Shirley MacLaine
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Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received numerous accolades, including an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
, an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
, two
BAFTA Awards The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best Cinema of the United Kingdom, British and Worl ...
, six
Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
, two Volpi Cups, and two Silver Bears. She has been honored with the
Film Society of Lincoln Center Film at Lincoln Center (FLC), previously known as the Film Society of Lincoln Center (FSLC) until 2019,Aridi, Sara (April 28, 2019).. ''The New York Times''. nytimes.com. Retrieved April 29, 2019. is a nonprofit organization based in New York Cit ...
Tribute in 1995, the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1998, the
AFI Life Achievement Award The AFI Life Achievement Award was established by the board of directors of the American Film Institute on February 26, 1973, to honor a single individual for their lifetime contribution to enriching American culture through motion pictures and ...
in 2012, and the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014. MacLaine is one of the last remaining stars from the
Golden Age of Hollywood Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome, Stroud#Golden Val ...
. Born in
Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
, MacLaine made her acting debut as a teenager with minor roles in the Broadway musicals '' Me and Juliet'' and ''
The Pajama Game ''The Pajama Game'' is a musical based on the 1953 novel '' 7½ Cents'' by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. Dances were staged by Bob Fosse in his chor ...
''. MacLaine's career began during the final years of the
Golden Age of Hollywood Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome, Stroud#Golden Val ...
where she made her film debut with
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...
's black comedy ''
The Trouble with Harry ''The Trouble with Harry'' is a 1955 American Technicolor black comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes was based on the 1950 novel by Jack Trevor Story. It starred Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Mildred Na ...
'' (1955), winning the
Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress The Golden Globe for New Star of the Year – Actress was an award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at their annual Golden Globe Awards. History The award was first introduced at the 5th Golden Globe Awards in 1948 where it was ...
. She rose to prominence with starring roles in '' Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956), '' Some Came Running'' (1958), '' Ask Any Girl'' (1959), '' The Apartment'' (1960), '' The Children's Hour'' (1961), '' Irma la Douce'' (1963), and ''
Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and book by Neil Simon, based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film '' Nights of Cabiria''. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse sta ...
'' (1969). A six-time Academy Award nominee, MacLaine won the
Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...
for the comedy-drama ''
Terms of Endearment ''Terms of Endearment'' is a 1983 American family tragicomedy film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff D ...
'' (1983). Her other prominent films include '' The Turning Point'' (1977), ''
Being There ''Being There'' is a 1979 American satirical comedy-drama film starring Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, and Melvyn Douglas. Directed by Hal Ashby, it is based on the 1971 novel '' Being There'' by Jerzy Kosiński, and adapted for the scr ...
'' (1979), '' Madame Sousatzka'' (1988), ''
Steel Magnolias ''Steel Magnolias'' is a 1989 American comedy drama film directed by Herbert Ross and starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts. The screenplay by Robert Harling is based on hi ...
'' (1989), ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
'' (1990), '' In Her Shoes'' (2005), '' Bernie'' (2011), '' The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'' (2013), '' Elsa & Fred'' (2014), and '' Noelle'' (2019). MacLaine starred in the sitcom '' Shirley's World'' (1971–1972) and played the eponymous fashion designer in the biopic television film ''
Coco Chanel Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( , ; 19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a French fashion designer and Businessperson, businesswoman. The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand, she was credited in the post-World War I era with populari ...
'' (2008), receiving nominations for a
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
, a
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
, and a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
for the latter. She also made appearances in several television series, including ''
Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. It first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV (TV network), ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United St ...
'' (2012–2013), ''
Glee Glee may refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 3000 album) * ''Glee'' (Logan Lynn album) * Gle ...
'' (2014), and '' Only Murders in the Building'' (2022). MacLaine has written many books regarding the subjects of
metaphysics Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of ...
,
spirituality The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
, and
reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the Philosophy, philosophical or Religion, religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new lifespan (disambiguation), lifespan in a different physical ...
, as well as a best-selling memoir, '' Out on a Limb'' (1983).


