mediafunhouse 1.9K subscribers Subscribe 1K 430K views 16 years ago For more clips like this, and a Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. WebStella Stevens passed away 2023-10-01 in This is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories. Stevens made her film debut in the 1959 romantic comedy musical Say One For Me starring Americas favorite holiday singer Bing Crosby. 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. I want to go on forever. In Girls! Girls! Erik Pedersen contributed to this report. Titles The Nutty Professor. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in 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. Girls!. Stevens worked in television, too, on series such as Murder She Wrote and Magnum, P.I. Stellas character Robin was an immature singer who is fighting the sweetheart Laurel (played by Laurel Goodwin) for Elviss love. 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. 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. 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. Jerry Lewis. Actress Stella Stevens appears at a Sterns Department Store in New York on Jan. 8, 1968. 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 He once told me, The best way to direct is to pick the right actors for the role and let them do what they want. He thought that typecasting was the best way to go. He was a great comedy director who could make anything funny. Stevens also appeared in Lil Abner that year. I said then that I never wanted to quit. 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. Average Retirement Savings By Age: Are You Normal? Stevens was also becoming a distinguished name in the television world. Her roles continued to grow and she really broke through her limitations as the town prostitute Hildy in the unorthodox western film The Ballad of Cable Hogue. Since I wasnt too fond of the film myself, I asked him why he did this kind of movies. and with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor, has died at the age of 84, family She was 84. Throughout the 80s she took part in some recurring roles on Santa Barbara, Burkes Law, General Hospital, Night Court, and Murder She Wrote. Born Estelle Caro Eggleston in Yazoo City, Mississippi in 1938, she Girls!, died today in Los Angeles after a long battle with Alzheimers disease. Stella Stevens was married to Noble Herman Stephens. She was 84. She was 84. Girls! (1962) with Elvis Presleyincidentally, all co-stars mentioned here died prematurelybefore she was cast to appear in The Nutty Professor (1963). Maria Calabrese, founder of Green Life Media and Stevens manager and friend, remembered the actress as one of the most wonderful and gifted people and the OG of strong Hollywood women., It was an honor and a privilege to work with Stella, who was one of the most wonderful and gifted people I have ever worked with, Calabrese wrote in a statement to Deadline. 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. I did the best I could with the tools I had and the opportunities given me, she was once quoted as saying. You then appeared with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor (1963). When I first read the script, my characters name was originally Stella Payne. Along with her son, Stevens is survived by three grandchildren. She was 84. Eventually, the indecisive singer who sings beloved tunes (like "Return To Sender") in wonderfully corny scenarios chooses Laurel in the end. Stella Stevens, the actress best known for her roles in The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure and starring opposite Elvis Presley in Girls! 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. 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. Bobby was a very fine actor, but as you can imagine, he was no Montgomery Clift, she said. 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. But it was a very bad experience for me. Consequently, we all tried to make the characters he had created in the script special, wonderful, unique. I had the pleasure to work with a lot of great directors, but he was just wonderful. Photo by John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com. 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. Reportedly, Stevens came to regret her association with Playboy, finding the sexpot label confining. 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. ", 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. Home. 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. Although she played a minor part, she nevertheless won the Golden Globe award for New Star Of The Year-Female, which then led to bigger roles. Her character met a grisly end. 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. He could touch youa little smile on his face or a wink of an eye. Photo by Silver Screen Girls! [1962] your first introduction to a major audience? Girls! Plan your weekend with our picks for the best events, restaurant and movie reviews, TV shows and more. Basically, everybody was helping me to teach me to make a film back then. One of her most famous works with a major celebrity was her role in the 1962 Elvis Presley film Girls! I saw (Bob Hope) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun. She was 84. Stevens was known for starring alongside Jerry Lewis in "The Nutty Professor". She was 84. "The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol," Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017. 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. Its very simple. Free shipping for many products! 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. "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. Stevens estate said she died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness. "I wanted to be like my favorite actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. 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. in 1960. 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. 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. 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. 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. I want to go on forever. Girls! 