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Angela Stevens
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Angela Stevens (born Ann Evelyn Allen[1], May 8, 1925 – March 17, 2016) was an American film actress and singer.[1]
Key Information
Biography
[edit]Stevens was born in Eagle Rock, California.[2] She appeared in several Three Stooges films, such as He Cooked His Goose, Pardon My Backfire and Blunder Boys.[citation needed] Other credits include The Hoodlum, The Sun Was Setting by Edward D. Wood Jr, Without Warning!, Creature with the Atom Brain, The Harder They Fall and The Wild One.
In 1955, Stevens sued a dress shop owner for $36,500, saying that an attack from a "wild and vicious" ocelot disfigured her, which cost her a role in a film.[3]
Stevens married George Zika in the early 1940s[2]
Filmography
[edit]Feature films
[edit]- Utah Blaine (1957) as Mary Blake
- The Shadow on the Window (1957) as Myra
- The Harder They Fall (1956) as Girl
- Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado (1956) as Laurie Webster
- The Naked Street (1955) as Janet
- Women's Prison (1955) as Prisoner
- Creature with the Atom Brain (1955) as Joyce Walker
- Devil Goddess (1955) as Nora Blakely
- The Wild One (1954) as Betty
- The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954) as Pert young girl
- Savage Mutiny (1953) as Joan Harris
- Jack McCall, Desperado (1953) as Rose Griffith
- From Here to Eternity (1953) as Jean
- The Mississippi Gambler (1953) as Girl
- Without Warning! (1952) as Blonde
- Eight Iron Men (1952)
- The Kid from Broken Gun (1952) as Gail Kingston
- Outlaw Women (1952)
- Just This Once (1952) as Girl
- In Old Amarillo (1951) as Bar girl
- Two Tickets to Broadway (1951) as Blonde
- The Hoodlum (1951) as Christie Lang
- Iron Man (1951) as Girl
- Katie Did It (1951) as Taffy
References
[edit]- ^ a b Lentz, Harris M. III (2017). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2016. McFarland. p. 374. ISBN 9781476670317. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ a b Lentz, Harris III (February 2017). "Angela Stevens, 90". Classic Images (500): 58.
- ^ "Actress Seeks Damages For Ocelot Attack". The Daily Herald. Utah, Provo. United Press. May 9, 1955. p. 2. Retrieved November 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
[edit]- Angela Stevens at IMDb
- Angela Stevens at threestooges.net
- Interview with Angela Stevens October 5, 2007
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Angela Stevens
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Early Life
Birth and Childhood
Angela Stevens was born Ann Evelyn Allen on May 8, 1925, in Eagle Rock, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.[7] Eagle Rock, incorporated as a city in 1911 and annexed by Los Angeles in 1923, was characterized in the 1920s by its gentle slopes dotted with grand Victorian farmhouses and exquisite Craftsman homes, providing a suburban environment surrounded by hills and offering a rural respite from the city's bustle.[8] This setting formed the backdrop of Stevens' early years, though specific details about her childhood experiences or nascent interests in the performing arts prior to adolescence remain undocumented in available records.Family Background
Angela Stevens was born Ann Evelyn Allen on May 8, 1925, in Eagle Rock, a neighborhood within Los Angeles, California, indicating her family's roots in the region's expanding urban landscape.[7] Details regarding her parents' occupations or specific origins are limited in available records, though the family resided in the Los Angeles area during her early years.[2] No verified information exists on siblings or detailed family structure. The 1920s and 1930s in Los Angeles were marked by rapid population growth, economic shifts, and the emergence of the film industry as a dominant force, creating a dynamic environment for local families amid the city's transformation into a major cultural hub.[9]Acting Career
Debut and Early Roles
Angela Stevens, born Ann Evelyn Allen, began her entertainment career in 1950 as a Hollywood model and film extra, initially using her married name, Ann Zika, after her early 1940s union with George F. Zika.[6] This entry into the industry stemmed from her modeling work, which provided initial exposure and opportunities for on-screen appearances without formal acting training documented in contemporary accounts. Her professional acting debut came in 1951 with a supporting role as Christie Lang in the crime drama The Hoodlum, marking her transition from background work to billed parts.[10] That year, she also appeared in minor uncredited capacities in westerns such as In Old Amarillo and the short film The Sun Was Setting, roles that highlighted her emerging presence in low-budget productions.[10] These early assignments, often secured through modeling connections, laid the groundwork for steady bit-part work in the burgeoning B-movie scene of the early 1950s.[1] By 1952, Stevens adopted her stage name to better suit her professional aspirations, first credited as Angela Stevens in the western Outlaw Women, where she played a saloon girl in an all-female outlaw gang storyline.[11] This rebranding coincided with increased auditions and minor supporting roles in science fiction and comedy shorts, reflecting her growing visibility under her contract with Columbia Pictures, where she continued to secure roles in the competitive Hollywood landscape.[1]Notable Feature Films