Early life and education

Named after child actress
Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple; April 23, 1928 – February 10, 2014) was an American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat, who was Hollywood's number-one box-office draw as a child actress from 1934 to 1938. Later, she was na ...
, who was six years old at the time, Shirley MacLean Beaty was born on April 24, 1934, in
Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
. Her father, Ira Owens Beaty, was a professor of psychology, public school administrator, and a real estate agent. Her Canadian mother, Kathlyn Corinne (née MacLean), was a drama teacher from Wolfville, Nova Scotia. MacLaine's younger brother is filmmaker
Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career has spanned over six decades, and he has received an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. He also received the Irving G. Thalberg Memor ...
, who changed the spelling of his surname for his career. Both were raised by their parents as
Baptists Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
. Her mother's brother-in-law was A. A. MacLeod, a
Communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
member of the
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
provincial legislature in the 1940s. While MacLaine was still a child, Ira Beaty moved the family from Richmond to
Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...
, and then to Arlington, then to Waverly, and then back to Arlington, where he worked at Thomas Jefferson Junior High School in Arlington, in 1945. MacLaine played baseball on a boys team, holding the record for most home runs, which earned her the nickname "Powerhouse". During the 1950s, the family resided in the Dominion Hills section of Arlington. As a toddler, she had weak ankles and fell over with the slightest misstep, so her mother decided to enroll her in ballet class at the Washington School of Ballet at the age of three. This was the beginning of her interest in performing. Strongly motivated by ballet, she never missed a class. In classical romantic pieces such as ''
Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
'' and '' The Sleeping Beauty'', she always played the boys' roles because she was the tallest in the groups of girls. MacLaine eventually was cast in a substantial female role as the fairy godmother in ''
Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
'' and while warming up backstage, broke her ankle. She tightened the ribbons on her toe shoes and completed the entire performance before calling for an ambulance. Ultimately MacLaine decided against making a career of professional ballet because she had grown too tall and felt unable to perfect her technique. She explained that hers was unlike the ideal body type, lacking the requisite "beautifully constructed feet" of high arches, high insteps and a flexible ankle. She moved on to other forms of dancing as well as acting and musical theater. MacLaine attended
Washington-Lee High School Washington-Liberty High School, formerly known as Washington-Lee High School, is a public high school in the Arlington Public Schools district in Arlington, Virginia, covering grades 9–12. Its attendance area serves the central third of Ar ...
in Arlington, Virginia, where she was on the cheerleading squad and acted in school theatrical productions.


Career

The summer before her senior year of high school in Arlington, Virginia, MacLaine went to New York City to try acting and had minor success in the chorus of a production of ''
Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...
'' that toured the subway circuit. After graduation, she returned and made her Broadway debut dancing in the ensemble of the Broadway production of '' Me and Juliet'' (1953–1954). Afterwards she became an understudy to actress Carol Haney in ''
The Pajama Game ''The Pajama Game'' is a musical based on the 1953 novel '' 7½ Cents'' by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. Dances were staged by Bob Fosse in his chor ...
''; in May 1954 Haney injured her ankle during a Wednesday matinee, and MacLaine performed in her place. A few months later, with Haney still injured,
Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian, with a career spanning seven decades in film, stage, television and radio. Famously nicknamed as "Th ...
saw a matinee and urged film producer Hal B. Wallis to attend the evening performance with him, hoping to cast her in ''
Artists and Models ''Artists and Models'' is a 1955 American musical romantic comedy film in VistaVision directed by Frank Tashlin, marking Martin and Lewis's 14th feature together as a team. The film co-stars Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone, with Eva Gabor ...
''. Wallis signed her to work for
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
.


