Onslow Stevens

Son of character actor Houseley Stevenson, brother of designer Edward Stevenson and actor Houseley Stevenson Jr.. , Onslow Stevens was highly active from mid-1920s at the Pasadena Community Playhouse, where his entire family worked frequently as performers, directors and teachers.

Received critical praise for his appearances as a playwright in the film Once in a Lifetime (1932) and in Peg o' My Heart (1933), when he replaced Leslie Howard in the lead, but the two roles did not lead to anticipated film stardom.

Became a member of the Screen Actors Guild in late 1935.

he scored a major success on Broadway in "Stage Door" in 1936. He played many leading roles and even more character parts over the years. Although at first a stalwart and reliable figure in films, in later years his career was adversely affected by alcohol. Nevertheless, he was a familiar and respected performer for many years.

RKO signed him up in 1937 and he was to appear in their classic film Stage Door (1937) but the role he played on Broadway was drastically changed and he wound up not appearing in it.

Met fourth wife Marley Shofner after he directed her in a 1958 production of "The Waltz of the Toreadors" in Laguna Beach, California.

His final months were spent in a Van Nuys, California, nursing home where, in November 1976, he suffered a broken hip under unclear circumstances.

According to Laura Wagner in her article for Films of the Golden Age, Issue #81, Summer 2015, Universal wanted Onslow to change his stage name to "Ronald Stevens" because they felt his first name was not "romantic" enough. Onslow would not agree to it as he felt he was not the romantic type. He did allow them, however, to shorten his last name to Stevens.