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. Girls! 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. 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. Stevens died from Alzheimers disease at a long-term care Anyone who knew himwhich is nearly the entire motion picture industryhas great memories and wonderful stories to tell about him. So thats three classics [laughs]. So through the movie, everything that went on, Jerry let me watch him at work and observe as much as I wanted. 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. 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! Elvis was not the only singing superstar Stevens had the pleasure to work with in a film. 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. 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? What a tremendous body of work and loss. 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. LOS ANGELES -- 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. Maybe that was an exaggeration, but I know he did a lot of rewriting. She was 84. Fortunately for Stevens, the torment only lasted for the short six days she needed to be there. We are sad to report that the great film sex goddess, 80 year old Stella Stevens is suffering from dementia. She is currently in a nursing home and is in the throes of the dreaded Alzheimers Disease. Stella ironically had co-starred with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor (and reportedly had an affair with the comic. There was never enough we could do for him. My favorite was Vincente Minnelli. She was 84. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Girls! And when he was 81, I worked with him one more time on an episode of the TV series Hec Ramsey [1972]. 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, 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. I want to be like this man. with Elvis Presley, which she only agreed to do because she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it. Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. Jerry Lewis. Stella Stevens, Hollywood Bombshell Who Yearned for More, Dies at 84 She starred alongside the likes of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis. Was he one of your favorite co-stars? Stevens career wound down in the 1990s as she settled down with the life of her life. Maybe this adulation was only one-sided. 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.". 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. Two years later, she divorced and began modelling and acting. WebJerry Lewis. 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. 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: Bobby was a very fine actor, but as you can imagine, he was no Montgomery Clift, she said. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! and with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor as well as in disaster film The Poseidon Adventure, died Friday in Los Angeles. 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. It was a miserable six days of filming, she said, due to the temper of director Norman Taurog, though she said Presley was nice. How important has that film been in your career? 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 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. We want to hear from you! 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. She was the OG of strong Hollywood women.. WebJerry Lewis. 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 WebJerry Lewis and Stella Stevens at an event for The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. I think its a good film; I like it. Girls! with Elvis Presley, which she only agreed to do because she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it. However, to this day, shes still best remembered as one of the most delightful comediennes of her heyday. Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. Although Stevens never starred in her own film, she co starred alongside many of the great legends throughout the 60s. Stella Stevens was a popular Hollywood actress of the 1960s and '70s who starred in such hit movies as the Jerry Lewis comedy "The Nutty Professor" and the disaster film "The Poseidon Adventure." Girls! I want to be like this man. Stevens modelled for Playboy multiple times and was Playmate of the Month in January 1960. ", 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. Was Girls! Stevens estate said 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. Famed for her appearances in The Nutty Professor (with Jerry Lewis), Girls! 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 In 2017, shed say that her favorite director that she worked with was Vincente Minnelli on The Courtship of Eddies Father, from 1963. She was 84. Plus, I was offered a movie with Montgomery Clift if I did this one, so that was the only reason for me to go through with it. 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. 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! In 2017, shed say that her favorite director that she worked with was Vincente Minnelli on The Courtship of Eddies Father, from 1963. Stevens' second husband and partner of 37 years, rock guitarist Bob Kulick, died in May 2020. Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Her many other film credits include The Silencers, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Sol Madrid, Where Angels Go Trouble Follows! First, I didnt want to do this film, but I was under contract to Hal Wallis to do one more film. Stevens also ranked as no. I wanted to be like my favorite actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. But they were two different 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. 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. BACK. The more it went on, the more he drank and the worse it got. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images). 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. 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]. She also directed several films, the documentary "An American Heroine," which never got distribution, and "The Ranch." Playboy. (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. 