Naomi Stevens

Who is Naomi Stevens?

Naomi Stevens is a prolific character actress of film and television from the 1950s through the 1980s. She has appeared in almost 100 roles over the years, usually depicting someone's ethnic mother, or neighbor. Her most frequent characterizations were Italian, Jewish, Latin, or East European, and often with a comic touch.

Co-starring with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine in "The Apartment," she gives advice on living as the wife of Dr. Dreyfus, Baxter's neighbor, who is commandeered by C.C. Baxter to revive a mistress, Fran Kubelik, of his married boss. The young woman has taken an overdose of sleeping pills to combat her feelings of rejection and futility. Ms. Stevens is the supportive "Jewish mother," intent on scolding Baxter while she shores up the flagging spirits of the victim.