1955–1959: Career beginnings and success

MacLaine began her career and quickly rose to fame during the final years of the
Golden Age of Hollywood Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome, Stroud#Golden Val ...
when she made her film debut in
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...
's ''
The Trouble with Harry ''The Trouble with Harry'' is a 1955 American Technicolor black comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes was based on the 1950 novel by Jack Trevor Story. It starred Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Mildred Na ...
'' (1955), for which she won the
Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress The Golden Globe for New Star of the Year – Actress was an award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at their annual Golden Globe Awards. History The award was first introduced at the 5th Golden Globe Awards in 1948 where it was ...
. ''The Trouble with Harry'' was quickly followed by her role in the
Martin and Lewis Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1944 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Before they teamed up, Martin ...
film ''
Artists and Models ''Artists and Models'' is a 1955 American musical romantic comedy film in VistaVision directed by Frank Tashlin, marking Martin and Lewis's 14th feature together as a team. The film co-stars Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone, with Eva Gabor ...
'' (also 1955). Soon afterwards, she had the female lead in '' Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956), which won the
Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards (also known as Oscars) presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film a ...
. This was followed by '' Hot Spell'', '' The Sheepman'', and ''The Matchmaker'' (1958), all released in 1958. MacLaine played Ginny Moorehead, who falls in love with
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
's character, Dave, in Vincente Minelli's adaptation of James Jones’ novel '' Some Came Running'', in the 1958 film of the same name. The film saw her co-starring with
Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Cool", he is regarded as one of the most popular entertainers of ...
for the second time. For her role as Ginny Moorehead, she earned positive reviews and received her first nominations for the
Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...
and the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama is a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award that was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. Previously, there was a single aw ...
. She appeared with Dean Martin in ''Career'' (1959), the third of their several films.


1960–1969: Acclaim and stardom

MacLaine appeared with Frank Sinatra in 1960's ''
Can-Can The can-can (also spelled cancan as in the original French /kɑ̃kɑ̃/) is a high-energy, physically demanding dance that became a popular music-hall dance in the 1840s, continuing in popularity in French cabaret to this day. Originally dance ...
'', then made a cameo appearance in the
Rat Pack The Rat Pack was an informal group of singers that, in its second iteration, ultimately made films and appeared together in Las Vegas casino venues. They originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s as a group of A-list show business friends, s ...
movie '' Ocean's 11'' (1960). MacLaine would become an honorary member of the Rat Pack. In 1960, MacLaine starred in
Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an American filmmaker and screenwriter. His career in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and ver ...
's romantic drama '' The Apartment'' (1960). The film is set on the
Upper West Side The Upper West Side (UWS) is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Central Park on the east, the Hudson River on the west, West 59th Street to the south, and West 110th Street to the north. The Upper We ...
of Manhattan and follows an insurance clerk, C.C. Baxter (
Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, he was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in comedy-drama films. He received num ...
), who allows his co-workers to use his apartment for their extramarital affairs. He is attracted to the insurance company's elevator operator (MacLaine), who is already having an affair with Baxter's boss (
Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...
). The film received widespread critical acclaim and emerged as a major commercial success at the box-office. It received ten
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nominations, winning Best Picture, Best Director,
Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award (also known as an Oscar) for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best ...
, Best Art Direction (Black and White) and Best Film Editing. MacLaine's performance in the film earned her a second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. However, despite being highly favored to win, she lost the award to
Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an English and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 19 ...
for ''
BUtterfield 8 ''BUtterfield 8'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey. Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role. The film was based on a 1935 novel of the same ...
''. She, however, won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. ''The Apartment'' was included by
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
in his 2001 Great Movies list.
Charlize Theron Charlize Theron ( ; ; born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 201 ...
, speaking at the
89th Academy Awards The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best 2016 in film, films of 2016, and took place on February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Californ ...
, praised MacLaine's performance as "raw, real, and funny", and as making "this black and white movie feel like it's in color". MacLaine starred in '' The Children's Hour'' (1961), based on the play by
Lillian Hellman Lillian Florence Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American playwright, Prose, prose writer, Memoir, memoirist, and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway as well as her communist views and political activism. She was black ...
, and directed by
William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a German-born American film director and producer. Known for his work in numerous genres over five decades, he received numerous awards and accolades, including three Aca ...
. Reunited with Wilder and Lemmon for '' Irma la Douce'' (1963); she received her third nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress, in addition to winning her second Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. In 1970, MacLaine published a memoir titled ''Don’t Fall off the Mountain'', the first of her numerous books. She devoted some pages to a 1963 incident in which she had marched into the Los Angeles office of ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' and punched columnist Mike Connolly in the mouth. She was angered by what he had said in his column about her ongoing contractual dispute with producer Hal Wallis, who had introduced her to the movie industry in 1954 and whom she eventually sued successfully for violating the terms of their contract.''Hanrihan v. Parker'', 19 Misc. 2d 467, 469 (N.Y. Misc. 1959). The incident with Connolly garnered a headline on the cover of the ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...
'' on June 11, 1963.Lefkowitz, Bernard (June 11, 1963). “Shirley Delivers A Punchy Line!” ''New York Post'' The full story appeared on page 5 under the headline “Shirley Delivers A Punchy Line!” with a byline by Bernard Lefkowitz. MacLaine starred in the Cold War comedy '' John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!'' (1965), with a screenplay by
William Peter Blatty William Peter Blatty (January 7, 1928 – January 12, 2017) was an American writer, director and producer. He is best known for his 1971 novel ''The Exorcist (novel), The Exorcist'' and for his screenplay for The Exorcist, the 1973 film adaptat ...
, and then co-starred with
Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over Michael Caine filmography, a career that spanned eight decades an ...
in the crime thriller '' Gambit'' (1966). In the mid-1960s, Twentieth Century-Fox offered her a salary of $750,000 on a "pay or play" basis to appear in a movie adaptation of the musical ''
Bloomer Girl ''Bloomer Girl'' is a 1944 Broadway theatre, Broadway musical theatre, musical with music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, and a book by Sig Herzig and Fred Saidy, based on an unpublished play by writer Daniel Lewis James and his wife Lili ...
'', a fee equivalent to the paydays enjoyed by top box office stars of the time. However, the project was canceled, triggering a lawsuit. MacLaine next starred in seven roles as seven different women in Vittorio DeSica's episodic film '' Woman Times Seven'' (1967), a collection of seven stories of love and adultery set against a Paris backdrop. She followed that film with another comedy, '' The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom'' in 1968. Both films were box office flops. In 1969, MacLaine starred in the film version of the musical ''
Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and book by Neil Simon, based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film '' Nights of Cabiria''. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse sta ...
'', directed by
Bob Fosse Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American choreographer, dancer, filmmaker, and stage director. Known for his work on stage and screen, he is arguably the most influential figure in the field of jazz dance in th ...
, and based on the script for
Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He is known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and ...
's '' Nights of Cabiria'' which was released a decade earlier. Gwen Verdon, who originated the role onstage, had hoped to play Charity in the film version; however, MacLaine won the role because her name was better known to audiences at the time. Verdon signed on as assistant to choreographer Bob Fosse, helping teach MacLaine dance moves and some of the more intricate routines. MacLaine received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical nomination. The film was not a financial success.


