Celebrity Owners

Connie Stevens made a name for herself as a sixties icon and the star of such programs as "Hawaiian Eye", where she played Cricket Blake and "Wendy & Me" in which she costarred with George Burns. She has starred on Broadway and played to standing room audiences in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and countless other cities across the globe. In 1995 she completed production on "A Healing", a documentary dedicated to the women who served in the Vietnam War. Most recently she has made guest appearances in the TV series "Baywatch" and "Clueless".

After her divorce from performer Eddie Fisher, Stevens raised their two daughters, Joely and Tricia Leigh, as a single mother. Both daughters have followed their mother's footsteps into Hollywood. Joely was a costar on the popular series "Ellen" and is touring with "Cabaret". Tricia Leigh has starred in two movies of the week to critical acclaim.

In 1989 Stevens formed Forever Spring, a cosmetics empire that has grown into the top selling line on the Home Shopping Network and includes a day spa in Los Angeles. Her successful line of products has established Stevens as one of the most successful female businesswomen of all time.

A enthusiastic supporter of philanthropy, her project Windfeather provides scholarships for Native American youth. She is also involved with the organization Dignity of Jackson Hole, which supports the mentally and physically challenged.

Stevens has an amazing respect for all forms of life, and she shares her home with a menagerie of dogs, plants, and a six-year-old goldfish. Connie Stevens proves that with a little persistence and an abundance of love, you could reach your dreams.

KT: How many pets do you have?
CS: I have Joon, a Siberian husky I got in Alaska. Two albino Siberians, one with one blue eye and one green eye. Ali, another Siberian. Roxette, another Siberian husky. I also have 5 white Bichons: Cosette, Jackson, Evvie, Vincent, and Rooney. I also have a 6-year-old fish. I lost Caleb after 16 years. He was a pure Siberian. He weighed 150 lbs., but could jump a five foot fence. I love Siberians because they are so beautiful to look at. They are certainly not pushovers, though; you have to earn their respect and their love. They are very territorial and are very clean, which make them such great pets. This may sound weird, but they have a sense of humor; they get it. Joon got into a fight with a possum, somehow got out the front gate, and got hit by a car. Her back and legs were crushed and the nerves on her tail severed. I took her to Dr. Olzs at the Brentwood Pet Clinic. He put pins in the legs, but she could not walk or sit and today, eight months after the accident, she is running in the back yard. Joon wanted to live. I massaged her every day on her back and legs. I'd say to her, "You can do this, you're a husky." She had a will to live.

KT: Growing up, did you have many animals around?
CS: Well, I am from Brooklyn, NY, so we could not have many pets, but I always had at least two dogs.

KT: Is it hard to take care of an animal while trying to balance a successful acting career and a social life?
CS: Well, it is a lot harder for the average person. I am fortunate enough to have two and a quarter acres and a great housekeeper and houseman. Also, my home is large and has lots of room for the clan to run and play in.

KT: Do you spoil your pets?
CS: Yeah, I cook for them. They get rice, gizzards, boiled chicken, liver, and dry dog food.

KT: What have you learned from your pets?
CS: Unconditional love. I have learned that you can communicate on a very deep level with any living form. That's why my gardens bloom and my animals are so healthy- because I communicate with them. When you are in a bad mood or irritated, always remember to be the person your dog thinks you are.

KT: What is your hardest responsibility as a pet owner?
CS: To make sure that they behave and that they have a lot of love and attention constantly. Once you have an animal, you have to commit to it. They need a sense of freedom, but, of course, they must have some boundaries. I am against hitting them though; just send the vibe and that will do it.

KT: What is your proudest achievement?
CS: My children. I was a single mom that raised two bright, beautiful, and compassionate girls.

KT: What is your earliest memory of having a pet?
CS: I had a dog my dad gave me called Downbeat, a black and white mixed breed that loved music.

KT: Do your pets travel with you?
CS: Every now and then they go with me. Cossette travels the most.

KT: You have had a great career in Hollywood. What aspect of your career have you enjoyed the most?
CS: I like it all! I love the live performances and Las Vegas. I also like making films that are being discovered by another generation. Having been a teen idol of the sixties is great because you realize you left your generation with a smile and good memories.

KT: Your focus in life seems to have shifted from Hollywood to the corporate world, and you have become one of America's most successful [business] women. Which field do you prefer and are you surprised by your success?
CS: I am not surprised that my products are good; I am surprised though by how well the consumer has reacted to them.

KT: If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?
CS: One of my dogs-a Siberian husky happy in the snow. A sled dog-the fastest and leader of the pack. If not, I'd like to be a lion if they were free because they have less fear. They are very family-oriented. Unfortunately. too many wild animals are afraid at what man can do to them.