Stevens' feature film career spanned from 1950 to 1963, during which she frequently appeared in low-budget B-movies and film noir productions, often portraying supporting female characters in genres ranging from crime dramas to science fiction.[1] One of her early notable roles was in the 1951 crime film The Hoodlum, where she played Christie Lang, a supporting character entangled in a bank heist's aftermath alongside a paroled criminal. In 1953, Stevens appeared as Betty in The Wild One, a landmark motorcycle gang drama starring Marlon Brando that introduced American audiences to the subculture of outlaw biker clubs and influenced the development of the biker film genre.[12][13] She took on a more prominent role as Joyce Walker in the 1955 science fiction thriller Creature with the Atom Brain, portraying the wife of scientist Chet Walker, who aids in stopping atomic-powered zombies unleashed by a gangster seeking revenge against law enforcement.[14] Stevens also featured as an uncredited "girl" in the 1956 boxing noir The Harder They Fall, a Humphrey Bogart vehicle exposing mob corruption in professional prizefighting, where her character briefly appears amid the story's underbelly of fixed matches and exploitation.[15]Short Films and Television
Angela Stevens frequently appeared in short films during the 1950s, most notably in the Columbia Pictures series featuring the Three Stooges, where she embodied comedic supporting roles that highlighted her timing and expressive presence in slapstick scenarios.[16] These appearances often cast her as romantic interests or exasperated figures interacting with the Stooges' chaotic antics, contributing to the enduring appeal of the shorts in low-budget comedy.[1] In He Cooked His Goose (1952), Stevens played Millie, a woman entangled in the Stooges' mistaken-identity schemes involving jealousy and a botched pajama sales pitch, showcasing her ability to react with wide-eyed frustration to the escalating absurdity. Similarly, in Pardon My Backfire (1953), she portrayed Hettie, one of the Stooges' long-suffering fiancées, whose father's ultimatum forces the trio into a disastrous auto repair job rife with exploding engines and 3D-enhanced gags. Her role as Alma Matter in Blunder Boys (1955) placed her amid the Stooges' bumbling police training, where she served as a foil in their pursuit of a cross-dressing criminal, emphasizing physical comedy through chase sequences and disguises. Beyond these, Stevens took on varied comedic parts in other Stooges shorts, such as Lt. Morey in Spies and Guys (1953), a stern military officer, and Olga Fefferkraut in Army Daze (1956), a domineering character in a recruitment farce.[16] Her final Stooges credit came in Triple Crossed (1959) as Millie, again navigating romantic mix-ups in a Western parody. These roles, spanning nearly a decade, diversified her portfolio in economical productions, bridging her feature work with the episodic brevity of shorts. Stevens also made guest appearances on several television series in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including roles on Have Gun – Will Travel (1960) as a young woman, The Millionaire (1959) as Betty, Dante (1960) as Mrs. Hawkins, Highway Patrol (1957) as a blonde hitchhiker, and Death Valley Days (1959).[4] These episodic parts extended her presence in westerns and dramas on the small screen.Personal Life
Marriage and Children
Angela Stevens married George F. Zika in the early 1940s, and their marriage endured for over five decades until Zika's death on January 12, 1999, at age 77 in Sun City, California.[5][17] The couple welcomed two children during the mid-1940s: their son, Joseph Allen Zika, born on March 29, 1943, in Los Angeles, California, who later died on February 19, 1981, at age 37 in Los Angeles; and their daughter, Princella Zika, born on December 9, 1945, in Los Angeles.[5] In the 1950s, as Stevens established her acting career with appearances in feature films, short subjects, and television series, she managed family life by maintaining a dual role as a Hollywood model and performer, often taking on local television work that allowed flexibility for raising her young children.[5] By 1951, she expressed weariness with the social demands of the industry, such as obligatory parties, which highlighted her prioritization of home life alongside professional pursuits.[5]1955 Ocelot Incident
In May 1955, Angela Stevens was shopping at Carole Chris of California, a women's apparel store in North Hollywood, when she was attacked by the shop owners' pet ocelot, described in court filings as a "wild and vicious" animal. The ocelot bit her on the forearm and leg, leaving permanent disfiguring teeth marks that required medical treatment.[18][5] Stevens filed a lawsuit on May 9, 1955, against the store operators, seeking $36,500 in damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. She alleged negligence in allowing the unrestrained animal on the premises and claimed the injuries directly caused her to lose a supporting role in the Universal-International film Six Bridges to Cross (1955), starring Tony Curtis and Julie Adams.[18][19] The case was settled out of court in late September 1956, with the exact amount undisclosed.[20][5]Later Years and Death
