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Connie Stevens is an American actress and singer better known for her roles in the television
Connie Stevens (born August 8, 1938) is an American actress and singer, better known for her roles in the television series Hawaiian Eye and other TV and film work. She was born Concetta Rosalie Ann Ingoglia in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Peter Ingoglia (known as musician Teddy Stevens) and singer Eleanor McGinley. She adopted her father's stage name of Stevens as her own. Her parents were divorced and she lived with her grandparents and attended Catholic boarding schools. Actor John Megna was her half-brother. At the age of twelve, she witnessed a murder in Brooklyn and was sent to live in Boonville, Missouri, with family friends. Coming from a musical family, she joined the singing group called The Fourmost, with Tony Butala, who went on to fame as one of The Lettermen. In 1953, Stevens moved to Los Angeles with her father. When she was 16, she replaced the alto in a singing group, The Three Debs. She enrolled at a professional school (The Georgia Massey Professional School in the San Fernando Valley), sang professionally and appeared in local repertory theater. Career Stevens started working as a movie extra, and stand-in. After she'd appeared in four B movies, Jerry Lewis saw her in Dragstrip Riot and cast her in Rock-A-Bye Baby. Soon after that, she signed a contract with Warner Brothers. She played 'Cricket Blake' in the popular television detective series Hawaiian Eye from 1959 to 1963, a role that made her famous; her principal costar was Robert Conrad. In a televised interview on August 26, 2003, on CNN's Larry King Live, Stevens recounted that while on the set of Hawaiian Eye she was told she had a telephone call from Elvis Presley. "She didn't believe it, but in fact it was Elvis, who invited her to a party and said that he would come to her house and pick her up personally"; they subsequently dated Stevens has been married twice: her first was to actor James Stacy from 1963 until their 1967 divorce; her second was to singer Eddie Fisher from 1967 until their 1969 divorce. She is the mother of actresses Joely Fisher and Tricia Leigh Fisher. She maintains homes in Beverly Hills, Palm Springs; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; and New York City. Stevens has a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6249 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood and a star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto, Canada. On September 23, 2005, Stevens was elected secretary-treasurer of the Screen Actors' Guild. This is the union's second-highest elected position. She succeeded James Cromwell, who did not seek re-election. Stevens has contributed thousands of dollars over the years to the Republican Party, including donations to the Republican Congressional Committee and to both of Arizona Senator John McCain's runs for president. On June 29, 2013 the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution's President General, Merry Ann Wright, presented Connie with the Founder's Medal for Patriotism, for her 40+ years of work with the USO. She was applauded by more than 1,200 Daughters.
Check out Connie Stevens Official Website
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