Stella Stevens, the American actress, began her film career by playing a series of sensual, blonde, and glamorous characters, mirroring the early career of Marilyn Monroe. Born Estelle Caro Eggleston, she was nicknamed "Bootsie" during her childhood and developed a passion for movies, which became her main interest.
Stevens was discovered during a production of Bus Stop at Memphis State University, where she played the role of Chérie, an aspiring nightclub singer. She was signed by 20th Century Fox in 1959 and made her film debut in Frank Tashlin's Say One for Me. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe Award as Most Promising Newcomer.
She was then picked up by Paramount and made her breakthrough on the screen as the vampish Apassionata von Climax in the film version of the hit Broadway musical Li'l Abner. Stevens alternated between motion pictures and television appearances, showcasing her range as an actress in both dramatic and comedic roles.
Despite being typecast as a sex icon, Stevens saw herself as a comedienne and wanted to be remembered for making people laugh. She was praised for her comic timing in films like The Silencers and Where Angels Go Trouble Follows!, and her performance in Sam Peckinpah's The Ballad of Cable Hogue was lauded by critic Roger Ebert.
Stevens' film career experienced a decline in the 1970s, but she continued to work in television, appearing in shows like Flamingo Road, Santa Barbara, and Police Story. She also ventured into production and direction, making a feature-length documentary, The American Heroine, and co-authoring a novel, Razzle, Dazzle.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Stevens focused primarily on television, enjoying lengthy tenures on the soaps Flamingo Road and Santa Barbara, as well as numerous guest appearances in shows like Hotel and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. She briefly left the glamour of Beverly Hills to operate an art gallery and bakery in Washington State.
Stevens returned to her Beverly Hills home in 1983 and lived with her partner, rock guitarist Bob Kulick, until the home was sold in 2016. She was afflicted with Alzheimer's disease and spent her remaining years in an assisted living home in California, passing away on February 17, 2023, at the age of 84.
