Harvey Stephens

At age 30, actor Harvey Stephens had a sophisticated charm and staid, long-jawed handsomeness that seemed ideal for the big screen, particularly in elegant or period settings. A veteran of a handful of Broadway shows by the time he made his sudden move to film, he was handed on a silver platter a debut starring role. The drawback was that playing opposite him would be a Broadway legend and one the boldest scenery chewers of all-time -- Tallulah Bankhead. The "leading man" opportunities went quickly downhill from there for Harvey but he redeemed himself quite well in the next few years as a poised second lead player and (later) dependable character actor on TV. Born on August 21, 1901, the Los Angeles native attended U.C.L.A. before training with Walter Hampden's repertory company for two years as well as in various other stock companies. He had already married Beatrice Nichols in 1929 by the time he established himself on Broadway. Taking his first Broadway bow with a role in "Other M