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Entertainment & Arts

Classic Hollywood: Stefanie Powers

Stefanie Powers was acting professionally before she turned voting age. Early on, she went by the name "Taffy Paul" but dropped it before becoming a star. Powers was noticed by Columbia Pictures at 15, and she ultimately signed a five-year deal with the studio. But that came after she had a shot to appear in the film version of "West Side Story," only to be let go during rehearsals for being underage. Her career wasn't derailed long, even if the teenager eventually needed a judge to approve her to work in Hollywood, as pictured here. She graduated from Hollywood High in 1960, and by 1961 had steady work . Best-known among her initial film roles is no doubt the 1963 John Wayne western "McLintock!"

Stefanie Powers was acting professionally before she turned voting age. Early on, she went by the name “Taffy Paul” but dropped it before becoming a star. Powers was noticed by Columbia Pictures at 15, and she ultimately signed a five-year deal with the studio.

But that came after she had a shot to appear in the film version of “West Side Story,” only to be let go during rehearsals for being underage. Her career wasn’t derailed long, even if the teenager eventually needed a judge to approve her to work in Hollywood, as pictured here. She graduated from Hollywood High in 1960, and by 1961 had steady work . Best-known among her initial film roles is no doubt the 1963 John Wayne western “McLintock!”  (R. L. Oliver / Los Angeles Times)

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And ... scene!

In addition to the “Hart to Hart” films, Powers has starred in numerous theatrical productions throughout the ‘90s. She appeared in the 1991 London musical “Matador” and was also reunited with Wagner in 1993 at London’s West End for the play “Love Letters,” for which Powers won a Sarah Siddons Award. Among her other notable stage credits: Powers appeared in a 2002 touring edition of “The King and I,” starring as Anna Leonowens.  (Bill Olive / For The Times / 2005)

Author and singer

This year Powers debuted a new stage show, “Hart of My Heart,” which is described as a musical tribute to Lorenz Hart, of famed Broadway songwriting team Rogers & Hart. Earlier this year, she appeared in the made-for-TV-movie “Meet My Mom.” Powers has released her memoir, “ Stefanie Powers One From the Hart.”  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

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