Naomi Ruth Stevens (November 29, 1925 – January 13, 2018) was an American

character actress A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014 ...

of film and television from the 1950s through the 1980s. She appeared in almost 100 roles over the years, usually depicting mothers, landladies, gossips, or neighbors. Stevens began entertaining in vaudeville at age 2. She had expanded into radio, film, and theater by age 5. She appeared on a radio program on KNX in Los Angeles and was featured in Paramount Pictorials. Stevens attended the Grace Waugh Bowman School of Theatricals. Her most frequent characterizations were Italian, Jewish, Latin, or East European, and usually with a comic touch. She appeared in many television series and in such feature films as '' Valley of the Dolls''; '' Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell''; and ''

The Apartment ''The Apartment'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray, with Ray Walston and Edie ...

'' (as Mrs. Dreyfuss, the supportive "Jewish mother" type to

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Shirley MacLaine, numerous accolades, including a ...

's character, Fran Kubelik). She portrayed Sgt. Bella Archer in the ABC crime drama ''

Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-larg ...

'' (1978). She made guest appearances on numerous television series. Her last role was on ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that aired on the network NBC from November 8, 1965, to September 9, 2022; the soap has streamed n ...

'' as Mrs. Nazareo in 1989. On

old-time radio The Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the earl ...

, Stevens portrayed Daphne Royce on ''Brenthouse'' and Irene Barbour on ''

One Man's Family ''One Man's Family'' is an American radio soap opera, heard for almost three decades, from 1932 to 1959. Created by Carlton E. Morse, it was the longest-running uninterrupted dramatic serial in the history of American radio. Television version ...

''. Stevens died on January 13, 2018, in

Reseda, Los Angeles Reseda is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1912, and its central business district started developing in 1915. The neighborhood was devoted to agriculture for many years. Earthquake ...

, California, aged 92.

Partial filmography

* ''

Have Gun-Will Travel Have or having may refer to: * the concept of ownership * any concept of ''possession'' * the English verb "to " is used: ** to express possession linguistically, in a broad sense ** as an auxiliary verb ** in constructions such as ''have somet ...

'' (1957, TV Series) as Marga / Ma Kafka / Maria * '' The Black Orchid'' (1958) as Guilia Gallo * ''

Rescue 8 ''Rescue 8'' is a syndicated American action adventure drama series about Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) Rescue Squad 8. It premiered in 1958 and originally ran for two seasons with syndicated reruns continuing for almost a deca ...

'' (1959, TV Series) as Angela * ''

'' (1960) as Mrs. Mildred Dreyfuss * ''

The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series) ''The Twilight Zone'' (marketed as ''Twilight Zone'' for its final two seasons) is an American fantasy science fiction horror anthology series, anthology television series created and presented by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS f ...

'' (1960, Episode: Mirror Image (The Twilight Zone)) as Washroom Attendant * ''

The Lawless Years ''The Lawless Years'' is an American crime drama series that aired on NBC from April 16, 1959, to September 22, 1961. The series is the first of its kind, set during the Roaring 20s, preceding '' The Untouchables'' by half a season. Premise T ...

'' (1961, TV Series) as Rose * ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and four short stories, all of which involve a ...

'' (1961–1964, TV Series) as Agnes / Fanny Werbler / Mrs. Kransdorf * '' Dr. Kildare'' (1961–1965, TV Series) as Mrs. Gast / Aunt Kasia / Mrs. Mendoza / Mrs. Gitlin * '' Convicts 4'' (1962) as Resko's Mother * ''

McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network. The series was filmed i ...

'' (1963, TV Series) as Mrs. Gruber * '' The Farmer's Daughter'' (1964, TV series) as Mrs. Golden * ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 a ...

'' (1964, Episode: "The Gentleman Caller") as Mrs. Goldy * '' Honeymoon Hotel'' (1964) as Woman at Garbage Dump (uncredited) * ''

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre ''Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'' is an American anthology series, sponsored by Chrysler, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967. The show was hosted by Bob Hope, but it had a variety of formats, including musical, dramatic, and comed ...