1970–1976: Continued success

MacLaine was top-billed in ''
Two Mules for Sister Sara ''Two Mules for Sister Sara'' is a 1970 American-Mexican Western film in Panavision directed by Don Siegel and starring Shirley MacLaine and Clint Eastwood set during the French intervention in Mexico (1861–1867). The film was to have been t ...
'' (1970), in a role written for Elizabeth Taylor, who chose not to appear in the movie. The
Western film The Western is a film genre defined by the American Film Institute as films which are "set in the American West that mbodythe spirit, the struggle, and the demise of the new frontier." Generally set in the American frontier between the Calif ...
was a hit, primarily due to her co-star
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
, one of the top box office stars in the world at that time. The film's director, Don Siegel, said of her: "It's hard to feel any great warmth to her. She's too unfeminine, and has too much balls. She's very, very hard." She then moved on to television, cast as a Photojournalism, photojournalist in a short-lived sitcom, '' Shirley's World'' (1971–1972). Co-produced by Sheldon Leonard and ITC Entertainment, the series was shot in the United Kingdom. As part of the deal, Lew Grade produced the low-budget drama ''Desperate Characters (film), Desperate Characters'' (1970). MacLaine put her career on hold as she campaigned for George McGovern during the 1972 United States presidential election, 1972 presidential election, including the Democratic primaries. In 1973, her friend, writer and director
William Peter Blatty William Peter Blatty (January 7, 1928 – January 12, 2017) was an American writer, director and producer. He is best known for his 1971 novel ''The Exorcist (novel), The Exorcist'' and for his screenplay for The Exorcist, the 1973 film adaptat ...
wanted to cast her for the role as the mother in ''The Exorcist''. The role was eventually played by Ellen Burstyn. MacLaine declined the part since she had recently appeared in another film about the supernatural, ''The Possession of Joel Delaney (film), The Possession of Joel Delaney'' (1972). MacLaine’s documentary film ''The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir'' (1975), co-directed with film and television director Claudia Weill, about the first women's delegation to China in 1973, was released theatrically and on PBS, and was nominated for the year's Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film. MacLaine returned to onstage live performances during the 1970s. In 1976, she appeared in a series of concerts at the London Palladium and New York's Palace Theatre (New York City), Palace Theatre. The latter of these was released as the live album ''Shirley MacLaine Live at the Palace''.


