Elvis Presley's costar battled Hugh Hefner over nude photos: son

Stella Stevens was in dire need of a paycheck when Playboy came calling.

The actress, who was initially intended to become the next Marilyn Monroe, eventually made her own mark during the final years of Hollywood's golden era and passed away in 2023 at the age of 84.

"Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet" is a new documentary about her, directed by her son Andrew Stevens and featuring commentary by Quentin Tarantino and Vivica A. Fox, among others.

In the movie, it is revealed that Stevens, a single father, agreed to pose nude for a magazine in order to provide for his child. This helped establish her as a popular actress, but it came at a cost.

Andrew told Planet Chronicle Digital that she was alone in Hollywood at 18 years old, broke with no source of income.

"Stella, a single person living in LA and struggling to support her child, took a job with Playboy magazine, agreeing to do a layout for $5,000."

In Memphis, Stevens was discovered at a department store and later flew to Hollywood for a screen test. After signing a three-year contract with 20th Century Fox, she filmed three movies in just six months. However, she was eventually dropped by the studio due to a work card technicality.

Although Hefner offered $5,000 for the racy shoot, Stevens claimed that he told her he would only pay her half. To earn the remaining amount, she had to work as a hostess at one of his clubs.

Andrew stated that she said, "I told him to shove it, I will not," according to a quote.

Stevens signed a new contract with Paramount. She landed a co-starring role in "Li’l Abner" as Appassionata Von Climax. She was resolute in retrieving her photographs prior to their publication.

"Andrew said, "I have a big Hollywood movie now, please don't publish the photos. I'll buy them back from you," to Hugh Hefner. He replied, "Oh no, you have a contract. We're using them." As a result, Playboy exploited "Li'l Abner," which takes place in a mythical place called Dogpatch. They titled her photos "Dogpatch Playmate.""

Stella Stevens attempted to purchase Playboy photos from Hugh Hefner's son.

""The irony is, after being dropped from 20th Century Fox, my mother won a Golden Globe as Best Newcomer of the Year in 1960 when Marilyn also won a Golden Globe for Best Actress," Andrew shared."

Andrew stated that Stevens viewed being a sex symbol as a "double-edged sword."

"While she was grateful for the attention she received in Hollywood, she acknowledged the male-dominated and misogynistic nature of the industry at the time. The casting couch was a reality, and as film critic Leonard Maltin stated in the film, "There was a whole town run by early-day Harvey Weinsteins.""

"Andrew stated that being a sex symbol gave her a career boost in some ways, but it also had negative consequences. She claimed that it made it difficult for her to take on serious and legitimate roles, as people didn't take her seriously due to her sexpot moniker. As a result, she was only offered frivolous roles after Marilyn Monroe's death."

"She called Hugh Hefner and said, ‘I have this big Hollywood movie now… please don’t publish the photos. I’ll buy them back from you,.' He said, ‘Oh no, you have a contract. We’re using them.’" — Andrew Stevens, Stella Stevens' son

According to the documentary, Stevens had no interest in acting alongside Elvis Presley in "Girls! Girls! Girls!" in 1962.

"Andrew stated that the studio was pressuring Stella to take on a certain role. At the time, actors had limited control over the roles they were assigned. Stella openly expressed her disapproval, stating, "I don't want to be the girl that Elvis Presley leaves for another girl. That's not what I have in mind for my career.""

"Andrew remarked that "She had just finished a film called ‘Too Late Blues,’ directed by John Cassavetes, starring Bobby Darin," which was a "dramatic piece" that reflected her interest in serious work, unlike the popular Elvis movies of the time. However, he pointed out that nobody took Darin seriously as an actor, and similarly, nobody took the film seriously."

"She faced challenges in being taken seriously after appearing in Playboy."

Stevens had "great respect" for Presley, but she urged the studio not to cast her in the film. She only agreed to do it after being promised to play opposite Montgomery Clift in her next movie. Unfortunately, it never happened.

Stevens detested the Presley flick and could never bring herself to watch it.

In 1963, Jerry Lewis selected one person to portray his love interest in "The Nutty Professor," and that individual was a comic who believed in Stevens' talent.

"Andrew stated that Stella and Jerry Lewis had a great collaborative working relationship. When Jerry received the green light to shoot "The Nutty Professor" at Paramount, he requested the most beautiful girl under contract. It is believed that he named the role Stella Purdy after Stella. Their relationship was lovely."

"Andrew fondly remembered his time knowing Jerry Lewis and being on set, watching him direct. He believed that Jerry was a great mentor for Stella."

Growing up, Andrew admitted that his relationship with Stevens was complicated.

At 15, she left high school to marry Herman Stephens, Andrew's father. The couple divorced in 1956, and she moved to California to pursue an acting career. Later, her ex-husband and his father came to take Andrew back to Memphis, leading to a bitter custody battle.

Andrew mused that it was unfortunate that both his parents were young when they had children, with his mother being 16 and his father being 18 at the time of his birth.

"My father barely graduated from high school, and my mother had to quit high school to stay home and take care of me. She went to school at night to get a GED to be able to then go to Memphis State University. However, neither one of them was truly prepared to take care of a child."

"Andrew confessed that his preference would always have been to be in Memphis with his friends and family. Although he doesn't begrudge his mother for wanting her child, he admitted that neither of his parents had the ability to raise a kid."

Despite having "several periods of separation," mother and son reconciled on set. She directed "The Ranch" in 1989, starring Andrew. Later, he directed her in "The Terror Within II" in 1991.

In the 1970s and '80s, Stevens was a regular on television, appearing in shows such as "Wonder Woman," "Hart to Hart," "The Love Boat," and "Night Court." However, she eventually had to stop working due to Alzheimer's disease.

Despite his disappointment, Stevens' mother was not included in the Academy Awards' "In Memoriam" segment and never received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"Although my life with my mother was tumultuous and complex, time and distance have given me a new perspective on the impact she had."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.