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Julie Stevens (English actress)

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Julie Stevens
Stevens in 2004
Born
Julie Bullas

(1936-12-20)20 December 1936
Prestwich, Lancashire, England
Died5 December 2024(2024-12-05) (aged 87)
NationalityEnglish
EducationPhilips High School
Occupations
  • Actress
  • presenter
  • singer
Spouses
John White
​
​
(m. 1962; sep. 1975)​
Michael Hucks
​
(m. 1981⁠–⁠2001)​

Julie Stevens (born Julia Bullas; 20 December 1936 – 5 December 2024) was an English actress, television presenter and briefly a singer, she was best known in Britain for her appearances on children's television and comedy serials.[1]

Acting career

Julie Stevens was born in Prestwich. Lancashire and attended Philips High School. She trained as a nurse at Manchester Royal Infirmary, after winning a talent contest, she started her television career as a comedienne in TV show Bid for Fame and was contracted to former network ABC Limitied[2]

She was a regular presenter on Play School for some 24 years having joined in 1964 and staying until the programme's end in 1988 and provided vocals for the schools television series Look and Read.

During the 1962–1963 season she played Venus Smith, an occasional partner of John Steed in the TV series, The Avengers, alternating with Honor Blackman's Cathy Gale.[3] Venus was a nightclub singer, and each of her appearances included at least one musical number. She appeared in only six episodes, and Stevens is not usually included in the list of "Avengers girls".

In 1964, Stevens appeared in the British comedy film Carry On Cleo playing the slave girl Gloria. She also co-starred with Denise Coffey in the 1969–1971 ITV comedy series Girls About Town, and appeared in the children's historical comedy series Cabbages and Kings (1972) alongside Johnny Ball and Derek Griffiths.

She also appeared in television advertisement's, including a commercial for Mellow Birds coffee, a product of Kraft Foods.[1]

Music career

In 1971 she had a single, "Tally Man," released on the MCA label (MK 5076).[4] She also released another single that year, "After Haggerty," backed with "A Long Way From Home" which was released on Barry Class' Trend label, cat no. 6099 008.[5][6][7]

Personal life and death

Stevens married actor John White[8] in January 1962; they had two children, but separated in 1975. She was later married to the actor and director Michael Hucks, from 1981 until 2001. White, who was also a presenter on Play School from 1962 and 1975, he died from bone cancer in 1993.[9]

Stevens was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2021. She died from the disease on 5 December 2024, a couple of weeks before her 88th birthday.[10][11][1]

Discography

References

  1. ^ a b c "Carry On and The Avengers star Julie Stevens dies aged 87". Metro. 9 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Julie Stevens sitting". Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  3. ^ "The Avengers Forever: Julie Stevens".
  4. ^ Record Mirror, December 25, 1971 − Page 13 Mirrorpick Reviews, singles
  5. ^ Seventies Sevens − TREND
  6. ^ Beat Instrumental, February, 1968 − Page 24 Instrumental News, Barry Class starts Trend Record Label
  7. ^ Left and to the Back, 7 March 2018 − Julie Stevens − After Haggerty/ A Long Way From Home
  8. ^ "Evening Times". Google News Archive Search. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  9. ^ Here's A House: A Celebration of Play School, Volume 1, Paul R Jackson, 2010
  10. ^ "Stevens, Julie". Showreel – The TV Room. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  11. ^ Morton, Tom (9 December 2024). "Julie Stevens: Tributes to Avengers and Carry On Cleo actress who also appeared on Play School and Play Away". National World. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
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