Retirement
Following the conclusion of her acting career in 1963, Angela Stevens withdrew from the entertainment industry. She lived a private life thereafter under her married name, Ann Zika, in Sun City, California, where she resided until her later years.[2]Death
Angela Stevens, legally known as Ann Zika following her long marriage to George F. Zika, died on March 17, 2016, at the age of 90 in Sun City, California.[2] The cause of her death was not publicly disclosed.[7]Filmography
Feature Films
Angela Stevens' credited appearances in theatrical feature films spanned from 1951 to 1957, primarily in B-movies and supporting roles within the Hollywood studio system.| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Katie Did It | Taff | Frederick de Cordova[2] |
| 1951 | Iron Man | Girl | Joseph Pevney[2] |
| 1951 | Two Tickets to Broadway | Blonde | James V. Kern[2] |
| 1951 | In Old Amarillo | Bar girl | William Witney[2] |
| 1951 | The Hoodlum | Christie Lang (as Ann Zika) | Max Nosseck[21] |
| 1952 | Just This Once | Girl | Don Weis[2] |
| 1952 | Outlaw Women | One of Uncle Barney's Girls | Sam Newfield |
| 1952 | The Kid from Broken Gun | Gail Kingston | Fred F. Sears |
| 1952 | Without Warning! | Blonde | Arnold Laven |
| 1953 | The Mississippi Gambler | Girl | Rudolph Maté[2] |
| 1953 | Jack McCall, Desperado | Rose Griffith | Sidney Salkow |
| 1953 | Savage Mutiny | Joan Harris | Spencer Gordon Bennet |
| 1954 | The Last Time I Saw Paris | Pert young girl | Richard Brooks[2] |
| 1954 | The Wild One | Betty | László Benedek |
| 1955 | Women's Prison | Prisoner | Lewis Seiler[2] |
| 1955 | The Naked Street | Janet | Maxwell Shane |
| 1955 | Creature with the Atom Brain | Joyce Walker | Edward L. Cahn |
| 1955 | Devil Goddess | Nora Blakely | Spencer Gordon Bennet |
| 1956 | Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado | Laurie Webster | Earl Bellamy |
| 1957 | The Shadow on the Window | Myra | James Tinling[2] |
| 1957 | Utah Blaine | Mary Blake | Thomas Carr[2] |
Short Films
Angela Stevens appeared in several short-subject films during the 1950s, primarily in comedic roles supporting popular comedy troupes such as the Three Stooges and solo comedian Joe Besser. These shorts, typically running 15 to 20 minutes, were produced by Columbia Pictures and emphasized slapstick humor in military or domestic settings. Her contributions often involved playing romantic interests or foils to the leads, showcasing her versatility in light-hearted, fast-paced scenarios.[16] Stevens' earliest short film role was in Aim, Fire, Scoot (1952), a Joe Besser comedy directed by Jules White, where she portrayed WAC Corporal Olga, entangled in a romantic rivalry within an army base. Later that year, she debuted with the Three Stooges in He Cooked His Goose (1952), playing Millie, the girlfriend of one of the Stooges in a chaotic pursuit involving a mistaken identity and a pet goose. In 1953, she appeared in two shorts: Spies and Guys (1953), another Besser vehicle where she played Lieutenant Morey on a behind-enemy-lines mission, and Pardon My Backfire (1953), a Stooges short as Hettie, one of the fiancées pressuring the trio to prove their worth through a car repair scheme.[16][22][23] Her involvement continued with Blunder Boys (1955), a Three Stooges parody of Dragnet in which she starred as Alma Matter, a key figure in a bungled criminal investigation. In 1956, Stevens returned for Army Daze (1956), playing Olga Fefferkraut in a Besser short depicting draft antics in a fictional army. She continued with Triple Crossed (1959), portraying Millie in a Stooges tale of insurance fraud and mistaken identities, and appeared in archive footage for the compilation Three Stooges Fun-O-Rama (1959). Her final short film role was in The Jolly Genie (1963), an unsold TV pilot released as a children's short. These roles highlighted her recurring collaboration with Columbia's comedy unit, contributing to eight shorts between 1952 and 1963.[16][24][25][26]Television Appearances
Angela Stevens made a modest number of television appearances, primarily as a guest star in episodic dramas, comedies, and westerns during the 1950s and early 1960s, reflecting her transition from film roles but with far fewer opportunities on the small screen.[1] Her TV work often featured her in supporting parts that showcased her poise and versatility, though none became signature roles. These appearances were scattered across anthology series and established programs, underscoring the episodic nature of early broadcast television. Her documented television credits include the following:| Show | Year | Episode | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cisco Kid | 1951 | "Foreign Agent" | Diane[27] |
| The Cisco Kid | 1951 | "The Bates Story" | Lorraine Bentley[28] |
| My Little Margie | 1952 | "Blonde Margie" | Nancy[29] |
| Casey Jones | 1958 | "The Fire Eater" | Caroline Sawyer[30] |
| Highway Patrol | 1957 | "Female Hitchhiker" | The Blonde[31] |
| Death Valley Days | 1959 | "Valley of Danger" | Anita Warner[32] |
| The Millionaire | 1959 | "Millionaire Phillip Burnell" | Betty[33] |
| Have Gun – Will Travel | 1960 | "The Trial" | Young Woman (in "Wine Testing With Paladin" segment)[34] |
| Dante | 1960 | "Opening Night" | Mrs. Hawkins[35] |