1977–1984: Career comeback and Academy Award win

MacLaine started a career comeback with the drama '' The Turning Point'' (1977), portraying a retired ballerina. Her performance in the film received critical acclaim, earning her a fourth nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She was awarded the Women in Film Los Angeles, Women in Film Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards#THE CRYSTAL AWARD, Crystal Award in 1978 for outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry. In 1979, she starred alongside Peter Sellers in Hal Ashby's satirical film ''
Being There ''Being There'' is a 1979 American satirical comedy-drama film starring Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, and Melvyn Douglas. Directed by Hal Ashby, it is based on the 1971 novel '' Being There'' by Jerzy Kosiński, and adapted for the scr ...
''. The film received widespread acclaim with
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
writing that he admired the film "for having the guts to take this totally weird concept and push it to its ultimate comic conclusion". MacLaine received a British Academy Film Award, and
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
nomination for her performance. In 1980, MacLaine starred in two other films about adultery, ''A Change of Seasons (film), A Change of Seasons'' alongside Anthony Hopkins and Bo Derek, and ''Loving Couples (1980 film), Loving Couples'' with James Coburn and Susan Sarandon. Neither film was a success, with
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' calling ''Loving Couples'' "a dumb remake of a very old idea that has been done so much better so many times before, that this version is wretchedly unnecessary ... the whole project smells like high-gloss sitcom." MacLaine and Hopkins did not get along on ''A Change of Seasons'' and the film was not a success; critics faulted the screenplay. MacLaine, however, did receive positive notices from critics. Vincent Canby wrote in his ''The New York Times'' review that the film "exhibits no sense of humor and no appreciation for the ridiculous ... the screenplay [is] often dreadful ... the only appealing performance is Miss MacLaine's, and she's too good to be true. ''A Change of Seasons'' does prove one thing, though. A farce about characters who've been freed of their conventional obligations quickly becomes aimless." In 1983, she starred in James L. Brooks's Comedy drama, comedy-drama ''
Terms of Endearment ''Terms of Endearment'' is a 1983 American family tragicomedy film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff D ...
'' (1983) playing Debra Winger's mother. The film focuses on the strained relationship between mother and daughter over 30 years. The film emerged as a critical and commercial success at the box-office, grossing $108.4 million, emerging as the 1983 in film#Highest-grossing films (U.S.), second-highest-grossing film of the year. The film received a leading 11 nominations at the 56th Academy Awards, and won five, including Best Picture. Both MacLaine and Winger earned nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress, with the former winning the award, her first and only win in the category. Her performance also won the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama is a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award that was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. Previously, there was a single aw ...
.


