Connie Stevens
A vivacious star of 1960s television and film who parlayed her girl-next-door charm into a lasting career as an actress, singer, and successful businesswoman.
Born 1938 (age 88)·American actress and singer·Birthday: August 8·The Silent Generation
Biography
Connie Stevens’s career is a study in Hollywood resilience and versatility. Discovered as a teenager in late-1950s Los Angeles, she first gained attention in the film ‘Dragstrip Riot’ before landing the role that made her a household name: Cricket Blake on the detective series ‘Hawaiian Eye.’ With her blonde hair and bright smile, she became a pin-up favorite and a recording artist, scoring a hit with ‘Sixteen Reasons.’ Stevens never allowed herself to be pigeonholed, however. She took on dramatic stage work, starred in cult films like ‘The Grissom Gang,’ and became a familiar face on television dramas and talk shows for decades. Beyond performing, she demonstrated sharp business acumen, founding a successful cosmetics company. Her personal life, including high-profile marriages, was often in the spotlight, but her professional longevity proved she was far more than a fleeting ingenue.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Connie was born in 1938, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Connie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1938
#1 Movie
You Can't Take It with You
Best Picture
You Can't Take It with You
Connie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1938Born
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1943Started school
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1951Became a teenager
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1954Could drive
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1956Could vote
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Turned 21
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1968Turned 30
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 40
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 50
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 60
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 70
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 80
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 88 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as Cricket Blake on the popular ABC television series 'Hawaiian Eye' from 1959 to 1963.
- Founded her own cosmetics line, 'Forever Spring,' which became a multi-million dollar business.
- Released the top-ten single 'Sixteen Reasons' in 1960, establishing a parallel career as a recording artist.
- Directed and produced the 1994 television film 'A Healing,' based on her own family's experience.
Did You Know?
She was once married to actor James Stacy, and later to singer Eddie Fisher.
Stevens is an accomplished painter and has held art exhibitions of her work.
She is a dedicated advocate for veterans, having co-founded the 'Windfeather' project to provide scholarships to Native American children of veterans.
“I've been a survivor since I was seventeen years old.”