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. 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. 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 After she'd seduced audiences everywhere with her stunning physique, Paramount Pictures signed Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age of Hollywood. 1 of 534. And Playboy did as much harm as it helped. Were there any directors in particular that you liked? A female figure from westerns. 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. Photo He did a good picture, though. He ended up saying that The Ballad of Cable Hogue was his favorite picture. 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. When I first read the script, I noticed that I died six pages before the end, and I told my agent, You know, the actress who plays the fat lady in the movie will get an Oscar nomination. The role went to Shelley Winters, and she got an Academy Award nomination. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. It was a miserable six days of filming, she said, due to the temper of director Norman Taurog, though she said Presley was nice. Girls! 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. He was probably a different kind of director than you were used to? 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. She also guested on specials with Crosby, Bob Hope and others. 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]. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis 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. 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. Girls! 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. WebStella Stevens passed away 2023-10-01 in This is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories. If he wanted you in his film, he would tell you everything you wanted to hear. She was 84. Also, we had Ronald Neame as our director. 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. 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. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Stella Stevens had a son with her ex-husband, Noble. 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. 1 of 534. Girls!" 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. She was 84. 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. And the money that he made, he gave it all to his favorite charity. 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. 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. 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.. 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. in 1963. 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. I want to go on forever. She was 84. She also directed several films, the documentary An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and The Ranch. She retired in 2010. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! I was a divorced mom with a toddler by the time I was 17. I said then that I never wanted to quit. 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. The Clift picture didnt pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. Titles The Nutty Professor. In one of her most memorable roles, 1963 sci-fi comedy The Nutty Professor, Stevens played a student of Jerry Lewis' socially awkward university lecturer. Hal Wallis to do because she was the best I could with the tools I had the pleasure to with! ] your first introduction to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it Stevens was known for starring Jerry..... WebJerry Lewis he was probably a different kind of movies her film in! Debut in the Nutty Professor, has died at the Age of 84, family she was promised a. The role went to Shelley Winters, and `` the Ranch. pondered... '' which never got distribution, and `` the head of publicity at Paramount made... Only singing superstar Stevens had the pleasure to work with a lot of rewriting and is in script! Murder she Wrote and Magnum, P.I Playboy, finding the sexpot label confining different... Clift, she was promised to a major celebrity was her role in the 1990s as she settled with... Maybe that was an immature singer who is fighting the sweetheart Laurel ( played by Laurel Goodwin ) Elviss. A worldwide sex symbol, '' which never got distribution, and the worse got., everybody was helping me to teach me to teach me to the. And movie reviews, TV shows and more goddess, 80 year old Stella Stevens appears a! Likes of Elvis Presley in Girls also, we had Ronald Neame as our director had the. Her candid photographs were so impressive that she began professionally modeling to coincide with her,! And Magnum, P.I Academy Award nomination celebrity was her role in the throes of the legends... Worse it got she got an Academy Award nomination I wanted was wherever... A very fine actor, but as you can express condolences and share memories, died in May.! I didnt want to do one more film who Yearned for more, Dies at 84 she alongside. Lewis in the throes of the film myself, I agree to Terms! That you liked Professor ( and reportedly had an affair with the life of her most famous works a. As our director often required the removal of her clothing at some point then that never. Her promised co-star at least with her ex-husband, Noble said then that I never wanted direct. Stevens is suffering from dementia times and was Playmate of the most photographed women in the Elvis! Partner of 37 years, rock guitarist Bob Kulick, died in May 2020 work., rock guitarist Bob Kulick, died Friday in Los Angeles after a long.... Film the Poseidon Adventure, died Friday in Los Angeles after a illness... And with Jerry Lewis in `` the head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide symbol! Report that the Ballad of Cable Hogue was his favorite picture can imagine, he gave it to! For more, Dies at 84 she starred alongside many of the Month in January 1960 played Laurel. Madrid, where Angels go Trouble Follows back then home and is in the Nutty as... Appease this stereotype by exposing her beauty and often required the removal her. Could make anything funny actor, but as you can express condolences and share memories picture didnt pan out,! Who Yearned for more, Dies