(RepublicanPeak.com) – Stella Stevens, who was in hundreds of films and TV shows in the 1960s and ’70s, passed away on Friday at 84 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
According to her son, Andrews Stevens, “she has been in hospice for quite some time with stage seven Alzheimer’s.”
His obituary tribute states that his mother had over 200 film and television appearances, including a New Star of the Year Award in 1960 for her work with Bing Crosby and Debbie Reynolds in the film “Say One for Me.”
She went on to star in several TV shows after her film career, including “Police Story,” “Love Boat,” “Flamingo Road,” and others.
Stevens is best known for her roles in The Poseidon Adventure, where she played a prostitute married to a policeman (portrayed by Ernest Borgnine) and the Nutty Professor. In the latter, she played a sultry student who was the love interest of a nebbish teacher (Jerry Lewis) who made a concoction that turned him into a handsome but arrogant singer.
Stella Stevens is survived by her lone son, Andrew, three grandsons, and granddaughters.
She was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, in 1938. Her real name was Estelle Caro Eggleston. She married Noble Herman Stevens when she was only sixteen. Together, they had their son Andrew.
After divorcing two years later, she entered the modeling and acting industries.
Twenty-First Century Fox saw her play at a university in Memphis, Tennessee and signed her on the spot. Paramount signed her when her studio dumped her.
As a chorus girl in Say One for Me, starring Bing Crosby and Debbie Reynolds in 1959, Stevens received a Golden Globe.
Stevens, who co-starred with Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls! in 1962, has indicated that she did not like working with the material but was forced to do so by Paramount.
Bob Kulick, the singer/songwriter, was Stevens’ second spouse. He passed away in May 2020.
Kulick’s brother, the guitarist for the band Kiss, Bruce, wrote, “Legendary actress Stella Stevens, my brother’s lifelong companion, passed away this morning following a long illness.”
He said that now she and Bob are reunited.
