Hot Springs in Garland County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Steve Stephens

Television Pioneer

— Hot Springs Arkansas Walk of Fame —

Steve Stephens Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024

1. Steve Stephens Marker

Inscription.
Host of KTHV’s Steve’s Show 1957-65 • 5 time Top TV Personality of AR • Founding Chm • LR Motion Picture & TV Com • AR Entertainers Hall of Fame • U.S. Senate Aide • U.S. Delegate to Partners of Americas Hemispheric Conf • Life Trustee Nat March of Dimes Foundation • Jonas Salk Lifetime Achievement Award

Newport, Arkansas • Inducted 2004

Erected by Hot Springs Arkansas Walk of Fame.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Communications • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1957.

Location. 34° 30.642′ N, 93° 3.231′ W. Marker is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in Garland County. It is at the intersection of Central Avenue (State Highway 7) and Spring Street, on the right when traveling north on Central Avenue. The marker is embedded in the sidewalk on the west side of the Hot Springs City Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 629 Central Avenue, Hot Springs National Park AR 71901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains.

It is also in

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the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Mark Davis (here, next to this marker); The Browns (here, next to this marker); Barbara Fairchild (here, next to this marker); Arthur Hunnicutt (here, next to this marker); Randy Goodrum (here, next to this marker); General Douglas MacArthur (here, next to this marker); Hubert ‘Geese’ Ausbie (here, next to this marker); Charles Portis (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hot Springs.

Also see . . . Steve Stephens (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: Stephen Owen Stephens (April 22, 1930 – January 29, 2021) was a broadcasting pioneer in Arkansas, who originally became well known as the host of Steve's Show, a hugely popular television program in the late 1950s and
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2024

2. Steve Stephens Marker
Looking east from Central Avenue; it is the leftmost of four markers in this photo. The Hot Springs City Visitor Center is in the background.
early 1960s.
His entry into radio in Newport, Arkansas, as a part-time announcer at radio station KNBY, coincided with the beginnings of rock and roll, and he soon became a popular proponent of this new type of music. His style began to capture the attention of Little Rock television station KTHV, the Arkansas affiliate of the CBS television network, who offered him an entry position as a station announcer. Shortly after joining the station, he began hosting a television dance party in March 1957, which became an instant success. Stephens helped launch the careers of Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Charlie Rich, Brenda Lee, Sonny Burgess, Fabian Forte and many others who appeared on Steve's Show during its 8-year run.
In recognition of his pioneering achievements in broadcasting, he was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame, and later his name was added to the Arkansas Walk of Fame in Hot Springs. On April 22, 2010 (the anniversary of his birthday), he was recognized by the Eighth General Assembly of the Arkansas House of Representatives with a Lifetime Achievement Citation. In 2011, he was inducted into his hometown (Newport,
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Arkansas) High School Hall of Fame. In 2018, Stephens was honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences MidAmerica Chapter with a Lifetime Achievement Award honoring individuals who have represented the very best of television, while making a significant contribution to broadcasting.

(Submitted on January 19, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 19, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 124 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 19, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.