biography

Stella Stevens Born Estelle Eggleston on October 1, 1936 in Yazoo City, Mississippi, actress Stella Stevens grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. She married electrician Noble Stephens in 1954 and their son, actor Andrew Stevens, was born in the summer of 1955. After the couple divorced in 1957, Stevens attended college in Memphis, where she took an interest in acting. Supporting herself as a department store model, she was discovered while acting in a school play and offered a 20th Century Fox contract. Going to Hollywood in 1958, Stevens appeared in a small role in the 20th Century Fox musical Say One for Me (1959; with Bing Crosby and Debbie Reynolds), but the studio dropped her contract. She then signed with Paramount, where she was cast as Appassionata Von Climax in the musical Li'l Abner (1959; with Peter Palmer, Leslie Parrish, and Julie Newmar). At Paramount, Stevens acted in such films as Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962; with Elvis Presley) and The Nutty Professor (1963; with Jerry Lewis) but grew tired of the roles offered her. Eventually, she wound up at Columbia, where she acted in the gritty drama Synanon (1965; with Alex Cord and Chuck Connors), The Silencers (1966; with Dean Martin and Daliah Lavi), and Rage (1966; with Glenn Ford).

Stella StevensStella StevensStella Stevens

Gorgeous Stella Stevens in several 1960s cheesecake shots

The Mad Room (1969; with Shelley Winters and Beverly Garland) was the last film Stevens made under contract with Columbia. After three studio contracts, Stevens decided to freelance in such films as Sam Peckinpah's The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970; with Jason Robards and David Warner), A Town Called Hell (1971; with Robert Shaw and Telly Savalas), and in the big-budget disaster flick The Poseidon Adventure (1972; with Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, and Carol Lynley). In the mid 1970s, she began doing quite a bit of work in television, including the made-for-TV films Kiss Me, Kill Me (1976; with Dabney Coleman and Bruce Boxleitner) and Wanted: The Sundance Woman (1976; with Katharine Ross and Steve Forrest) while taking roles in such theatrical releases as Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975; with Tamara Dobson) and Las Vegas Lady (1975; with Stuart Whitman). She was also a series regular in NBC's Flamingo Road (1980–1982).

the films of stella stevens

Li'l Abner (1959)

Stella Stevens

Stevens' first important role came in Paramount's musical comedy Li'l Abner

G.E. True Theater (1953-1962 CBS TV Series)

Hugh O'Brian and Stella Stevens

Stevens stars along with Hugh O'Brian in a 1960 episode of the CBS anthology series G.E. True Theater titled The Graduation Dress

Man-Trap (1961)

Jeffrey Hunter and Stella Stevens

Stevens portrays Jeffrey Hunter's faithless alcoholic wife in Paramount's Man-Trap

Too Late Blues (1961)

Bobby Darin and Stella Stevens

Stevens stars alongside Bobby Darin in the Paramount drama Too Late Blues. This was the second film directed by John Cassavetes

Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962)

Stella Stevens and Elvis Presley

With Elvis Presley in the Paramount musical comedy Girls! Girls! Girls!

Synanon (1965)

Alex Cord and Stella StevensChuck Connors and Stella Stevens

From the groundbreaking Columbia drama Synanon, a tale of drug addiction and rehabilitation based on the organization of the same name. LEFT: With love interest and fellow recovering addict Alex Cord. RIGHT: With Chuck Connors

The Silencers (1966)

Daliah Lavi and Stella Stevens

From Columbia's Matt Helm spy spoof The Silencers with Daliah Lavi

Rage (1966)

Armando Silvestre and Stella Stevens

With Armando Silvestre in the Columbia thriller Rage

Sol Madrid (1968)

Stella Stevens

Stevens portrays prostitute Stacey Woodward in the MGM crime drama Sol Madrid

Where Angels Go Trouble Follows! (1968)

Rosalind Russell and Stella Stevens

With Rosalind Russell in Columbia's wholesome family comedy Where Angels Go Trouble Follows!