'' (1964, TV Series) as Aunt Clara / Maria Pia * '' Joy in the Morning'' (1965) as Mrs. Ridinski (uncredited) * '' The Art of Love'' (1965) as Mrs. Sarah Fromkis * '' Frankie and Johnny'' (1966) as Princess Zolita (uncredited) * ''

Hogan's Heroes ''Hogan's Heroes'' is an American television sitcom created by Bernard Fein and Albert S. Ruddy which is set in a Prisoner-of-war camp, prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in Nazi Germany during World War II, and centers around a group of Allied prisoner ...

'' (1967, Episode: "The Crittendon Plan") as Nadya * '' Valley of the Dolls'' (1967) as Miss Steinberg * ''

The Flying Nun ''The Flying Nun'' is an American fantasy television, fantasy sitcom television series about a community of nuns, which included one who could fly when the wind caught her cornette. It was produced by Screen Gems for American Broadcasting Comp ...

'' (1967–1970, TV Series) as Sister Teresa / Mrs. Emanuel / Señora Rosales * ''

The Shakiest Gun in the West ''The Shakiest Gun in the West'' is a 1968 American comedy Western film starring Don Knotts. It was directed by Alan Rafkin and written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum. The film is a remake of '' The Paleface'', a 1948 film starring Bob ...

'' (1968) as Squaw (uncredited) * '' To Die in Paris'' (1968, TV Movie) as Mama Dendier * '' Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell'' (1968) as Rosa * ''

The Doris Day Show ''The Doris Day Show'' is an American sitcom which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973, remaining on the air for five seasons and 128 episodes. The series is remembered for its multiple format and cast chang ...

'' (1968–1969, TV Series) as Juanita (housekeeper) * ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was filmed in black-and-white and broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seve ...

'' (1969–1970, TV Series) as Mama Rossini * ''

Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an American anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from September 29, 1969, to January 11, 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a pa ...

'' (1969–1973, TV Series) as Hazel / Mildred / Rosa / Mrs. Straub aka Mother / Annie Ellsworth * ''

The Hawaiians Hawaiians are the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiians or The Hawaiians may also refer to: * The Hawaiians (WFL), a football team in the World Football League from 1974 to 1975 * ''The Hawaiians'' (film), a 1970 American hi ...

'' (1970) as Queen Liliuokalani * ''

Room 222 ''Room 222'' is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC for 112 episodes, from September 17, 1969, until January 11, 1974. The show was broadcast on 1969 ...

'' (1970, TV Series) as Rose * ''

Fly Me ''Fly Me'' is a 1973 exploitation film directed by Cirio H. Santiago and produced by Roger Corman. The story concerns flight attendants, international drug smuggling, kung fu, and nudity. It was poorly received by critics. Plot Toby, Andrea ...

'' (1973) as Toby's Mother * ''

Superdad ''Superdad'' is a 1973 American comedy film by Walt Disney Productions starring Bob Crane, Barbara Rush, Kurt Russell, Joe Flynn, and Kathleen Cody and directed by Vincent McEveety. Plot Charlie McCready (Bob Crane) tries to wrest his daughte ...

'' (1973) as Mrs. Levin (neighbor) * '' Hard Times'' (1975) as Madam * '' The Montefuscos'' (1975, TV Series) as Rose Montefusco * '' Hustle'' (1975) as Woman Hostage * ''

The Practice ''The Practice'' is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley centering on partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC, from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004. It won an Emmy i ...

'' (1976, TV Series) as Mrs. Friedman * '' Opening Night'' (1977) as Crying Mourner (uncredited) * ''

Vega$ ''Vegas'' (stylized as ''Vega$'') is an American crime drama television series starring Robert Urich that aired on ABC from September 20, 1978, to June 3, 1981, with the pilot episode airing April 25, 1978. ''Vegas'' was produced by Aaron Spel ...

'' (1978–1979, TV Series) as Sgt. Bella Archer * '' The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal'' (1979, TV Movie) as Mrs. Goldstein * ''

Hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

'' (1982, TV Series) as Mrs. Tomasino * ''

Taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a Driving, driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of thei ...

'' (1983, TV Series) as Aunt Lucia

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Naomi 1925 births 2018 deaths American film actresses American television actresses Actresses from Trenton, New Jersey 20th-century American actresses American vaudeville performers American radio actresses American child actresses 21st-century American women