Julie Stevens (born Harriet Foote, November 23, 1916 - August 26, 1984) was an American actress who performed on radio, television, the stage, and in movies. She is best known for her 16-year run as the title character in ''

The Romance of Helen Trent ''The Romance of Helen Trent'' was a radio soap opera which aired on CBS from October 30, 1933 to June 24, 1960 for a total of 7,222 episodes. The show was created by Frank and Anne Hummert, who were among the most prolific producers during the r ...

'' on radio.

Early years

Born in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, as Harriet Foote, Stevens attended Christian College. When she was 13, Stevens danced in a musical production of Provincetown's Wharf Theater. She later acted with the St. Louis Little Theater. She also acted in Shakespearean productions at the San Diego Globe Theatre and was an actress with the

Pasadena Playhouse The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...

. 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.

Radio

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 ''Abie's Irish Rose'' is a popular comedy by Anne Nichols, which premiered in 1922. Initially a Broadway play, it has become familiar through repeated stage productions, films and radio programs. The basic premise involves an Irish Catholic g ...

'', ''

Ethel and Albert ''Ethel and Albert'' (aka ''The Private Lives of Ethel and Albert'') was a radio and television comedy series about a married couple, Ethel and Albert Arbuckle, living in the small town of Sandy Harbor. Created by Peg Lynch (1916–2015), who scr ...

'', '' Kitty Foyle'', '' The Light of the World'', ''

Road of Life The Road of Life () was the set of ice road transport routes across Lake Ladoga to Leningrad during the Second World War. They were the only Soviet winter surface routes into the city while it was besieged by the German Army Group North under ...

'', and '' Stella Dallas''. She was best known, however, for playing the title role in ''

'' for 16 years.Cox, Jim (2009). ''The A to Z of American Radio Soap Operas''. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., . Pp. 213-214. Radio 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 CBS 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 it." Stevens was in her mid-20s and felt a little dejected by those words. But the producers never detected it. Stevens' crisp, velvet tones readily persuaded them, and she was signed for the lead.Cox, Jim (1999). ''The Great Radio Soap Operas''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 208.

In other genres, Stevens had the female lead in '' Abbott Mysteries'' and appeared often in ''

Grand Central Station Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus ...

'', ''

Gang Busters ''Gang Busters'' is an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered on January 15, 1936, and was broadcast over 21 years through November 27, 1957. Histo ...

''Dunning, John. (1998). ''On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio''. Oxford University Press. . Pp. 3, 277. and ''

Quick as a Flash ''Quick as a Flash'' was a 30-minute radio quiz program which featured drama segments with guest actors from radio detective shows. Created by director Richard Lewis and emcee Ken Roberts, the program debuted over the Mutual Network on Sunday, J ...

''.Buxton, Frank and Owen, Bill (1972). ''The Big Broadcast: 1920-1950''. The Viking Press. SBN 670-16240-x. P. 192. She also appeared on ''Front Page Farrell'', ''

Just Plain Bill ''Just Plain Bill'' was a 1932-1955 15-minute American radio drama program heard on CBS Radio and NBC Radio. It was "a story of people just like people we all know.” Originally called ''Bill the Barber'', the program began on CBS on September 19 ...

'', ''Romance'' ''

The Adventures of Ellery Queen ''The Adventures of Ellery Queen'' is the title of a radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional detective and pseudonymous writer Ellery Queen and the cases he solved wi ...

'', ''Crime Club'', ''Doctor Standish, Medical Examiner'', '' Broadway Is My Beat'', and ''Secret Missions''. Stevens was named "Favorite Radio Dramatic Actress" in two consecutive polls (1957–58 and 1958–59) of readers of ''TV Radio Mirror'' magazine.

Television

Stevens was one of five actresses who played reporter Lorelei Kilbourne in ''

Big Town ''Big Town'' is a popular long-running radio drama featuring a corruption-fighting newspaper editor initially played from 1937 to 1942 by Edward G. Robinson in his first radio role, with echoes of the conscience-stricken tabloid editor he had ...

''. She had the role in the 1951-1952 season.Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1979). ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946-Present''. Ballantine Books. . P.67

Stage

Stevens' first on-stage role in a

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production was that of Patricia Stanley in ''

The Male Animal ''The Male Animal'' is a 1942 American comedy-drama film produced by Warner Bros., starring Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland and Joan Leslie. The film was based on a hit 1940 Broadway play of the same name written by James Thurber and Elliott ...

'' 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, U.S.A.'' (1941–42), Helen in ''Proof Thro' the Night'' (1942–43), Hannah in ''

The World's Full of Girls ''The World's Full of Girls'' is a play in three acts by Nunnally Johnson which was adapted from Thomas Bell's 1943 novel ''Till I Come Back to You''. The work premiered on Broadway on December 6, 1943 at the Royale Theatre. The cast included Thom ...

'' (1943), and Winifred Agate in ''Sleep My Pretty One'' (1944).

Film

Impressed by Stevens' work as an ingenue in the Pasadena Playhouse's production of ''Yes, My Darling Daughter'', executives of

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

studios expressed interest in her. On May 18, 1939, she was signed as a contract player with Warner Bros. Her films included ''

Tear Gas Squad ''Tear Gas Squad'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Terry O. Morse and starring Dennis Morgan, John Payne and Gloria Dickson. The film was made under the working title of ''State Cop''. It includes the song ''I'm an Officer of the Law'' ...

'', ''Honeymoon Deferred'', and ''

Private Detective A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...

''.

Personal life

In 1944, Stevens married U.S. Steel executive Charles Underhill, who died in 1982. They had two daughters, Nancy and Sara.

Later years

Stevens returned to radio after moving to

Wellfleet, Massachusetts Wellfleet is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, and is located halfway between the "tip" and "elbow" of Cape Cod. The town had a population of 3,566 at the 2020 census, which swells nearly sixfold during the summer. A t ...

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

Orleans, Massachusetts Orleans ( ) is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts situated along Cape Cod. The population was 6,307 at the 2020 census. For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Orleans, please see the article Orleans (CD ...

. She also was involved with community theaters in

Cape Cod, Massachusetts Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...

Death

Stevens died of cancer August 26, 1984, at her home in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. She was survived by two daughters and a sister. A memorial service was held September 9, 1984, at Eastham United Methodist Church.

References

External links

Julie Stevens papers
at the University of Maryland Libraries {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Julie 1916 births 1984 deaths Columbia College (Missouri) alumni American film actresses American radio actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Actresses from St. Louis 20th-century American actresses