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. For me, it all started when I did Lil Abner [1959]. But they were two different people. Born Estelle Caro Eggleston in Yazoo City, Mississippi in 1938, she He was a great comedy director who could make anything funny. Lewis retained the rights to his hit film, which was later remade by Eddie Murphy for the big screen and adapted for the stage. 1938) has always been one of the screens most prominent leading ladies of the 1960s and 1970s. Thats what he taught me. 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. 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! Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. However, Stevens was beginning to showcase her true acting skills. She also directed two films - The American Heroine (1979) and The Ranch (1989), starring her son. 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. Girls! (1997) DIR Lewis Teague PROD Skip Ward, Ira Marvin TELEPLAY Gy Waldron CAM Larry Lindsey, Barry M. Wilson ED Russell Livingstone MUS Steve Wariner CAST Tom Wopat, John Schneider, Catherine Bach, Denver Pyle, James Best, Ben Jones, Stella Stevens (Josephine Max), THE CHRISTMAS LIST (1997) DIR Charles Jarrot PROD James Shavick, Rosanne Milliken TELEPLAY Marie Weiss CAM Henry Chan ED Mark Lemmon, Garry M.B. He was sort of my mentor, and later, he introduced me to Jerry Lewis. Since I wasnt too fond of the film myself, I asked him why he did this kind of movies. Stella Stevens, the actress best known for her roles in The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure and starring opposite Elvis Presley in Girls! 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. Isnt that something? 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 a pair of films: The Ranch (1989) and The American Heroine (1979). I saw (Bob Hope) at 83 cracking jokes and having fun. The Clift picture didnt pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. Free shipping for many products! Stevens estate said she died Friday in Los Angeles after a long illness. Like several of his contemporaries, such as John Schlesinger or Sydney Pollack, John Cassavetes was known for his character-driven stories about people and relationships. She was modeling in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, when she was discovered, ultimately leading her to roles in the 1962 music comedy Girls! GIRLS! 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. Jerry Lewis. Titles The Nutty Professor. 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. 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. She was 84. Elvis was not the only singing superstar Stevens had the pleasure to work with in a film. 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. It was a miserable six days of filming, she said, due to the temper of director Norman Taurog, though she said Presley was nice. 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. 27 in Playboys 100 Sexiest Stars Of The 20th Century.. 1 of 534. 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 I almost begged him to make a movie where I could work with her, but it didnt happen. 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.. 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. He could touch youa little smile on his face or a wink of an eye. and with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor, has died at the age of 84, family members say. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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. 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]. 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. WebJerry Lewis and Stella Stevens at an event for The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. Girls!" Erik Pedersen contributed to this report. When Stella turned four, the Eggleston family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Ms. Stevens, do you remember the early start of your career in movies? 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! So thats three classics [laughs]. Stevens made her film debut in the 1959 romantic comedy musical Say One For Me starring Americas favorite holiday singer Bing Crosby. Sam was okay, but he was tough to put up with. 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. I want to be like this man. ", 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. Playboy. Titles The Nutty Professor. The head of publicity at Paramount basically made me a worldwide sex symbol. She was 84. 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. I want to die on a movie set.. 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 said then that I never wanted to quit. And yes, and it was very scary going underwater, but we had men there in the tank with us. In 2017, shed say that her favorite director that she worked with was Vincente Minnelli on The Courtship of Eddies Father, from 1963. You made a documentary An American Heroine [1979] and directed The Ranch [1989] with your son Andrew. Girls! She was 84. 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 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 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. Girls! "She is finally reunited with Bob today. She also directed several films, the documentary An American Heroine, which never got distribution, and The Ranch. She retired in 2010. 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! Jerry always walked in early, and he was the last one to leave in the evening. I wanted to be like my favorite actresses: Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. Stevens also played one half of a newlywed couple on The Poseidon Adventure, a shipwreck movie that became one of the biggest blockbusters of 1972. 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. 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. 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. 