Stella Stevens was a member of The Skip-Jacks
Jul 10, 2021 18:56:37 GMT
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Post by petrolino on Jul 10, 2021 18:56:37 GMT
In the late 1950s, Stella Stevens became a member of harmony group, the Skip-Jacks. They recorded the theme song for 'The Flintstones' which was written by Hoyt Curtin.
'On October 1, 1938, Estelle Eggleston was born in the tiny Mississippi community of Hot Coffee. Other sources say her birthplace was actually Yazoo City. All I can say for certain is that she wasn’t born in Memphis, and her name wasn’t Stella Stevens. Not yet, anyway. She was the only child of Thomas and Dovey Eggleston. Her mother also went by Estelle, when she felt like it, which makes any research on the young girl even more confusing than it should be.
The Egglestons came to Memphis when little Estelle was only 4, moving into a cozy home on Carrington, just a few doors east of Highland. The Park Theatre was practically in their backyard, and I wonder if the young girl ever dreamed that crowds would someday pack that neighborhood moviehouse to see her on the silver screen.
As best I can determine, her father worked as an insurance salesman, with offices in the Sterick Building, and her mother was a nurse. Three different schools in Memphis can claim the star-to-be as an alumna: St. Anne’s Catholic School on Highland, then Sacred Heart School on Jefferson, and finally Memphis Technical High School on Poplar. Oh, and she later took night classes at what was then called Memphis State College.
In 1954, when she was just 16, Estelle married an electrician named Noble Herman Stephens. They were divorced just three years later, but that short-lived union resulted in two things. First of all, there was a son, Andrew Stevens, and you’ll hear more about him later. And second, Estelle Eggleston changed her name to the one we know today: Stella Stevens. She didn’t like “Stephens” because people kept pronouncing it, she claimed, as “Steffens” and she especially liked Stella because it meant “star.”
It’s interesting (and conflicting) how she became famous. According to her “official” biography on her website (I’ll discuss that in a moment, if you’ll be patient), “it was a glowing Memphis Press-Scimitar review of her appearance in a Memphis State production of Bus Stop that kickstarted her career.” Other sources say she was spotted by a talent agent while modeling the latest frocks at Goldsmith’s department store.
At any rate, Stella was lured to Hollywood, where she began her long career in show business by playing a chorus girl in the 1959 Bing Crosby musical Say One for Me. It was a bit part, but it must have been an important one, since it earned her a Golden Globe for “Most Promising Newcomer - Female.”
The Egglestons came to Memphis when little Estelle was only 4, moving into a cozy home on Carrington, just a few doors east of Highland. The Park Theatre was practically in their backyard, and I wonder if the young girl ever dreamed that crowds would someday pack that neighborhood moviehouse to see her on the silver screen.
As best I can determine, her father worked as an insurance salesman, with offices in the Sterick Building, and her mother was a nurse. Three different schools in Memphis can claim the star-to-be as an alumna: St. Anne’s Catholic School on Highland, then Sacred Heart School on Jefferson, and finally Memphis Technical High School on Poplar. Oh, and she later took night classes at what was then called Memphis State College.
In 1954, when she was just 16, Estelle married an electrician named Noble Herman Stephens. They were divorced just three years later, but that short-lived union resulted in two things. First of all, there was a son, Andrew Stevens, and you’ll hear more about him later. And second, Estelle Eggleston changed her name to the one we know today: Stella Stevens. She didn’t like “Stephens” because people kept pronouncing it, she claimed, as “Steffens” and she especially liked Stella because it meant “star.”
It’s interesting (and conflicting) how she became famous. According to her “official” biography on her website (I’ll discuss that in a moment, if you’ll be patient), “it was a glowing Memphis Press-Scimitar review of her appearance in a Memphis State production of Bus Stop that kickstarted her career.” Other sources say she was spotted by a talent agent while modeling the latest frocks at Goldsmith’s department store.
At any rate, Stella was lured to Hollywood, where she began her long career in show business by playing a chorus girl in the 1959 Bing Crosby musical Say One for Me. It was a bit part, but it must have been an important one, since it earned her a Golden Globe for “Most Promising Newcomer - Female.”
- Vance Lauderdale, Memphis Magazine
'The Skip-Jacks were a '50s vocal quintet that included actress/model Stella Stevens, Estelle Mann, Morris Redding, Ron Martin, and leader Bill Bronson.
Today the group is best known for having two 1959 Christmas songs backed by Esquivel ("Here Comes Santa Claus" and "The Christmas Song"). The songs originally appeared on the RCA Christmas compilation entitled "The Merriest of Pops". Since then, the songs have been re-released on CD as part of the Esquivel's Christmas album, "Merry Christmas From The Space Age Bachelor Pad". In addition, "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" was re-released as The Skip-Jacks on the compilation "Mambo Santa Mambo: Christmas from the Latin Lounge" by Rhino Records.'
Today the group is best known for having two 1959 Christmas songs backed by Esquivel ("Here Comes Santa Claus" and "The Christmas Song"). The songs originally appeared on the RCA Christmas compilation entitled "The Merriest of Pops". Since then, the songs have been re-released on CD as part of the Esquivel's Christmas album, "Merry Christmas From The Space Age Bachelor Pad". In addition, "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" was re-released as The Skip-Jacks on the compilation "Mambo Santa Mambo: Christmas from the Latin Lounge" by Rhino Records.'
- Last FM
Stella Stevens
Tribute to Stella Stevens - Music by the Kinks [Ray Davies (guitar), Dave Davies (guitar), Pete Quaife (bass) & Mick Avory (drums)]
Try to get the uncut version 
