Steve Stephens
Encyclopedia
Stephen Owen Stephens is a well-known television and communications pioneer. He is most famous for "Steve’s Show," a popular program produced by the CBS television affiliate in Little Rock, Arkansas
in the 1960s. He has remained a communications specialist well into his retirement.
Steve Stephens was born on April 22, 1930, to Owen and Allie Mae Stephens, owners of a restaurant/service station in Newport, Arkansas
. Later his parents opened a furniture store in the same town, which they successfully operated for more than twenty years. Stephens attended Castle Heights Military Academy and later graduated from Newport High School in 1948. Following graduation, he attended the University of Arkansas
where he was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity until the fall of 1950 when, “looking for adventure,” he joined the U.S. Marine Corps.
While in the Marines, he attained the rank of Sergeant, and was a decorated combat veteran, earning three battle stars and the Expert Rifleman's medal while serving with the famed 1st Marine Division in Korea. His name is inscribed on the MacArthur Military Museum's Walk of Honor and the Korean War Memorial in MacArthur Park. Following the Korean War
, he returned to Newport, Arkansas to join his father in the furniture store business.
While in the Marines, Stephens was often asked if he had ever been a broadcaster, as he seemed to have a natural “radio voice.” After returning home, he began part-time radio work by becoming an announcer for radio station KNBY in Newport, where he became known as “The Voice of the White River Valley.”
His entry into radio coincided with the beginnings of the rock and roll era, and Stephens soon became a popular proponent of this emerging new type of music. In 1957, an unplanned trip to Little Rock (Pulaski County) television station KTHV, with his former high school classmate Sonny Burgess and his rock and roll band, "The Pacers," resulted in an audition, and being offered a position as a “booth announcer” for the station. On April 21 of the same year, he married Ellen Beede of Newport. They had two sons: Stanton (deceased) and Steele. After nearly thirty years, the marriage ended in divorce.
Soon, Stephens was asked to host a television “dance party,” six months prior to the national launching of the ABC television program, American Bandstand
His first show aired on a Saturday afternoon in March 1957. By May, the program had become so popular that it was expanded to six days a week and renamed "Steve’s Show." At the suggestion of Jack Bomar, the television station manager (who would become his mentor), he changed his name to Stephen Owen Stephens for legal purposes.
Attendance at Steve’s Show soon reached a point, that in order to comply with the city’s fire code, tickets had to be issued to limit the busloads of teenagers arriving from all over the state. Stephens helped launch the careers of Johnny Cash
, Conway Twitty
, Charlie Rich
, Brenda Lee, Sonny Burgess, Fabian, and countless others who appeared on his program during a hugely successful period ending in 1965. As a result of his continuing popularity, Stephens was awarded a recording contract and recorded several songs during this period, including, “Honey Bee,” “Pizza Pete,” “How It Used to Be,” and “Weird Session.”
Teenagers soon selected Stephens as the "Top Television Personality of Arkansas." His popularity was recognized nationally when he came within one vote of being selected as "The Nation’s Top Local Television Personality" in 1960 by TV and Movie Screen Magazine.
From 1958 to 1965, he also served as the senior weatherman at both 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on the CBS affiliate, and was the first forecaster in Arkansas to introduce radar to the a statewide television audience. He had another first when, on Christmas Eve in 1958, he became the first weatherman in the nation to use radar to “spot” Santa Claus flying into the state.
Stephens also created and produced another highly rated television program called, "Eye on Arkansas," which led him to negotiate with The Vapors nightclub in Hot Springs (Garland County) to publicize the club in exchange for appearances by the headliner acts, resulting in him interviewing such entertainment icons as Liberace
, Patti Page, the Four Aces, Angie Dickinson, Bob Crosby, Mickey Rooney, the casts of the popular TV’s series, "Ponderosa," and "The Beverly Hillbillies," actors Roy Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Ronald Reagan (while touring as the host of GE Theatre, prior to becoming governor of California, and later as President), as well as numerous other notables.
