Alzheimer's care facility in Los Angeles. Kulick often visited her there until his death on May 28, 2020.

Filmography

Films

• Say One for Me (1959) as Chorine
• The Blue Angel (1959) as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
• Li'l Abner (1959) as App*ionata Von Climax
• Man-Trap (1961) as Nina Jameson
• Too Late Blues (1961) as Jess Polanski
• Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) as Robin Gantner
• The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) as Dollye Daly
• The Nutty Professor (1963) as Stella Purdy
• Advance to the Rear (1964) as Martha Lou Williams
• Synanon (1965) as Joaney Adamic
• The Secret of My Success (1966) as Violet Lawson
• The Silencers (1966) as Gail Hendricks
• Rage (1966) as Perla
• How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life (1968) as Carol Corman
• Sol Madrid (1968) as Stacey Woodward
• Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) as Sister George
• The Mad Room (1969) as Ellen Hardy
• The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970) as Hildy
• A Town Called * (1971) as Alvira
• Stand Up and Be Counted (1972) as Yvonne Kellerman
• Slaughter (1972) as Ann
• The Poseidon Adventure (1972) as Linda Rogo
• Arnold (1973) as Karen
• The Day the Earth Moved (1974) as Kate Barker
• Las Vegas Lady (1975) as Lucky
• Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975) as Bianca Javin / Dragon Lady
• Nickelodeon (1976) as Marty Reeves
• Mister Deathman (1977) as Liz
• The Manitou (1978) as Amelia Crusoe
• Wacko (1982) as Mrs. Doctor Graves
• Ladies Night (1983) as Shelly
• Chained Heat (1983) as Captain Taylor
• The Longshot (1986) as Nicki Dixon
• Monster in the Closet (1986) as Margo
• Down the Drain (1990) as Sophia
• The Terror Within II (1991) as Kara
• Last Call (1991) as Betty
• Mom (1991) as Beverly Hills
• The Nutt House (1992) as Mrs. Robinson
• Exiled in America (1992) as Sonny Moore
• South Beach (1992) as Nancy
• Little Devils: The Birth (1993) as Mrs. Clara Madison
• Eye of the Stranger (1993) as Doc
• Hard Drive (1994) as Susan
• Point of Seduction: Body Chemistry III (1994, Video) as Frannie Sibley
• Molly & Gina (1994) as Mrs. Sweeny
• Illicit Dreams (1995) as Cicily
• The Granny (1995, Video) as Granny
• Body Chemistry 4: Full Exposure (1995, Video) as Fran Sibley
• Star Hunter (1995, Video) as Mrs. March
• Virtual Combat (1996, Video) as Mary
• Invisible Mom (1996, Video) as Mrs. Herbert Pringle
• Bikini Hotel (1997) as Gail Regent
• Size 'Em Up (2001)
• The Long Ride Home (2003) as Fiona Champyon
• Blessed (2004) as Betty
• Gl* Trap (2005) as Joan Highsmith
• Hell to Pay (2005) as Mary Potter
• Popstar (2005) as Henrietta
• Megaconda (2010) as Mary Jane, (final film role)