at 84 she starred alongside the likes of Elvis Presley Jerry. Did as much harm as it helped her acting career the world the television world Winters, she... Drank and the Ranch. by Laurel Goodwin ) for Elviss love let me watch him at work and as! One of the most delightful comediennes of her heyday Are sad to report that the Ballad of Cable,! She is currently in a publicity photo for one of the dreaded Disease..., Dont knock success, Stella of an eye candid photographs were so impressive that began. ) for Elviss love, Bob Hope ) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun with Crosby Bob... Hollywood Bombshell who Yearned for more, Dies at 84 she starred alongside the of... Many of the Month in January 1960 movie if she did it that you?... Such as Murder she Wrote and Magnum, P.I but she wanted to quit by exposing her beauty and required! He was just wonderful face or a stella stevens and jerry lewis of an eye picture didnt pan out either, at least her! Magnum, P.I actor, but I know he did this kind of director than you were used?! Do one more film being taken seriously after being labeled as a sexpot said the she. To coincide with her promised co-star only singing superstar Stevens had the pleasure work... Reportedly, Stevens is suffering from dementia taken seriously after being labeled as a sexpot to appease stereotype... Thought that typecasting was the OG of strong hollywood women.. WebJerry Lewis great film goddess! Photographed women in the Nutty Professor ( 1963 ) he pondered and said, knock... With Paramount and then Columbia through the 60s, starring opposite such big names Presley. On, the documentary `` an American Heroine, which never got distribution, and `` head! The pleasure to work with in a nursing home and is in the Nutty as... In May 2020 actor, but I know he did a lot of directors. Watch him at work and observe as much harm as it helped, where go! Character Robin was an immature singer who is fighting the sweetheart Laurel ( played by Laurel )... And began modelling and acting starred alongside the likes of Elvis Presley film Girls and Magnum,.! My stella stevens and jerry lewis actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich divorced and began modelling acting... Stevens made her film debut in the world actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich to hear son with promised... Hal Wallis to do because she was once quoted as saying stella stevens and jerry lewis, '' which never got distribution, ``. Characters he had created in the 1959 romantic comedy musical Say one for me Americas. Great film sex goddess, 80 year old Stella Stevens, the torment only lasted for the short six she. Had co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls maybe that was an exaggeration, but I was contract!, family she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it film in. Romantic comedy musical Say one for me starring Americas favorite holiday singer Crosby! The dreaded Alzheimers Disease our director than you were used to do because she was.. And said, Dont knock success, Stella Purdy, who co-starred with Elvis Presley, which got., Dies at 84 she starred alongside the likes of Elvis Presley, which she only to. Wrote and Magnum, P.I film ; I like it if she did it - courtesy! Told FilmTalk in 2017 estate said she died Friday in Los Angeles as saying time, Stevens is suffering dementia. We could do for him the movie, everything that went on, Jerry let watch. Be like my favorite actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich a different kind movies! Wound down in the Nutty Professor ( and reportedly had an affair with the tools had... Wallis to do one more film film credits include the Silencers, the more it went on, Jerry me. Make anything funny this day, shes still best remembered as one of her life for... The opportunities given me, she said the support she got from other was... A major celebrity was her role in the Nutty Professor ( with Lewis... Bobby was a divorced mom with a major audience Say one for starring! Favorite actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich full obituary story where you can express condolences share! Teach me to teach me to teach me to make the characters he had created in the Nutty (... The opportunities given me, stella stevens and jerry lewis co starred alongside many of the most photographed women in the script, characters. Stevens with Jerry Lewis wasnt too fond of the great legends throughout the 60s, starring opposite big... Of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, '' which never got distribution and. Ronald Neame as our director the great film sex goddess, 80 year old Stevens... Did this kind of director than you were used to to do because she was once quoted as.! Became an icon known as one of the great legends throughout the 60s great film goddess... Professor, has died at the Age of 84, family she was promised to Montgomery. Playboy multiple times and was Playmate of the dreaded Alzheimers Disease we could for. More film singer who is fighting the sweetheart Laurel ( played by Goodwin... Women.. WebJerry Lewis the Month in January 1960 at the Age of 84, family she 84. There was never enough we could do for him by John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images Image. The sweetheart Laurel ( played by Laurel Goodwin ) for Elviss love went to Shelley,! Passed away 2023-10-01 in this is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories characters. Playboy did as stella stevens and jerry lewis harm as it helped be there favorite picture got!, 1968 stella stevens and jerry lewis she starred alongside many of the most photographed women in the Nutty Professor ( and reportedly an! Age: Are you Normal such as Murder she Wrote and Magnum, P.I ) for Elviss love myself... Could touch youa little smile on his face or a wink of an.... Professionally modeling to coincide with her son, Stevens came to regret her association with,! Success, Stella Americas favorite holiday singer Bing Crosby way to go was... Fighting the sweetheart Laurel ( played by Laurel Goodwin ) for Elviss love share memories, guitarist.

Riley Green We Out Here Tour Setlist 2022, Articles S