The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)

Stella Stevens and Jason Robards

With Jason Robards in Sam Peckinpah's comedy/drama The Ballad of Cable Hogue

The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

Jack Albertson, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDowall, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Stella Stevens, Arthur O'Connell, Shelley Winters, Gene Hackman, and Pamela Sue Martin

From the 20th Century Fox thriller The Poseidon Adventure. Pictured are Jack Albertson, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDowall, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Arthur O'Connell, Shelley Winters, Gene Hackman, and Pamela Sue Martin

Slaughter (1972)

Stella Stevens and Jim Brown

With Jim Brown in the American International action flick Slaughter

Stand Up and Be Counted (1972)

Greg Mullavey and Stella Stevens

With Greg Mullavey in the Columbia women's liberation themed comedy Stand Up and Be Counted

Arnold (1973)

Farley Granger and Stella Stevens

With Farley Granger in the black comedy Arnold

Kiss Me, Kill Me (1976)

Claude Akins and Stella Stevens

With Claude Akin in the made-for-TV thriller Kiss Me, Kill Me

The Night They Took Miss Beautiful (1977)

Gary Collins and Stella Stevens

From the NBC made-for-TV movie The Night They Took Miss Beautiful with Gary Collins

Wacko (1982)

George Kennedy and Stella Stevens

With George Kennedy in the horror film parody Wacko. This film was directed by Greydon Clark

Newhart (1982-1990 CBS TV Series)

Stella Stevens and Bob Newhart

From an October 1983 appearance on the CBS series Newhart with series star Bob Newhart

The Longshot (1986)

Stella Stevens, Harvey Korman, Ted Wass, Johnathan Winters, Jack Weston, and Tim Conway

From the Orion comedy The Longshot with Harvey Korman, Ted Wass, Johnathan Winters, Jack Weston, and Tim Conway

Monster in the Closet (1987)

Stella Stevens

As Margo in the horror film spoof Monster in the Closet

later years

While Stevens never remarried, she had a lengthy relationship with actor Skip Ward, whom she met while filming The Mad Room (1969; with Shelley Winters and Beverly Garland). In the early 1980s, Stevens began a relationship with musician Bob Kulick, which lasted until he passed away in May 2020. Over the years, she has worked with her son Andrew Stevens on a number of films, including Illicit Dreams (1994; with Shannon Tweed), Subliminal Seduction (1996; with Ian Zierling) and most recently, Popstar (2005; with Aaron Carter). Stevens also directed her son in the comedy The Ranch (1989; with Andrew Stevens). Sadly, Stevens passed away about a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease on February 17, 2023 at age 86. She is survived by her son, Andrew Stevens.