In 1965, Stephens left KTHV, Channel 11 in Little Rock at the invitation of Senior U.S. Senator John McClellan
in Washington D.C., to join his staff as Special Assistant in charge of media relations. While in Washington, he became the founding Vice President of the Senate Press Secretaries Association. In 1968, he returned to Little Rock to form his own public relations, advertising company and travel agency. In 1986, he was approached by financier Jack Stephens to become assistant to the chairman of the board and director of communications for Stephens Inc., as well as Governmental Representative in Washington, D.C. While with Stephens he became President of Stephens Entertainment, Inc., managing the financial affairs of Hollywood entertainment figures. He traveled with Jack Stephens to Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta, Indonesia, and other destinations in Southeast Asia, and produced a film on those travels. He remained with Stephens Inc. until his retirement in 1998.
Stephens was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree from Southwestern College in Oklahoma for his humanitarian work in Latin America on behalf of the Partners of the Americas. He continues to be active as a voice talent for numerous local and national radio and television commercials; as of 2010, he hosts the highly acclaimed radio series, "Biography Arkansas" segment for KUAR radio, and was honored by a retrospective of his television and broadcasting career by the Little Rock Central Library System, which showcased his work in television and radio. He served as a National Trustee for the March of Dimes for more than a decade, was named an Honorary Life Trustee of the organization in 1998, and received the “Jonas Salk Lifetime Achievement Award” for his fundraising efforts. He is the founding chairman of the Greater Little Rock Motion Picture and Television Commission, and created numerous charitable awards, including the Arkansas Citizen of the Year Award, the Vision award, and the Sidney McMath Lifetime Achievement Award. In recognition of his pioneering achievements in broadcasting, he was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in October 2003, and on April 3, 2004, his name was added to the Arkansas Walk of Fame in Hot Springs.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
in the 1960s. He has remained a communications specialist well into his retirement.
Steve Stephens was born on April 22, 1930, to Owen and Allie Mae Stephens, owners of a restaurant/service station in Newport, Arkansas
Newport, Arkansas
Newport is a city in Jackson County, Arkansas, northeast of Little Rock, on the White River. In 1900, 2,866 people lived in Newport, Arkansas; in 1910, 3,557. The population was 7,811 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Jackson County....
. Later his parents opened a furniture store in the same town, which they successfully operated for more than twenty years. Stephens attended Castle Heights Military Academy and later graduated from Newport High School in 1948. Following graduation, he attended the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
where he was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity until the fall of 1950 when, “looking for adventure,” he joined the U.S. Marine Corps.
While in the Marines, he attained the rank of Sergeant, and was a decorated combat veteran, earning three battle stars and the Expert Rifleman's medal while serving with the famed 1st Marine Division in Korea. His name is inscribed on the MacArthur Military Museum's Walk of Honor and the Korean War Memorial in MacArthur Park. Following the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, he returned to Newport, Arkansas to join his father in the furniture store business.
While in the Marines, Stephens was often asked if he had ever been a broadcaster, as he seemed to have a natural “radio voice.” After returning home, he began part-time radio work by becoming an announcer for radio station KNBY in Newport, where he became known as “The Voice of the White River Valley.”
His entry into radio coincided with the beginnings of the rock and roll era, and Stephens soon became a popular proponent of this emerging new type of music. In 1957, an unplanned trip to Little Rock (Pulaski County) television station KTHV, with his former high school classmate Sonny Burgess and his rock and roll band, "The Pacers," resulted in an audition, and being offered a position as a “booth announcer” for the station. On April 21 of the same year, he married Ellen Beede of Newport. They had two sons: Stanton (deceased) and Steele. After nearly thirty years, the marriage ended in divorce.
Soon, Stephens was asked to host a television “dance party,” six months prior to the national launching of the ABC television program, American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
His first show aired on a Saturday afternoon in March 1957. By May, the program had become so popular that it was expanded to six days a week and renamed "Steve’s Show." At the suggestion of Jack Bomar, the television station manager (who would become his mentor), he changed his name to Stephen Owen Stephens for legal purposes.
