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 Stella Stevens, who starred alongside Elvis Presley in Girls! "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. 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. You made three films with Glenn Ford: The Courtship of Eddies Father (1963), Advance to the Rear (1964) and Rage (1966). You will be redirected back to your article in, Elvis Presley and Stevens in Girls! 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 estate said I think its a good film; I like it. Begin typing your search above and press return to search. In 2017, shed say that her favorite director that she worked with was Vincente Minnelli on The Courtship of Eddies Father, from 1963. Her character met a grisly end. 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. Just relax, let it come out, and it would look fine on screen, he told me. Girls! It was the first thing he had ever done for television in color. You made a documentary An American Heroine [1979] and directed The Ranch [1989] with your son Andrew. And when he was 81, I worked with him one more time on an episode of the TV series Hec Ramsey [1972]. Girls! with Elvis Presley, which she only agreed to do because she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it. Her son told the Hollywood Reporter she had been in a hospice for some time with Alzheimer's disease. Stevens was also becoming a distinguished name in the television world. 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. BACK. She was 84. I was under contract to Paramount in those days. For two seasons in the early 80s, she starred in the primetime soap Flamingo Road and later had recurring roles in Santa Barbara and General Hospital. She was 84. Home. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. Because if it did, it doesnt show. 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. A A. 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. Girls! and with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor as well as in disaster film The Poseidon Adventure, died Friday in Los Angeles. Leemage. 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. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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. Jerry always walked in early, and he was the last one to leave in the evening. in 1960. 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. Girls! Along with her son, Stevens is survived by three grandchildren. She also directed a pair of films: The Ranch (1989) and The American Heroine (1979). Stella Stevens was married to Noble Herman Stephens. The more it went on, the more he drank and the worse it got. Mel Torm, Skip Ward, Michael Dante, Robert Stevens worked in television, too, on series such as Murder She Wrote and Magnum, P.I. What about Elvis Presley, did he support you in any way? 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 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. Girls! Girls! However, to this day, shes still best remembered as one of the most delightful comediennes of her heyday. She was 84. 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. She was 84. Girls!, starring opposite Presley in 1962, Stevens said she did not like the script, but Paramount told her she was contractually obliged to do it. Girls!, Dean Martin in How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life, Bobby Darin in Too Late Blues, Chuck Conners in Synanon and Glenn Ford in The Courtship of Eddies Father, ADvance to the Rear and Rage. 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. 1938) has always been one of the screens most prominent leading ladies of the 1960s and 1970s. Famed for her appearances in The Nutty Professor (with Jerry Lewis), Girls! Stevens also produced and directed The American Heroine in 1979 and The Ranch in 1989, but as usual her natural sexual appeal caused issues as most wanted to focus on her appearance over her instructions. Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. The couple had one son together named Andrew Stevens (who would grow up to became a successful writer/director/producer) before they divorced in 1957. And if you ask me, I do believe thats why the film still holds up after all those years. 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. "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. Stevens estate said she died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness. She was 84. 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. Free How important has that film been in your career? Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! While most admired Stevens for her bombshell appearance, the actress/model possessed more capabilities than just looking pretty. and with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor, has died at the age of 84, family members say. 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 Stevens also ranked as no. Stella Stevens in a bikini, circa 1960. Stella Stevens, a Memphis kid who found international success as a Hollywood sex 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 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. in 1963. 1 of 534. Later the studio dropped her, but she was signed by Paramount. Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. 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: Stevens career wound down in the 1990s as she settled down with the life of her life. Hollywood actress Stella Stevens, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in Girls! I want to go on forever. Anyone who knew himwhich is nearly the entire motion picture industryhas great memories and wonderful stories to tell about him. The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol, Stevens told FilmTalk in 2017. 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. 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. and with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor, has died at the age of 84, family members say. 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. Free shipping for many products! 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 wound up under contract with Paramount and then Columbia through the 60s, starring opposite such big names as Presley in Girls! with Elvis Presley, which she only agreed to do because she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it. 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! Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. 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. A Golden Globe winner as Most Promising Newcomer for her screen debut in Frank Tashlins 1959 romantic comedy Say One For Mealong with Tuesday Weld, Angie Dickinson, and Janet Munroactress Stella Stevens (b. Actress Stella Stevens appears at a Sterns Department Store in New York on Jan. 8, 1968. What a tremendous body of work and loss. I want to be like this man. 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. Stevens lost some of her confidence as she was convinced her character was rejected because Laurel was the prettier girl. Isnt that something? It turned into John Cassavetes Too Late Blues, with Bobby Darrin. WebStella Stevens passed away 2023-10-01 in This is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories. 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.