Nutty Professor Star Stella Stevens Dies At Age 84

Legendary actress Stella Stevens left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, being widely recognized for her performances in productions such as “The Poseidon Adventure,” “The Nutty Professor,” and Elvis Presley’s musical hit, “Girls! Girls! Girls!” Her acting credits are numerous—an impressive total of 142 film and television projects. Fans can look forward to catching her last credited movie set to release on February 24th, 2023.

The latest feature film is entitled “Quakers,” with the heroine lending her voice to Nutty the Squirrel. Sadly, she will not live long enough to witness its premiere.

Andrew Stevens, son of the late actress Marylouise Stevens, recently reported to The Hollywood Reporter that his mother passed away on Friday, February 17th, 2023. He stated that she had been in hospice care for a considerable amount of time due to her Stage 7 Alzheimer’s Disease.

Born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Stevens’ fascination with acting and modeling began during her time at Memphis State College. Her debut role came in 1959’s “Say One For Me” starring Debbie Reynolds and Bing Crosby; as a result of her performance, she won the prestigious Golden Globe Award!

In addition to her screen performances, Stevens graced the sets of television shows such as “General Electric Theater,” “Ben Casey,” “Flamingo Road” and more. She also posed for Playboy magazine on three separate occasions.

Reflecting on her career, Stevens once said “I did the best I could with the tools I had and the opportunities given me. 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.”

Maria Calabrese, Stevens’ manager, shared with Deadline, “It was an honor and a privilege to work with Stella, who was one of the most wonderful and gifted people I have ever worked with.” She added, “She was an amazing animal lover, horse wrangler, rock and roller, so ahead of her time and so much more than a sex symbol – which her adoring fans admired her for and understood. What a tremendous body of work and loss. She was the OG of strong Hollywood women.”