Television

• Alfred Hitch* Presents (1960, Episode: "Craig's Will") as Judy
• Johnny Ringo (1960, Episode: "Uncertain Vengeance") as Suzanne Crale
• Hawaiian Eye (1960, Episode: "Kakua Woman") as Carol Judd
• Bonanza (1960, Episode: "Silent Thunder") as Ann 'Annie' Croft
• Riverboat (1960, Episode: "Zigzag") as Lisa Walters
• General Electric Theater (1960, Episode: "The Graduation Dress") as Laura Jericho
• General Electric Theater (1961, Episode: "The Great Alberti") as May Alberti
• Follow the Sun (1961, Episode: "Conspiracy of Silence") as Linda Laurence
• Frontier Circus (1962, Episode: "The Balloon Girl") as Katy Cogswell
• Ben Casey (1964, 2 episodes) as Jane Han*
• In Broad Daylight (1971, TV Movie) as Elizabeth Chappel
• Ghost Story (1972, Episode: "The Dead We Leave Behind") as Joanna Brent
• Hec Ramsey (1972, Episode: "Hangman's Wages") as Ivy Turnwright
• Climb an Angry Mountain (1972, TV Movie) as Sheila Chilko
• Banacek (1973, Episode: "Ten Thousand Dollars a Page") as Jill Hammond
• Linda (1973, TV Movie) as Linda Reston
• Honky Tonk (1974, TV Movie) as Gold Dust
• The Day the Earth Moved (1974, TV Movie) as Kate Barker
• Police Story (1975, Episode: "The Losing Game") as Margaret Case
• Wonder Woman (1975, Episode: "The New Original Wonder Woman") as Marcia
• Kiss Me, Kill Me (1976, TV Movie) as Stella Stafford
• Wanted: The Sundance Woman (1976, TV Movie) as Lola Wilkins
• The Love Boat (1977, TV movie, pilot)
• Charlie Cobb: Nice Night for a Hanging (1977, TV Movie) as Martha McVea
• Murder in Peyton Place (1977, TV Movie) as Stella Chernak
• The Night They Took Miss Beautiful (1977, TV Movie) as Kate Malloy
• The Oregon Trail (1977, Episode: "Hannah's Girl", appears with her son, Andrew Stevens) as Hannah Morgan
• The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978, 1 episode)
• The Jordan Chance (1978, TV Movie) as Verna Stewart
• Friendships, Secrets and Lies (1979, TV Movie) as Edyth
• Hart to Hart (1979, Episode: "Express to Terror") as Dr. Fleming
• The French Atlantic Affair (1979), miniseries
• Make Me an Offer (1980, TV Movie) as Deidre Price
• Flamingo Road (1980–1982, 34 episodes) as Lute-Mae Sanders
• Children of Divorce (1980, TV Movie) as Sherry Malik
• Twirl (1981, TV Movie) as Carolyn Moore
• Matt Houston (1983, Episode: "Whose Party Is It Anyway?") as Clover McKenna
• The Love Boat (1983, 3 episodes) as Toni Cooper / Kathy Costello / Leonara Klopman
• Women of San Quentin (1983, TV Movie) as Lt. Janet Alexander
• Newhart (1983, 2 episodes) as Erica Chase
• Fantasy Island (1983, 2 episodes) as Marion Sommers / Maatira
• Amazons (1984, TV Movie) as Kathryn Lundquist
• No Man's Land (1984, TV Movie) as Nellie Wilder
• Hotel (1984, Episode: "Flesh and Blood") as Rita DeLaine
• Highway to Heaven (1984, Episode: "Help Wanted: Angel") as Stella
• Night Court (1984, Episode: "Harry and the Madam") as Irene Danbury
• Murder, She Wrote (1985, Episode: "Funeral at Fifty-Mile") as Sally Mestin
• A Masterpiece of Murder (1986, TV Movie) as Della Vance / Deb Potts
• Magnum, P.I. (1986, Episode: "Find Me a Rainbow") as Loretta 'Lolly' Zachary van der Post
• The History of White People in America: Volume II (1986, TV Movie)
• Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica Jackson (1987, TV Movie) as Mimi Carteret
• Adventures Beyond Belief (1987, TV Movie) as Mrs. Loretta Kemble
• Tales from the Hollywood Hills: A Table at Ciro's (1987, TV Movie) as Mimi Carteret
• Father Dowling Mysteries (1987, "Fatal Confession") as Katherine 'Kate' St. Urban
• Man Against the Mob (1988, TV Movie) as Joey Day
• Alfred Hitch* Presents (1988, Episode: "Twist") as Georgia Brooks
• Jake Spanner, Private Eye (1989, TV Movie) as Sandra Summers
• Santa Barbara (1989–1990, 66 episodes) as Phyllis Blake
• Dream On (1990, Episode: "Over Your Dead Body") as Lyla Murphy
• In the Heat of the Night (1991, Episode: "A Woman Much Admired") as Georgia Farren
• Dangerous Curves (1992, Episode: "In the Name of Love") as Muffy Fuller
• The Commish (1993, Episode: "Eastbridge Boulevard") as Donna DeVries
• Burke's Law (1994, Episode: "Who Killed the Romance?") as Candice Collier
• Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women (1994, TV Movie) as Lawanda
• Highlander: The Series (1995, Episode: "Vendetta") as Margaret Lang
• Dave's World (1995, Episode: "The Mommies") as Dave's Mother
• Subliminal Seduction (1996, TV Movie) as Mrs. Beecham
• Renegade (1996, Episode: "Love Hurts") as Amanda Sixkiller
• Arli$$ (1996, Episode: "What About the Fans?") as Flora Lansing
• Silk Stalkings (1996, Episode: "When She Was Bad") as Mrs. Morton
• In Cold Blood (1996, 2 episodes) as Hotel Keeper
• General Hospital (1996-1999)
• The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! (1997, TV Movie) as Josephine 'Mama Jo' Max
• Nash Bridges (1997, Episode: "Deliverance") as Suzie Dupree
• The Christmas List (1997, TV Movie) as Natalie Parris
• Viper (1998, Episode: "The Getaway") as Lorraine
• By Dawn's Early Light (2000, TV Movie) as Eli
• Strip Mall (2001, 5 episodes) as Doreen Krudup
• Twenty Good Years (2006, Episode: "The Crying Game") as Martha

As director

• The American *e (1979)
• The Ranch (1989)

See also

• List of people in Playboy 1960–1969

References

External links

• Official website for Stella Stevens
• Stella Stevens at IMDb
• Stella Stevens at the TCM Movie Database
• Stella Stevens at AllMovie
• Stella Stevens at Playboy Online

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