Stephanie Deste | |
|---|---|
 Deste as Wanda in J. C. Williamson's Rose-Marie (photograph published in 1927) | |
| Born | Fanny Rosine Deitz 22 January 1901 Liège, Belgium |
| Died | 14 April 1996 (aged 95) |
| Other names | Stephanie D'Este |
| Occupation(s) | dancer, actor, stage performer, radio personality |
| Years active | 1920-1973 |
| Spouse | Remigio Budica |
Stephanie Deste (22 January 1901 – 14 April 1996) was an Australian actor, dancer, radio broadcaster, and beautician. Deste made important contributions to Australian theatrical culture through her stage and radio work and was an influence and inspiration to other artists. She was a resident of Melbourne from 1936 to her death in 1996; with her flamboyant dress and mannerisms and a conspicuous public presence, Deste was considered to be one of the great characters of Melbourne.
Deste was born into a Jewish family in Belgium but settled in England as a child after the death of her father. She studied acting and dance and found regular work in London theatrical productions. By the early 1920s she had relocated to North America where she found work in Chicago and New York, often in roles portraying a sensuous exotic dancer. In 1925, Deste was engaged to play the Indigenous Canadian temptress Wanda in JC Williamson's Australian production of Rose-Marie, which proved to be highly successful, running for two years (which included a record-breaking season in Sydney followed by a tour of the Australian states and New Zealand). Deste's performance as Wanda, leading the spectacular Totem dancers, was considered a highlight of the show. In 1928 she featured in The Desert Song in Melbourne, before returning to Europe for about six years where she performed and organised theatrical productions, as well as studying modern methods of cosmetic treatments in Paris.
Deste returned to Australia in 1936 and settled in Melbourne where she operated and managed successful beauty clinics, made regular radio broadcasts and occasionally returned to the stage. She was well known in Melbourne due to a high public profile and her ostentatious and exuberant personal style.