Posted: Sat.,  April 5th, 2008,  3:16  KJV  ET 

Stephen Oliver as 'Lee Webber

Stephen Oliver a 60’s household TV legend who was best known for his role as Lee Webber, the Bad Boy in “Peyton Place,” died Saturday March 5, of cancer at his Mountain home in Big Bear Lake, CA. He was 68.

He had only recently been diagnosed with cancer, after being admitted to over four hospitals in the last two months. Even after many exams they could not readily determine the cause until the last few days.

The square-jawed actor who worked as a Cab Driver, Rough Neck, Bounty Hunter, and Fitness Instructor to the Stars, found instant fame in the original prime time soap “Peyton Place” just by playing himself.

Stephen Oliver (Steve Welzig) a classic character actor from the 60's personified the person mentioned in Buck Owens song Act Naturally great clip with Buck and Ringo Starr.

Well, I bet you I'm gonna be a big star
Might win an Oscar you can never tell
The movie's gonna make me a big star,
'Cause I can play the part so well

Well, I hope you come and see me in the movie
Then I'll know that you will plainly see
The biggest fool that ever hit the big time
And all I have to do is act naturally

all Steve did was act naturally. Here a clip of Steve handling a rifle.

It was a surreal moment when he was told that he had allot of mail stacking up in the mail room. In fact more than Ryan O’Neal, the main lead on Peyton Place. It seems that no one wanted him to know how popular he was or he would ask for a raise.

He always cherished a letter from a young girl in England, that said she wanted to marry him when she grew up.

Steve also had a celebrated short marriage to his co-star lead on Peyton Place, Lana Wood, who played his TV wife Sandy Webber, whom Steve later on in life reminisced that she was once his greatest love.

As an actor Steve excelled in playing such streetwise hotheads, lead bikers and the occasional villain but his most treasured role was the one where he played as the famous pugilist/boxer "Gentleman Jim" Corbett in the Steve McQueen epic Western "Tom Horn".

He reprised the various roles of lead tough guy biker in a number of low budget movies but eventually declined to appear in any more sequels.

One of his unsung films was when he played the lead in a movie with the glamour's Diva Rita Hayworth, called The Naked Zoo, an intriguing tale about the woes of too many excesses among the successful. Something that portrayed what sentiments he had against unbridled greedy lust's, which he took a very strong stand against in his adult years.

 Steve was born in Philadelphia P.A., but his family moved to California were he later attended High School in Riverside CA.

Steve actually became an honorary member of the Hell Angeles in his youth, and later on he competed in numerous boxing matches, and martial arts events.

Prior to his being discovered as a major acting talent he took a hand at bounty hunting working for the legendary Ralph “Poppa” Thorsen whose life was portrayed in Steve McQueen's last film The Hunter.

Many Gym Jocks have been surprised at how powerfully he stayed in his late 60's, even performing amazing lifting techniques that he would share with anyone that would like to learn.

Stephen Oliver also completed a stint in the U.S. Navy, working on an old WWII mine sweeper where he had an early venture to Vietnam. He always commended those who serve God, Country, and Family.

Steve's career took a slight turn after having two major starring roles in prime time TV series that went back to back, “Peyton Place” and “Brakens World” In fact his stand-In for one was Tom Selleck, and he even got picked over Sam Elliot, in the other role, such is the ways of  Hollywood.

On his return to the big screen, even after he was comfortable in his niche market, playing the various bully's and thug's in  such venues as Street's of San Francisco, Chips,  Starsky & Hutch, the most popular hit's on prime time TV. He went back to some noted low budget biker flicks, of course Steve played the Lead.  Naturally!

There are many more anecdotal stories to these chapters in Steve life as you can find in his biography the Bad Boy of Hollywood.

The most eventful and dramatic time in Steve's life was when he was 33 years old, and had reached what we would  call the pinnacles of success in Hollywood. Wine, Women and Song all that young men desire.

Yet! It was then when in a sudden dark night of depression he contemplated committing suicide.

He was ready to take his own life with a double barrel sawed-off shot gun that he had already put in his mouth, with his finger on the hair trigger, and just seconds from eternity.

That is when Steve said that he heard the voice of the Lord Jesus who said “Come to me now Steve”.

For the first time in his Life he had also heard the song Amazing Grace that was just then playing next door.

That night Steve repented and received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and became a Born Again Christian.

He continued on in his faith diligently during the next 35+ years of his life leading many to Christ. He had a big impact on many different people in Hollywood, and with the  people he would meet at Coffee Shops, deli's and whenever the opportunity arised.

In 2002 Steve spoke to both Hollywood Legends, Rhonda Fleming, and Jane Russell, and with their guest in attendance, telling Jane that he really appreciated her opening up her home for Bible studies.

He told her that when he had gone to her house he was not a believer, but said that he had received Christ as his Lord and Savior a few years later. Needless to say that was a conformation that Jane and Rhonda works were not in vain.

Certainly another man Barry McGuire made a impression on Steve because he had received Christ earlier and that somewhat befuddled  Steve, who was hardcore against anybody sharing Christ with him.

You can also read that in his biography the Bad Boy Of Hollywood.

His most recent venture was just two weeks before he passed away, In which he was giving a presentation to a room full of high power executives; at the Los Angeles Studio Center, about the two award winning movie screenplays that he wrote, designed to encourage more family values from Hollywood.

Steve regaled them all with many Stories from his wild and wooly day's hanging around Dennis Hopper, Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen and the behind the scenes actions of his purposeful Life.

They sat spelled bound for over two hours. Not one person in that room knew of the tremendous pain he was suffering to come there. His parting words  to them was that America was getting tired of all the shoot'em ups, murder, mayhem movies, and that they wanted decent respectful family style pictures.

No one in that meeting knew that he was in excruciating pain. Some tough guy hey!

It was while on a set doing a western shoot that Steve had one of his most memorable scenes, one in which Steve had just finished nailing a perfect first take.

As he walked back to his trailer, he passed  Linda Evans, Slim Pickens and Richard Farnsworth who were sitting next to his trailer and called him over. Richard told Steve how they had just been talking about him, and were amazed at how he handle his part and dealt with mega star Steve McQueen.

The Oscar-nominated American actor and stuntman Richard Farnsworth told Stephen that he had been around McQueen over 20 years and no one had ever out shown him on a set like he had.

He in fact told him he should not do any more Television parts and stick to the big screen, because he would be a big star.

 Even a star as big as Steve McQueen (who Farnsworth had worked with for over 20 years),

Well the truth be told,  both Steve's (Stephen Oliver and Steve McQueen) are now enjoying there eternal reward, promised to them from their heavenly Father, because of their confession of his Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Elvis Presley's favorite actor

In his Biography about Stephen Bad Boy of Hollywood, Elvis Presley had confided in him, and told him personally that he was his favorite actor. Of Course Steve said that was because Elvis had nothing better to do at his home in Graceland than watch old reruns were he played the part Elvis liked.

Stephen Oliver (Steve Welzig)  is survived by his sister, Diana Marbury; three brothers, Ross, Tracy, and Mark Welzig and a host of friends and extended family.

May 2006 Mt Soledad

Stephen Oliver proclaiming