Attendance at Steve’s Show soon reached a point, that in order to comply with the city’s fire code, tickets had to be issued to limit the busloads of teenagers arriving from all over the state. Stephens helped launch the careers of Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
, Charlie Rich
Charlie Rich
Charles Rich was an American country music singer and musician. A Grammy Award winner, his eclectic-style of music was often hard to classify in a single genre, playing in the rockabilly, jazz, blues, country, and gospel genres.In the latter part of his life, Rich acquired the nickname The Silver...
, Brenda Lee, Sonny Burgess, Fabian, and countless others who appeared on his program during a hugely successful period ending in 1965. As a result of his continuing popularity, Stephens was awarded a recording contract and recorded several songs during this period, including, “Honey Bee,” “Pizza Pete,” “How It Used to Be,” and “Weird Session.”
Teenagers soon selected Stephens as the "Top Television Personality of Arkansas." His popularity was recognized nationally when he came within one vote of being selected as "The Nation’s Top Local Television Personality" in 1960 by TV and Movie Screen Magazine.
From 1958 to 1965, he also served as the senior weatherman at both 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on the CBS affiliate, and was the first forecaster in Arkansas to introduce radar to the a statewide television audience. He had another first when, on Christmas Eve in 1958, he became the first weatherman in the nation to use radar to “spot” Santa Claus flying into the state.
Stephens also created and produced another highly rated television program called, "Eye on Arkansas," which led him to negotiate with The Vapors nightclub in Hot Springs (Garland County) to publicize the club in exchange for appearances by the headliner acts, resulting in him interviewing such entertainment icons as Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
, Patti Page, the Four Aces, Angie Dickinson, Bob Crosby, Mickey Rooney, the casts of the popular TV’s series, "Ponderosa," and "The Beverly Hillbillies," actors Roy Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Ronald Reagan (while touring as the host of GE Theatre, prior to becoming governor of California, and later as President), as well as numerous other notables.
In 1965, Stephens left KTHV, Channel 11 in Little Rock at the invitation of Senior U.S. Senator John McClellan
John Little McClellan
John Little McClellan was a Democratic Party politician from Arkansas. He represented Arkansas in the United States Senate from 1943 until 1977. He also earlier represented Arkansas in the United States House of Representatives.-Early life:McClellan was born in Sheridan, Grant County, Arkansas...
in Washington D.C., to join his staff as Special Assistant in charge of media relations. While in Washington, he became the founding Vice President of the Senate Press Secretaries Association. In 1968, he returned to Little Rock to form his own public relations, advertising company and travel agency. In 1986, he was approached by financier Jack Stephens to become assistant to the chairman of the board and director of communications for Stephens Inc., as well as Governmental Representative in Washington, D.C. While with Stephens he became President of Stephens Entertainment, Inc., managing the financial affairs of Hollywood entertainment figures. He traveled with Jack Stephens to Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta, Indonesia, and other destinations in Southeast Asia, and produced a film on those travels. He remained with Stephens Inc. until his retirement in 1998.
Stephens was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree from Southwestern College in Oklahoma for his humanitarian work in Latin America on behalf of the Partners of the Americas. He continues to be active as a voice talent for numerous local and national radio and television commercials; as of 2010, he hosts the highly acclaimed radio series, "Biography Arkansas" segment for KUAR radio, and was honored by a retrospective of his television and broadcasting career by the Little Rock Central Library System, which showcased his work in television and radio. He served as a National Trustee for the March of Dimes for more than a decade, was named an Honorary Life Trustee of the organization in 1998, and received the “Jonas Salk Lifetime Achievement Award” for his fundraising efforts. He is the founding chairman of the Greater Little Rock Motion Picture and Television Commission, and created numerous charitable awards, including the Arkansas Citizen of the Year Award, the Vision award, and the Sidney McMath Lifetime Achievement Award. In recognition of his pioneering achievements in broadcasting, he was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in October 2003, and on April 3, 2004, his name was added to the Arkansas Walk of Fame in Hot Springs.