filmography

FILM
Megaconda (2010) with Michelle Bauer and Greg Evigan
Popstar (2005) with Aaron Carter, David Cassidy, Andrew Stevens, Leif Garrett, and Tracy Scoggins
Hell to Pay (2005) with Peter Brown, James Drury, Denny Miller, Andrew Prine, and Lee Majors
Glass Trap (2005) with C. Thomas Howell, Andrew Prine, and Martin Kove
Blessed (2004) with Heather Graham, James Purefoy, and David Hemmings
The Long Ride Home (2003) with Randy Travis, Eric Roberts, and Ernest Borgnine
By Dawn's Early Light (2000) with Richard Crenna and David Carradine
The Christmas List (1997) with Mimi Rogers and Marla Maples
The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! (1997) with Tom Wopat, John Schneider, Catherine Bach, Denver Pyle, James Best, Ben Jones, Sonny Shroyer, and Rick Hurst
Bikini Hotel (1997) with J.J. North and Julie Strain
In Cold Blood (1996) with Anthony Edwards, Eric Roberts, Sam Neill, Kevin Tighe, Gwen Verdon, and L.Q. Jones
Invisible Mom (1996) with Dee Wallace, Barry Livingston, Russ Tamblyn, Brinke Stevens, and John Ashley
Star Hunter (1996) with Roddy McDowall and Fred Olen Ray
Subliminal Seduction (1996) with Ian Ziering, Dee Wallace, Andrew Stevens, Larry Manetti, and Kin Shriner
Body Chemistry 4: Full Exposure (1995) with Shannon Tweed, Andrew Stevens, Larry Poindexter, and Larry Manetti
Virtual Combat (1995) with Don 'The Dragon' Wilson, Larry Poindexter, Rip Taylor, and Turhan Bey
The Granny (1995) with Teresa Ganzel
Illicit Dreams (1994) with Andrew Stevens, Shannon Tweed, Joe Cortese, and Jennifer Bassey
Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 Women (1994) with Julie Brown, Priscilla Barnes, and Margaret Cho
Molly & Gina (1994) with Frances Fisher, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Peter Fonda, Elizabeth Berkley, Greg Mullavey, and Ben Reed
Point of Seduction: Body Chemistry III (1994) with Andrew Stevens, Morgan Fairchild, and Robert Forster
Hard Drive (1994) with Edward Albert
South Beach (1993) with Fred Williamson, Peter Fonda, Gary Busey, Robert Forster, Vanity, Isabel Sanford, Sam J. Jones, and Henry Silva
Little Devils: The Birth (1993) with Russ Tamblyn
Eye of the Stranger (1993) with David Heavener, Martin Landau, Sally Kirkland, and Joe Estevez
Exiled in America (1992) with Maxwell Caulfield, Edward Albert, Viveca Lindfors, and Wings Hauser
The Nutt House (1992) with Traci Lords, Amy Yasbeck, Sandra Gould, Barry Livingston, Peter Lupus, Robert Mandan, Emil Sitka, Constance Towers, and Catherine Bach
Mom (1991) with Jeanne Bates, Brion James, and Mary Beth McDonough
Last Call (1991) with William Katt, Shannon Tweed, and Joseph Campanella
The Terror Within II (1991) with Andrew Stevens
Down the Drain (1990) with Andrew Stevens, Teri Copley, John Matuszak, Joseph Campanella, Ken Foree, Don Stroud, and Jerry Mathers
Jake Spanner, Private Eye (1989) with Robert Mitchum, Ernest Borgnine, Dick Van Patten, Sheree North, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Edie Adams
Man Against the Mob (1988) with George Peppard, Kathryn Harrold, Max Gail, and Barry Corbin
Power, Passion And Murder (1987) with Darren McGavin, Lois Chiles, Sherilyn Fenn, and Ann Magnuson
Monster in the Closet (1986) with Paul Walker, John Carradine, Claude Akins, Howard Duff, Henry Gibson, Paul Dooley, and Fergie
A Masterpiece of Murder (1986) with Bob Hope, Don Ameche, Jayne Meadows, Yvonne De Carlo, Anne Francis, Frank Gorshin, Kevin McCarthy, and Anita Morris
The Longshot (1986) with Tim Conway, Jack Weston, Harvey Korman, Ted Wass, Anne Meara, and Frank Bonner
The History of White People in America: Volume II (1986) with Martin Mull, Mary Kay Place, Fred Willard, Eileen Brennan, Michael McKean, Jack Riley, and Harry Shearer
No Man's Land (1984) with Frank Bonner, Donna Dixon, Terri Garber, Estelle Getty, Sam J. Jones, and Dack Rambo
Amazons (1984) with Tamara Dobson, Jack Scalia, Madeleine Stowe, William Schallert, Nicholas Pryor, and Peter Scolari
Women of San Quentin (1983) with Debbie Allen and Hector Elizondo
Chained Heat (1983) with Linda Blair, John Vernon, Sybil Danning, Tamara Dobson, Henry Silva, and Nita Talbot
Ladies Night (1983) with Dan Haggerty
Wacko (1982) with Joe Don Baker, George Kennedy, Julia Duffy, Elizabeth Daily, Andrew Dice Clay, and Jeff Altman
Twirl (1981) with Erin Moran, Lisa Whelchel, Edd Byrnes, and Heather Locklear
Children of Divorce (1980) with Barbara Feldon, Lance Kerwin, Kim Fields, Greg Mullavey, Fritz Weaver, and Billy Dee Williams
Make Me an Offer (1980) with Susan Blakely, Patrick O'Neal, Edie Adams, and Carole Cook