1984–present: Post-Oscar career

MacLaine followed up her Oscar win with a role in ''Cannonball Run II'' (1984). After a four-year hiatus from acting, she starred in the drama '' Madame Sousatzka'' (1988), in the eponymous lead role as a Russian-American immigrant. She received positive reviews for her performance, earning her a second Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. In 1989, she released her VHS, ''Shirley MacLaine's Inner Workout: A Program for Relaxation and Stress Reduction through Meditation'', a companion to her 1989 book, ''Going Within: A Guide for Inner Transformation''. MacLaine continued to star in films, such as the family southern drama ''
Steel Magnolias ''Steel Magnolias'' is a 1989 American comedy drama film directed by Herbert Ross and starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts. The screenplay by Robert Harling is based on hi ...
'' (1989) directed by Herbert Ross. The film focuses on the bond that a group of women share in a small-town Southern community, and how they cope with the death of a loved one. The film was a box office success, earning $96.8 million off a budget of $15 million. MacLaine received a British Academy Film Award for her performance. She starred in Mike Nichols' film ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
'' (1990), with Meryl Streep, playing a fictionalized version of Debbie Reynolds from a screenplay by Reynolds's daughter, Carrie Fisher. Fisher wrote the screenplay based on her book. MacLaine received another
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
nomination for her performance. MacLaine continued to act in films such as ''Used People'' (1992), with Jessica Tandy and Kathy Bates; ''Guarding Tess'' (1994), with Nicolas Cage; ''Mrs. Winterbourne'' (1996), with Ricki Lake and Brendan Fraser; ''The Evening Star'' (1996); ''Rumor Has It...''(2005) with Kevin Costner and Jennifer Aniston;'' In Her Shoes'' (also 2005), with Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette; and'' Closing the Ring'' (2007), directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Christopher Plummer. She would later reunite with Plummer in the 2014 comedy film '' Elsa & Fred'' directed by Michael Radford. In 2000, she made her first (and only) feature-film directorial debut, and starred in ''Bruno (2000 film), Bruno'' (with Alex D. Linz), which was released to video as ''The Dress Code''. In 2011, MacLaine starred in Richard Linklater's black comedy, dark comedy film '' Bernie'' alongside Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey. MacLaine has also appeared in numerous television projects, including a 1987 miniseries based upon her bestselling autobiography, '' Out on a Limb''. In 2001, she appeared in ''These Old Broads'' written by Carrie Fisher and co-starring
Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an English and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 19 ...
, Debbie Reynolds, and Joan Collins. In 2009, she starred in ''Coco Before Chanel'', a Lifetime (TV network), Lifetime production based on the life of French fashion designer, Coco Chanel, which earned her a
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
, and Golden Globe Award nominations. She appeared in the third and fourth seasons of the British drama ''
Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. It first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV (TV network), ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United St ...
'' as List of Downton Abbey characters#Martha Levinson, Martha Levinson, mother to Cora, Countess of Grantham (played by Elizabeth McGovern), and Harold Levinson (played by Paul Giamatti) in 2012–2013. In 2016, MacLaine starred in ''Wild Oats (film), Wild Oats'' with Jessica Lange. She starred in the live-action family film ''The Little Mermaid (2018 film), The Little Mermaid'', based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, in 2018. In 2019, she played Elf Polly in the film “Noelle”. In 2022, she returned to television starring with Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez in the hit Hulu series '' Only Murders in the Building''. In 2024, MacLaine's film ''American Dreamer (2022 film), American Dreamer'' opened in theaters two years after its initial premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.


Lawsuits

In 1959, MacLaine sued Hal Wallis over a contractual dispute. The lawsuit has been credited with ending the old-style studio Star system (filmmaking), star system of actor management. In 1966, MacLaine sued Twentieth Century-Fox for breach of contract when the studio reneged on its agreement to star MacLaine in a film version of the Broadway musical ''
Bloomer Girl ''Bloomer Girl'' is a 1944 Broadway theatre, Broadway musical theatre, musical with music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, and a book by Sig Herzig and Fred Saidy, based on an unpublished play by writer Daniel Lewis James and his wife Lili ...
'' based on the life of Amelia Bloomer, a mid-nineteenth century feminist, suffragist, and abolitionist, that was to be filmed in Hollywood. Instead, Fox gave MacLaine one week to accept their offer of the female dramatic lead in the Western (genre)#Film, Western ''Big Country, Big Man'' to be filmed in Australia. The case was decided in MacLaine's favor, and affirmed on appeal by the California Supreme Court in 1970. The case is discussed in many law-school textbooks as an example of employment-contract law.


