Stella Garcia is an American actress who appeared in the films The Private Lives of Adam and Eve, Change of Habit, The Last Movie, and Joe Kidd.

Stella Garcia
Born
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActress
Years active1960–1997

Career

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Early roles

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Garcia's first film role was in the early 1960s in The Private Lives of Adam and Eve.[1] In 1963, she had a small part in the Elvis Presley film Fun in Acapulco as the Señorita at Torito's.[2]

Success

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At the beginning of the 1970s, she was cast in the film The Last Movie (1971), which was the second directorial effort for Dennis Hopper, who had just finished Easy Rider.[3] In the film she played Hopper's girlfriend,[4] and the review from Variety included positive recognition for her part in the movie. Soon after, she was cast by Universal Studios as the female lead in the western Joe Kidd (1972), starring Clint Eastwood. She played Helen Sanchez, a Mexican-American activist and lover of Luis Chama, played by John Saxon.[5][6][7] Her performance received positive reviews, especially from the Los Angeles Times. Despite the attention she attracted for The Last Movie and Joe Kidd, her acting career subsequently began to decline.[8] She appeared in one other film during the 1970s, the Albert Band-directed She Came to the Valley, as a Christmas party guest.[9]

Later years

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In 1996, she played the part of Maria in the film Eye for an Eye which starred Sally Field and Kiefer Sutherland.[10] Her final film role was in 1997, as a South African businesswoman in the film Playing God.[11]

She attended the April 25, 2014 screening of Dennis Hopper's The Last Movie at Paramount Studios, Hollywood, California.[12][13][14] Garcia arrived at the event with Jodi Wille, director of the documentary The Source Family.[15][16]

Filmography

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Title Year Role Director Notes
The Private Lives of Adam and Eve 1960 Friday Mickey Rooney, Albert Zugsmith
Fun in Acapulco 1963 Señorita at Torito's Richard Thorpe Uncredited
Change of Habit 1969 Singer William Graham drama; Uncredited
The Last Movie 1971 Maria Dennis Hopper Uncredited, Recognition for her role in a review from Variety
Joe Kidd 1972 Helen Sanchez John Sturges Positive reviews, incl. one from LA Times.
She Came to the Valley 1973 Christmas Party Guest #20 Albert Band
Eye for an Eye 1996 Maria John Schlesinger
Playing God 1997 South African Businesswoman Andy Wilson (final film role)

References

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  1. ^ New York Times Movies, The Private Lives of Adam and Eve (1961), Acting Credits
  2. ^ Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: The Complete Guide to the Movie Trivia Game Jeff Milne 1963 Fun in Acapulco
  3. ^ Latino Image Makers in Hollywood: Performers, Filmmakers and Films Since the 1960s Frank Javier Garcia Berumen Stella Garcia
  4. ^ Dennis Hopper: Interviews Edited by Nick Dawson Page 57
  5. ^ Latino Image Makers in Hollywood: Performers, Filmmakers and Films Since the 1960s Frank Javier Garcia Berumen Stella Garcia
  6. ^ The Schenechtady Gazette Saturday August 18, 1979 Page 5 'Joe Kidd'- Loner Battles Against Gangs In Range War
  7. ^ Westerns in a Changing America, 1955–2000 R. Philip Loy Page 130
  8. ^ Latino Image Makers in Hollywood: Performers, Filmmakers and Films Since the 1960s Frank Javier Garcia Berumen Stella Garcia
  9. ^ Artist Direct She Came to the Valley, Cast
  10. ^ TV Guide Eye For An Eye 1996 Movie, Cast & Crew
  11. ^ New York Times Movies, Playing God (1997), Acting Credits
  12. ^ Zimbio Paris Photo Los Angeles: Day 1, 1 of 3
  13. ^ Zimbio Paris Photo Los Angeles: Day 1, 2 of 3
  14. ^ Zimbio Paris Photo Los Angeles: Day 1, 3 of 3
  15. ^ The New York Times Style Magazine April 28, 2014 Art and Film Luminaries Salute Dennis Hopper at Paris Photo Los Angeles By Steffie Nelson
  16. ^ graphics8.nytimes.com Picture 2 (1LAX-jumbo.jpg)
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