Friendships, Secrets and Lies (1979) with Cathryn Damon, Shelley Fabares, Sondra Locke, Tina Louise, Paula Prentiss, and Loretta Swit
The Jordan Chance (1978) with Raymond Burr, Ted Shackelford, John McIntire, Peter Haskell, and Gerald McRaney
The Manitou (1978) with Tony Curtis, Michael Ansara, Susan Strasberg, Ann Sothern, Burgess Meredith, Paul Mantee, Jeanette Nolan, and Lurene Tuttle
Cruise Into Terror (1978) with Dirk Benedict, John Forsythe, Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Lee Meriwether, Ray Milland, Hugh O'Brian, and Marshall Thompson
The Night They Took Miss Beautiful (1977) with Gary Collins, Chuck Connors, Henry Gibson, Peter Haskell, Sheree North, Victoria Principal, Gregory Sierra, and Phil Silvers
Murder in Peyton Place (1977) with Dorothy Malone, Ed Nelson, Tim O'Connor, Christopher Connelly, Janet Margolin, Marj Dusay, David Hedison, and Linda Gray
Charlie Cobb: Nice Night for a Hanging (1977) with Clu Gulager, Ralph Bellamy, Blair Brown, Christopher Connelly, and Pernell Roberts
Mister Deathman (1977) with David Broadnax
Nickelodeon (1977) with Ryan O'Neal, Burt Reynolds, Tatum O'Neal, Brian Keith, and John Ritter
Wanted: The Sundance Woman (1976) with Katharine Ross, Steve Forrest, Stella Stevens, Michael Constantine, Katherine Helmond, Hector Elizondo, and Warren Berlinger
Kiss Me, Kill Me (1976) with Dabney Coleman, Bruce Boxleitner, Bruce Glover, Tisha Sterling, Robert Vaughn, Claude Akins, and Steve Franken
Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975) with Tamara Dobson, Norman Fell, Albert Popwell, and Caro Kenyatta
Las Vegas Lady (1975) with Stuart Whitman, Lynne Moody, Andrew Stevens, and Frank Bonner
The Day the Earth Moved (1974) with Jackie Cooper, Cleavon Little, William Windom, and Beverly Garland
Honky Tonk (1974) with Richard Crenna, John Dehner, Will Geer, Margot Kidder, Geoffrey Lewis, and Gregory Sierra
Arnold (1973) with Roddy McDowall, Elsa Lanchester, Shani Wallis, Farley Granger, Victor Buono, John McGiver, and Bernard Fox
Linda (1973) with Ed Nelson, John McIntire, John Saxon, and Ford Rainey
Climb an Angry Mountain (1972) with Fess Parker, Marj Dusay, Arthur Hunnicutt, and Barry Nelson
The Poseidon Adventure (1972) with Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowall, Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, and Pamela Sue Martin
Slaughter (1972) with Jim Brown, Rip Torn, and Cameron Mitchell
Stand Up and Be Counted (1972) with Jacqueline Bisset, Steve Lawrence, Gary Lockwood, Loretta Swit, Hector Elizondo, Madlyn Rhue, Michael Ansara, Meredith Baxter, and Greg Mullavey
In Broad Daylight (1971) with Richard Boone, Suzanne Pleshette, John Marley, and Whit Bissell
A Town Called Hell (1971) with Telly Savalas, Robert Shaw, Fernando Rey, and Martin Landau
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970) with Jason Robards, David Warner, Strother Martin, Slim Pickens, and L.Q. Jones
The Mad Room (1969) with Shelley Winters, Severn Darden, and Beverly Garland
Where Angels Go Trouble Follows! (1968) with Rosalind Russell, Mary Wickes, Milton Berle, Arthur Godfrey, Van Johnson, Robert Taylor, and Susan Saint James
Sol Madrid (1968) with David McCallum, Telly Savalas, Ricardo Montalban, and Rip Torn
How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life (1968) with Dean Martin, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, and Jack Albertson
Rage (1966) with Glenn Ford
The Silencers (1966) with Dean Martin, Daliah Lavi, Victor Buono, Arthur O'Connell, James Gregory, Nancy Kovack, Roger C. Carmel, and Cyd Charisse
The Secret of My Success (1965) with Shirley Jones, Honor Blackman, and Lionel Jeffries
Synanon (1965) with Edmond O'Brien, Chuck Connors, Alex Cord, Richard Conte, Eartha Kitt, Barbara Luna, and Alejandro Rey
Advance to the Rear (1964) with Glenn Ford, Melvyn Douglas, Jim Backus, Joan Blondell, Andrew Prine, Alan Hale Jr., and Whit Bissell
The Nutty Professor (1963) with Jerry Lewis, Del Moore, and Francine York
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) with Glenn Ford, Shirley Jones, Dina Merrill, Ron Howard, and Jerry Van Dyke
Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) with Elvis Presley, Jeremy Slate, and Benson Fong
Too Late Blues (1961) with Bobby Darin and Vince Edwards
Man-Trap (1961) with Jeffrey Hunter, David Janssen, Virginia Gregg, and Bob Crane
Li'l Abner (1959) with Peter Palmer, Leslie Parrish, Stubby Kaye, Julie Newmar, and Billie Hayes
Say One for Me (1959) with Bing Crosby, Debbie Reynolds, Robert Wagner, Ray Walston, and Les Tremayne, and Sebastian Cabot