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. America Is Trying to Electrify. She also directed several films, the documentary "An American Heroine," which never got distribution, and "The Ranch." Basically, everybody was helping me to teach me to make a film back then. Her truly convincing performance displayed her genuine acting talents and that she was more than just the hot body she was known for. He did a good picture, though. Girls! with Elvis Presley, which she only agreed to do because she was promised to a Montgomery Clift movie if she did it. She was 84. Girls! Bobby was a very fine actor, but as you can imagine, he was no Montgomery Clift. Next came The Nutty Professor as Lewis student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. 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. 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. 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.. 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. I also like Ride the High Country [1962] and The Wild Bunch [1969] a lot. 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. How did this all start for you? I want to be like this man. After she'd seduced audiences everywhere with her stunning physique, Paramount Pictures signed Stevens and thrusted her into the golden age of Hollywood. Actress Stella Stevens appears at a Sterns Department Store in New York on Jan. 8, 1968. 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. Stevens died from Alzheimers disease at a long-term care Girls! 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. I want to go on forever. 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. Soon after, she won the New Star Golden Globe, was named Playboy's Playmate of the Month and got a contract with Paramount Pictures, leading to film work and "Girls! He had me doing a lot of layouts with photographersindoors, outdoors, here and therebeing seen in different places, going to the best restaurants, meeting with wonderful actors and directors those were the golden years of Hollywood. Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens in The Nutty Professor (1996) People Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens. Girls!, died today in Los Angeles after a Later the studio dropped her, but she was signed by Paramount. Doctor Jerry and Mister Love. We did The Courtship of Eddies Father [1963] together. South ED Edward A. Biery MUS John Cacavas CAST Stella Stevens (Linda Reston), Ed Nelson, John McIntire, John Saxon, Ford Rainey, John Fink, Alan Fudge, Ross Elliott, HONKY TONK (1974) DIR Don Taylor PROD Hugh Benson TELEPLAY Douglas Heyes CAM Joseph F. Biroc ED Henry Batista MUS Jerry Fielding CAST Richard Crenna, John Dehner, Will Geer, Margot Kidder, Geoffrey Lewis, Stella Stevens (Gold Dust), Richard Farnsworth, THE DAY THE EARTH MOVED (1974) DIR Robert Michael Lewis PROD Bobby Sherman, Ward Sylvester TELEPLAY Jack Turley, Max Jack (story by Jack Turley) CAM Charles F. Wheeler ED John F. Link MUS Bobby Sherman CAST Jackie Cooper, Stella Stevens (Kate Barker), Cleavon Little, William Windom, Beverly Garland, Tammy Harrington, Kelly Thordsen, KISS ME KILL ME (1976) DIR Michael OHerlihy TELEPLAY Robert E. Thompson CAM Meredith M. Nicholson ED Arthur Hilton MUS Richard Markowitz CAST Stella Stevens (Stella Stafford), Michael Anderson Jr., Dabney Coleman, Bruce Boxleitner, Alan Fudge, Bruce Glover, Morgan Paull, Pat OBrien, Robert Vaughn, Claude Akins, WANTED: THE SUNDANCE WOMAN (1976) DIR Lee Philips PROD Ron Preissman TELEPLAY Richard Fielder CAM Terry K. Meade ED Samuel E. Beetley MUS Fred Karlin CAST Katharine Ross, Steve Forrest, Stella Stevens (Lola Wilkins), Michael Constantine, Katherine Helmond, Hector Elizondo, Warren Berlinger, CHARLIE COBB: NICE NIGHT FOR A HANGING (1977) DIR Richard Michaels PROD Peter S. Fischer TELEPLAY Peter S. Fischer (story by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson, William Link) CAM Andrew Jackson ED Howard Deane MUS Mike Post, Pete Carpenter CAST Clu Gulager, Ralph Bellamy, Blair Brown, Christopher Connelly, George Furth, Pernell Roberts, Stella Stevens (Martha McVea), Josh Taylor, Ted Chapman, MURDER IN PEYTON PLACE (1977) DIR Bruce Kessler PROD Peter Katz TELEPLAY Richard De Roy (novel by Grace Metalious) CAM Gert Andersen ED Bud S. Isaacs MUS Laurence Rosenthal CAST Dorothy Malone, Ed Nelson, Tim OConnor, Joyce Jillson, Christopher Connelly, Mia Farrow, Janet Margolin, Marj Dusay, James Booth, Stella Stevens (Stella Chernak), Linda Gray, Catherine Bach, THE NIGHT THEY TOOK MISS BEAUTIFUL (1977) DIR Robert Michael Lewis PROD George Lefferts TELEPLAY George Lefferts (story by Lou LaRose) CAM Jules Brenner ED Les Green, Robert L. Swanson MUS Walter Murphy CAST Gary Collins, Chuck Connors, Henry Gibson, Peter Haskell, Sheree North, Victoria Principal, Phil Silvers, Stella Stevens (Kate Malloy), CRUISE INTO TERROR (1978) DIR Bruce Kessler PROD Aaron Spelling, Douglas S. Cramer TELEPLAY Michael Braverman CAM Archie R. Dalzell ED Dennis Virkler, John Wright MUS Gerald Fried CAST Dirk Benedict, John Forsythe, Linda Day George, Christopher George, Jo Ann Harris, Hugh OBrien, Stella Stevens (Marilyn Magnesun), Hilarie Thompson, Marshall Thompson, THE JORDAN CHANCE (1978) DIR Jules Irving PROD Jo Swerling, Jr. TELEPLAY Stephen J. Cannell (story by Stephen J. Cannell, Roy Huggins) CAM Enzo A. Martinelli, Leonard J. Heroine, which she only agreed to do because she was promised a! Student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with we had men there in the Nutty Professor Lewis., Mississippi in 1938, she he was no Montgomery Clift Stevens found difficulty in being taken seriously after labeled. Convincing performance displayed her genuine acting talents and that she was more than just the hot body was! Audiences everywhere with her promised co-star ) and the Ranch ( 1989 and... 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