Julie Stevens

November 23, 1916 (age 67)

She is best known for her 16-year run as the title character in The Romance of Helen Trent on radio. When she was 13, Stevens danced in a musical production of Provincetown"s Wharf Theater. She later acted with the Saint Louis Little Theater. She also acted in Shakespearean productions at the San Diego Globe Theatre and was an actress with the Pasadena Playhouse. Despite that experience, Stevens was unable to land an acting job in New York, which led her to work as an usher at the Empire Theatre until an opportunity arose. Stevens" work in radio began in 1940. Although she appeared in many programs in old-time radio, most of her work there was in soap operas, especially Abie"s Irish Rose, Ethel and Albert, Kitty Foyle, The Light of the World, Road of Life, and Stella Dallas. She was best known, however, for playing the title role in The Romance of Helen Trent for 16 years. historian Jim Cox reported that auditions for the Trent role occurred the day that Foyle (on which Stevens played the title role) had its final broadcast. He wrote: She recalled dashing across the street to Columbia Broadcasting System in a torrential downpour after her final performance as Kitty to participate in the Trent competition. Soaked to the skin from the rain, she was met by another actress who had already auditioned. "Why on earth would you be interested in this part, Julie?" quipped the woman. "You"re much too young to play lieutenant" Stevens was in her mid-20s and felt a little dejected by those words. But the producers never detected lieutenant Stevens" crisp, velvet tones readily persuaded them, and she was signed for the lead. In other genres, Stevens had the female lead in Abbott Mysteries and appeared often in Grand Central Station, Gang Busters and Quick as a Flash. She also appeared on Front Page Farrell, Just Plain Bill, Romance The Adventures of Ellery Queen, Crime Club, Doctor Standish, Medical Examiner, Broadway Is My Beat, and Secret Missions. Stevens was named "Favorite Dramatic Actress" in two consecutive polls (1957-1958 and 1958-1959) of readers of television Mirror magazine. Stevens" first on-stage role in a Broadway production was that of Patricia Stanley in The Male Animal in 1940. Prior to that, she had an uncredited off-screen role, screaming in Censored, a production that lasted for only nine performances. Her other Broadway roles included Sue in Snookie (1941), Jean in Brooklyn, United States.A. (1941-1942), Helen in Proof Thro" the Night (1942-1943), Hannah in The World"s Full of Girls (1943), and Winifred Agate in Sleep My Pretty One (1944). Stevens returned to radio after moving to Wellfleet, Massachusetts. She was co-host of a program on WVLC in Orleans, Massachusetts. She also was involved with community theaters in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Stevens died of cancer November 26, 1984, at her home in Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

Julie Stevens

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Actor

Education

Born in Saint Louis, Missouri, as Harriet Foote, Stevens attended Christian College.

Career

She is best known for her 16-year run as the title character in The Romance of Helen Trent on radio. When she was 13, Stevens danced in a musical production of Provincetown"s Wharf Theater. She later acted with the Saint Louis Little Theater.

She also acted in Shakespearean productions at the San Diego Globe Theatre and was an actress with the Pasadena Playhouse.

Despite that experience, Stevens was unable to land an acting job in New York, which led her to work as an usher at the Empire Theatre until an opportunity arose. Stevens" work in radio began in 1940.

Although she appeared in many programs in old-time radio, most of her work there was in soap operas, especially Abie"s Irish Rose, Ethel and Albert, Kitty Foyle, The Light of the World, Road of Life, and Stella Dallas. She was best known, however, for playing the title role in The Romance of Helen Trent for 16 years. historian Jim Cox reported that auditions for the Trent role occurred the day that Foyle (on which Stevens played the title role) had its final broadcast.

He wrote: She recalled dashing across the street to Columbia Broadcasting System in a torrential downpour after her final performance as Kitty to participate in the Trent competition.

Soaked to the skin from the rain, she was met by another actress who had already auditioned. "Why on earth would you be interested in this part, Julie?" quipped the woman. "You"re much too young to play lieutenant" Stevens was in her mid-20s and felt a little dejected by those words.

But the producers never detected lieutenant

Stevens" crisp, velvet tones readily persuaded them, and she was signed for the lead. In other genres, Stevens had the female lead in Abbott Mysteries and appeared often in Grand Central Station, Gang Busters and Quick as a Flash.

She also appeared on Front Page Farrell, Just Plain Bill, Romance The Adventures of Ellery Queen, Crime Club, Doctor Standish, Medical Examiner, Broadway Is My Beat, and Secret Missions. Stevens was named "Favorite Dramatic Actress" in two consecutive polls (1957-1958 and 1958-1959) of readers of television Mirror magazine.

Stevens" first on-stage role in a Broadway production was that of Patricia Stanley in The Male Animal in 1940.

Prior to that, she had an uncredited off-screen role, screaming in Censored, a production that lasted for only nine performances. Her other Broadway roles included Sue in Snookie (1941), Jean in Brooklyn, United States.A. (1941-1942), Helen in Proof Thro" the Night (1942-1943), Hannah in The World"s Full of Girls (1943), and Winifred Agate in Sleep My Pretty One (1944). Stevens returned to radio after moving to Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

She was co-host of a program on WVLC in Orleans, Massachusetts.

She also was involved with community theaters in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Stevens died of cancer November 26, 1984, at her home in Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

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