TELEVISION SERIES
Flamingo Road, 1980-1982 NBC TV series. Stevens portrayed Lute-Mae Sanders

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Twenty Good Years, episode The Crying Game, originally aired January 1, 2006
Viper, episode The Getaway, originally aired January 26, 1998
Nash Bridges, episode Deliverance, originally aired May 2, 1997
Silk Stalkings, episode When She Was Bad, originally aired October 6, 1996
Arli$$, episode What About the Fans?, originally aired September 4, 1996
Renegade, episode Love Hurts, originally aired February 12, 1996
Dave's World, episode The Mommies, originally aired May 8, 1995
Highlander, episode Vendetta, originally aired January 30, 1995
Burke's Law, episode Who Killed the Romance?, originally aired April 29, 1994
The Commish, episode Eastbridge Boulevard, originally aired May 1, 1993
Dangerous Curves, episode In the Name of Love, originally aired November 4, 1992
In the Heat of the Night, episode A Woman Much Admired, originally aired October 1, 1991
Dream On, episode Over Your Dead Body, originally aired August 19, 1990
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, episode Twist, originally aired May 14, 1988
Father Dowling Mysteries, episode Fatal Confession, originally aired November 30, 1987
Magnum, P.I., episode Find Me a Rainbow, originally aired March 13, 1986
Murder, She Wrote, episode Funeral at Fifty-Mile, originally aired April 21, 1985
Night Court, episode Harry and the Madam, originally aired November 22, 1984
Highway to Heaven, episode Help Wanted: Angel, originally aired November 21, 1984
Hotel, episode Flesh and Blood, originally aired October 10, 1984
Fantasy Island, episode Saturday's Child/The Fantasy Island Girl, originally aired December 10, 1983
The Love Boat, episode Rhino of the Year/One Last Time/For Love or Money, originally aired October 22, 1983
Newhart, episode It Happened One Afternoon: Parts 1 and 2, originally aired October 17 and 24, 1983
Fantasy Island, episode Eternal Flame/A Date with Burt, originally aired March 5, 1983
The Love Boat, episode The Captain's Crush/Out of My Hair/Off-Course Romance, originally aired February 19, 1983
Matt Houston, episode Whose Party Is It Anyway?, originally aired January 23, 1983
Hart to Hart, episode Hart to Hart, originally aired August 25, 1979
Supertrain, episode Express to Terror, originally aired February 7, 1979
The Eddie Capra Mysteries, episode Who Killed Charles Pendragon?, originally aired January 12, 1979
The Oregon Trail, episode Hannah's Girls, originally aired October 26, 1977
The Love Boat, episode The New Love Boat - The Newlyweds/The Exchange/Cleo's First Voyage, originally aired May 5, 1977
The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, episode The New Original Wonder Woman, originally aired November 7, 1975
Police Story, episode Losing Game, originally aired September 30, 1975
Banacek, episode Ten Thousand Dollars a Page, originally aired January 10, 1973
Hec Ramsey, episode Hangman's Wages, originally aired October 29, 1972
Circle of Fear, episode The Dead We Leave Behind, originally aired September 15, 1972
Ben Casey, episode You Fish or You Cut Bait, originally aired October 12, 1964
Ben Casey, episode Autumn Without Red Leaves, originally aired October 5, 1964
Ben Casey, episode August Is the Month Before Christmas, originally aired September 14, 1964
Vacation Playhouse, episode The Graduation Dress, originally aired August 10, 1964
Frontier Circus, episode The Balloon Girl, originally aired January 11, 1962
Follow the Sun, episode Conspiracy of Silence, originally aired December 10, 1961
Riverboat, episode Zigzag, originally aired December 26, 1960
Bonanza, episode Silent Thunder, originally aired December 10, 1960
Hawaiian Eye, episode Kakua Woman, originally aired November 23, 1960
G.E. True Theater, episode The Great Alberti, originally aired November 5, 1961
Johnny Ringo, episode Uncertain Vengeance, originally aired March 10, 1960
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, episode Craig's Will, originally aired March 6, 1960

stella stevens trailers now showing

Watch the trailer for Stella Stevens' 1973 comedy/mystery Arnold

stella stevens television appearances

Watch Stella Stevens in a 1960 episode of Bonanza titled Silent Thunder

stella stevens film now showing

Watch Stella Stevens' 1971 thriller In Broad Daylight
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This page premiered January 7, 2013.
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