Hollywood actress Stella Stevens has died at the age of 84, her family has confirmed.
Stevens – known for her starring roles in The Poseidon Adventure and The Nutty Professor – had been battling Alzheimer’s disease before her death.
Her son Andrew Stevens announced his mother died in Los Angeles on Friday, Variety reports.
The blonde beauty made her film debut in 1959 and later starred alongside some of Hollywood’s classic leading actors like Elvis Presley and Dean Martin.
A former Playboy Playmate, Stevens went beyond acting in film and television to write, direct and produce.
Stella Stevens dead at 84: The Hollywood actress – who starred in ‘The Poseidon Adventures’ and ‘The Mad Professor’ – was battling Alzheimer’s disease
Born Estelle Eggleston in 1938, Mississippi eventually moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where at age 16 she met and married her first husband, an electrician named Noble Herman Stephens.
Stella gave birth to their son Andrew Stephens in 1955 and divorced Noble two years later.
While attending Memphis State College, she was noticed in the school’s production of Bus Stop, and the rave reviews took her to Hollywood.
Her very first role was in 1959’s Say One for Me with Bing Crosby as the chorus girl.
Her contract with 20th Century Fox was canceled after six months, but she quickly signed with Paramount and won the 1960 Golden Globe for New Star of the Year for her performance in Say One For Me.
Stevens was also named Playboy magazine’s Playmate of the Month in 1960 – the start of a partnership that spanned the decade, as she appeared in numerous pictures.
But the relationship wasn’t happy, as Stella branded her work with Playboy a “mistake” in 2004 when speaking to Bright Lights Film Journal.
“First,” she said, “they lied to me when they said they were going to pay me $5,000. My contract with 20th Century Fox had been terminated, I didn’t know a soul in Los Angeles, I had a child to raise… So I did it.”
The late star’s son, Andrew Stevens, announced his mother died in Los Angeles on Friday (pictured with Jerry Lewis in 1963’s The Nutty Professor), according to Variety.
The blonde beauty made her film debut in 1959 and went on to star alongside some of Hollywood’s classic leading actors like Dean Martin and Elvis Presley (pictured by a pool in their 1965 heyday).
Stevens, a former Playboy Playmate, went beyond acting in film and television to writing, directing and producing (pictured in 1966).
Stella added: “I didn’t have any options at all. It was either earning the $5,000 or starving.
“Then when I did, they paid me half the money, and if I wanted the other $2,500, I had to work as a Playboy party hostess. I said, “Shove it, I won’t!” I really hate this institution.”
Stella continued to focus on acting, following the 1962 Elvis film Girls! Girl! Girl! with an acclaimed role in The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, starring Glenn Ford and Shirley Jones.
Praising her performance, Variety wrote, “Stella Stevens comes across as gangster in her portrayal of a smart but self-conscious Montana doll. It’s a sizzling comedy performance by a madman.’
After joining Columbia Pictures in the mid-’60s, Stevens starred in a number of successful films, including The Nutty Professor (1963), The Secret of My Success (1965) and The Silencer (1966).
The Silencer teamed her up with Rat Pack icon Dean Martin, and Stella was cemented as one of the top bombs of her era.
But “being a sexpot” put her career in a box, as Stella explained to Bright Lights Film Journal: “Suddenly I got distracted about being a sexpot. Once I was a “pot” there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t do anything legitimate.”
Stella went on to say that comedy was key to keeping her “full person” alive, as it helped bridge the gap between her “sex symbol” image and her true authentic self.
Stella said that “being a sexpot” put her career in a box, telling Bright Lights Film, “Suddenly I got distracted about being a sexpot. Once I was a “pot” there was nothing I could do. There was nothing legitimate I could do.’ (pictured with Elvis Presley in the 1962 film Girls! Girls! Girls!)
Stevens starred in the 1966 comedy The Silencer with Dean Martin
One of Stella’s biggest films was the 1972 blockbuster The Poseidon Adventure, in which she played the role of an ex-prostitute wife aboard a doomed cruise ship
“Obviously, the sex symbol and the whole person are in constant conflict,” she said. “Actually, I keep it alive in comedy. I’m a comedian. I’ve always done sexy things for fun and I’ve had jokes.’
One of Stella’s biggest films was the 1972 blockbuster The Poseidon Adventure, in which she played the role of an ex-prostitute wife aboard a doomed cruise ship.
When asked if she thought the classic disaster movie was Hokey, Stevens replied, “Hokey! It’s become a cult classic because everyone loved it and had seen it so many times they knew it by heart and it was always good.’
The late star also opened up about her affinity for romance, telling Bright Lights Film Journal: “All those years I’ve been called a sex symbol. I’d rather be called a love symbol.’
Stella found love with rock guitarist Bob Kulick in 1983 and the couple’s relationship lasted 37 years.
After Stevens was transferred to a long-term care facility in 2016, Kulick continued to visit her until his death in 2020.
Stella is survived by her only child, Andrew Stevens, who is a successful Hollywood film producer.
The veteran actress had a deep affinity for romance and told Bright Lights Film: “Throughout the years, I’ve been labeled a sex symbol. I’d Rather Be Called A Love Symbol” (pictured at the Los Angeles premiere of Hollywoodland in 2006)