Stefanie Powers (born Stefania Zofia Federkiewicz on November 2, 1942) is an Emmy Award-nominated American actress and singer, who's best known for her role as Robert Wagner's wife and crime-fighting partner, Jennifer Hart, on the popular 1980s crime drama, Hart to Hart. For her contribution to the television industry, Powers has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6778 Hollywood Blvd.
Powers was born in Hollywood, California, to Polish American parents and was reared in the Roman Catholic religion. Her parents divorced during her childhood and her mother, Julia Golen, remarried.
As an actress, Powers appeared in several motion pictures in the early 1960s in secondary roles such as the thriller Experiment in Terror, the comedy If A Man Answers with Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin, and as the daughter of John Wayne in the lighthearted McLintock!. In 1966, her "tempestuous" good looks led to a starring role in the short-lived television spy thriller series, The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.. In 1969, she appeared nude for the only time in her career, in the movie Crescendo.
The 1970s started with Powers' appearance as Nicole Harris in Disney's Herbie Rides Again. In 1977 she starred in The Feather and Father Gang as Toni "Feather" Danton a hard-working, successful lawyer. Her father, Harry Danton, a smooth-talking ex-con man. It ran for 13 episodes. Although she continued to appear in television guest roles and made-for-TV films, she is best known for her role opposite her old friend, Robert Wagner in the 1979-1984 hit television series, Hart to Hart for which she received two Emmy and five Golden Globe Award "best television actress" nominations. She starred briefly in the 1991 London musical Matador, which closed prematurely due to the sharp drop in tourism during the Persian Gulf War. In 1993, she won the Sarah Siddons Award for her stage performance in "Love Letters".
In 1996, she toured in a production of "Applause" which was slated to go to New York in hopes of a Broadway revival. She played the role of Margo Channing, played in the original production by Lauren Bacall (and later Anne Baxter), and in the source film All About Eve by Bette Davis.
In 2002 she toured the United Kingdom in the singing role of Anna Leonowens in a revival of The King and I. She also toured the U.S. in 2004 and 2005 in her role as Leonowens. Powers is one of many notable graduates from Hollywood High School, including classmate Nancy Sinatra. Powers released her debut CD in 2003, titled, On The Same Page. The album features selections from the classic Great American Songbook era. Since 2006 she has been the US location presenter on the BBC's long running Through the Keyhole panel show.
On April 30, 2008, she was reunited with Robert Wagner for the filming of a special Hart to Hart edition of the Graham Norton show .
Powers was married to actor Gary Lockwood between 1966 and 1972. She had a relationship with actor William Holden that led to their being involved with wildlife conservation. Following his death in 1981, Powers became President of the "William Holden Wildlife Foundation" and a director of the Mount Kenya Game Ranch in Kenya. In the United States, she works with both the Cincinnati and Atlanta zoos. She devotes a great deal of time to the cause and is international guest speaker on wildlife preservation.
On April 1, 1993 she married a somewhat younger French aristocrat, Patrick Houitte de la Chesnais, but they divorced in 1999. Powers has no children.
An outstanding polo player, along with Canadian retailing magnate Galen Weston and Thoroughbred owner/breeder Henryk de Kwiatkowski, Stefanie Powers was among the first foreign members of the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club in the United Kingdom, whose membership includes HRH The Prince of Wales. In 2005, she competed in the Joules United Kingdom National Women's Championships at Ascot Park.
