Julie Stevens (born Julia Bullas; born 20 December 1936) is an English actress, presenter and singer, best known in Britain for her appearances on children's television.

Career

Stevens was born in Prestwich and attended Stand Grammar School. She trained as a nurse at

Manchester Royal Infirmary Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) is a large NHS teaching hospital in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, England. Founded by Charles White in 1752 as part of the voluntary hospital movement of the 18th century, it is now a major regional and nati ...

, after starting her television career as a comedienne in TV show ''Bid for Fame''. She was a regular on '' Play School'' and ''

Play Away ''Play Away'' is a British television children's programme. A sister programme to the infants' series '' Play School'', it was aimed at slightly older children. It ran from 1971 until 1984, and was broadcast on Saturday afternoons on BBC 2.Alist ...

'', and provided vocals for the schools television series ''

Look and Read ''Look and Read'' is a BBC Television programme for primary schools, aimed at improving children's literacy skills. The programme presents fictional stories in a serial format, the first of which was broadcast in 1967 and the most recent in 2 ...

''. During the 1962–63 season she played Venus Smith, an occasional partner of John Steed in the TV series, '' The Avengers'', alternating with

Honor Blackman Honor Blackman (22 August 1925 – 5 April 2020) was an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in '' The Avengers''Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 58. (1962 ...

Cathy Gale Dr. Catherine "Cathy" Gale is a fictional character played by Honor Blackman, on the 1960s British series '' The Avengers''. She was the first regular female partner of John Steed, following the departure of Steed's original male co-star, Dr Davi ...

. 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 ''Carry On Cleo'' is a 1964 British historical comedy film, the tenth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). Regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, and Jim Dale are present and Connor made his l ...

'' playing the slave girl Gloria. She also co-starred with

Denise Coffey Denise Dorothy Coffey (12 December 1936 – 24 March 2022) was an English actress, director and playwright. Early life Coffey was born in Aldershot in 1936, the only child of Dorothy (''née'' Malcolm), and her husband, Denis Coffey, an Irishm ...

in the 1969–71 ITV comedy series ''Girls About Town'', and appeared in the children's historical comedy series '' Cabbages and Kings'' (1972) opposite

Johnny Ball Johnny Ball (born Graham Thalben Ball; 23 May 1938) is an English television personality, a populariser of mathematics and the father of BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoe Ball. Early life Ball was born in Bristol and attended Kingswood Primary School on th ...

and

Derek Griffiths Derek Griffiths (born 15 July 1946) is a British actor, singer, and voice artist who appeared in numerous British children's television series in the 1960s to present and has more recently played parts in television drama. Career Griffiths was ...

Personal life

She married actor John White in January 1962; they had two children, but separated in 1975. Stevens was later married to the actor and director Michael Hucks from 1981 until 2001. White, who was also a presenter on Play School during the late 1960s, died from bone cancer in 1993.Here's A House: A Celebration of Play School, Volume 1, Paul R Jackson, 2010

Discography

*''Songs from Play School'', with Rick Jones and Jonathan Cohen (1969)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Julie 1936 births English television actresses English television presenters Living people People from Prestwich BBC television presenters People educated at Stand Grammar School