Stella Stevens is the actress known for playing Stella Purdy in The Nutty Professor (1963) and starring alongside Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls! Sadly, Ms. Steven passed away on Friday in Los Angeles after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Her death was confirmed by her son, actor-producer Andrew Stevens, and her long-time friend John O’Brien.
A former Playboy centerfold from January 1960, Stevens participated in a screen test by 20th Century Fox as a part of launching her Hollywood career. She signed on the dotted line with Paramount and Columbia through the ’60s, appearing opposite Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls!, a role that sent her star soaring. She played Stella Purdy opposite Jerry Lewis’ Prof. Julius Kelp in The Nutty Professor, then acted in such films as Advance to the Rear, Synanon, The Silencers, Rage, How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life, The Mad Room, and more.
By the time the ’70s rolled around, Stevens was busy appearing in multiple films and TV series. She played Yvonne Kellerman in Stand Up and Be Counted, Ann in Slaughter, and Linda Rogo in one of the most notable films of her career, The Poseidon Adventure. Those roles all happened in 1972! Saying Stevens was a hot ticket in Hollywood is an understatement. Everyone wanted to work with her, and people dreamed of being her.
Born on October 1, 1938, in Yazoo City, MI, Stevens remained an enthusiastic member of Hollywood’s elite for decades, appearing in countless television and silver screen projects. Speaking of television, you can find Steven acting in such series as Bonanza, Ben Casey, 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.
“I did the best I could with the tools I had and the opportunities given me,” Stevens once said about her storied career. “I was a divorced mom with a toddler by the time I was 17. And Playboy did as much harm as it helped. But in spite of that rough start, I did OK.”
Her son and three grandchildren survive Stevens. Many of us at JoBlo have fond memories of Stevens’ many performances and wish her peace. Our hearts go out to her family, friends, and fans. Safe travels, Ms. Stevens; you had the energy to spare, and we’re thankful for the time we spent together.