Muscular and ruggedly handsome tough guy actor Steve Oliver was born as Stephen Oliver Welzig on November 29, 1941 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was a garage mechanic. Steve had three brothers and one sister. He grew up in Riverside, California. Steve not only worked various jobs as a cab driver, roughneck, bounty hunter, and fitness instructor to the stars, but also served a brief stint in the U.S. Navy, working on an old World War II mine-sweeper during the early part of the Vietnam war prior to embarking on an acting career. Moreover, Oliver was an honorary member of the Hell's Angels in his youth and even participated in both boxing matches and martial arts events. Steve made his film debut as brooding romantic biker gang leader "Brahmin" in 'Russ Meyer . Steve was a good friend of Pat Boone and gave his life to the Lord. He concentrated on writing screenplays after he stopped acting in the early 90s. A fighter to the end, he walked out of chemotherapy and returned to his home in Big Bear, California to face his pending end. Steve Oliver died at age 66 of gastric cancer on March 5, 2008 in Big Bear City, California.
Dark, brooding, ruggedly handsome Philadelphia-born actor who went from being broke and driving a taxi to landing the co-starring role of the pompadour-wearing wife abuser and murderer "Lee Webber" on TVs "Peyton Place" . His character was killed off after two seasons.
During the run of "Peyton Place" , he married his on-screen wife Lana Wood (she portrayed waitress "Sandy Webber") but the marriage lasted a scant six weeks. He subsequently wed a former Miss Iceland, Anna Geirstottir, but that marriage too folded after a few months, and later actress Andrea Cyrill , who played girlfriend Ginger Alden in the Elvis docudrama, This Is Elvis .
Displaying a bad guy animal magnetism, he tended to play rough-and-tumble biker types such as in the cheap-jack films, Motorpsycho! , Angels from Hell , Werewolves on Wheels , Fugitive Lovers and Cycle Psycho .
He was one of five children born to a garage mechanic in Philadelphia.
Had a small stint in the Navy serving on a mine sweeper during the Vietnam War.
Grew up in Riverside, California. He is survived by three brothers and a sister.
(December 2007) Big Bear Lake City. Writing new screen plays.