Personal life

MacLaine was married to businessman Steve Parker from 1954 until their divorce in 1982. Their daughter, Sachi Parker, was born in 1956. In April 2011, while promoting her new book, ''I'm Over All That'', she revealed to Oprah Winfrey that she had had an open relationship with her husband. MacLaine also told Winfrey that she often fell for the leading men she worked with, the exceptions being
Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, he was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in comedy-drama films. He received num ...
('' The Apartment'', '' Irma la Douce'') and Jack Nicholson (''
Terms of Endearment ''Terms of Endearment'' is a 1983 American family tragicomedy film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff D ...
''). MacLaine also had long-running affairs with Lord Mountbatten, whom she met in the 1960s, and Australian politician and two-time Liberal Party of Australia, Liberal leader Andrew Peacock. MacLaine has also gotten into feuds with such co-stars as Anthony Hopkins (''A Change of Seasons (film), A Change of Seasons''), who said that "she was the most obnoxious actress I have ever worked with", and Debra Winger (''Terms of Endearment''). MacLaine claimed that in a previous life in Atlantis she was the brother of a 35,000-year-old spirit named Ramtha, channeled by mystic teacher and author J. Z. Knight. She has a strong interest in spirituality and metaphysics, which are the central themes of some of her best-selling books, including '' Out on a Limb'' and ''Dancing in the Light''. Her spiritual explorations include walking the Camino de Santiago, Way of St. James, working with Chris Griscom, and practicing Transcendental Meditation. The topic of New Age spirituality has also found its way into several of her films. In Albert Brooks's romantic comedy ''Defending Your Life'' (1991), the recently deceased lead characters, played by Brooks and Meryl Streep, are astonished to find MacLaine introducing their past lives in the "Past Lives Pavilion"; in ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
'' (1990), MacLaine sings a version of "I'm Still Here", with lyrics customized for her by composer Stephen Sondheim (for example, one line in the lyrics was changed to "I'm feeling transcendental – am I here?"); and in the 2001 television movie ''These Old Broads'', MacLaine's character is a devotee of New Age spirituality. She has an interest in UFOs, and gave numerous interviews on CNN, NBC and Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox news channels on the subject during 2007–08. In her book ''Sage-ing While Age-ing'' (2007), she described having alien encounters and witnessing the 1952 Washington, D.C. UFO incident. On an episode of ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' in April 2011, MacLaine stated that she and her neighbor had observed numerous UFOs at her New Mexico ranch for extended periods of time. Along with her brother Warren Beatty, MacLaine used her celebrity status in instrumental roles as a Celebrity activists in George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign, fundraiser and organizer for George McGovern's George McGovern presidential campaign, 1972, campaign for president in 1972.MacLaine, Shirley, ''McGovern: The Man and His Beliefs'', New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1972. That year, she wrote the book ''McGovern: The Man and His Beliefs''. She appeared at her brother's concerts Four for McGovern and Together for McGovern, and she joined with Sid Bernstein (impresario), Sid Bernstein to produce the woman-focused Star-Spangled Women for McGovern–Shriver variety show at Madison Square Garden. So much of her time was spent away from acting in 1972 that her talent agent threatened to quit; she turned down film projects and spent $250,000 of her own money on political activism, equivalent to $ in . MacLaine is godmother to journalist Jackie Kucinich, daughter of former Democratic Party (United States), Democratic U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich. On February 7, 2013, Penguin Group, Penguin Group USA published Sachi Parker's autobiography ''Lucky Me: My Life With – and Without – My Mom, Shirley MacLaine''. One of its claims was that, when Sachi was in her 20s, her mother told her she believed that Steve Parker was a clone of her real father, an astronaut named Paul then traveling in the Pleiades. MacLaine denied this and called the book "virtually all fiction". In her 2024 book, ''The Wall of Life,'' MacLaine states that she and her daughter "have never been closer."


Filmography


Film


Television


Theatre


Honors and legacy

* In 1960 she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1617 Vine Street. * In 1999 was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival. * In 2011, the government of France made her a Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur. * In 2013, MacLaine was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts. * In 2017 MacLaine was featured in a segment in which
Charlize Theron Charlize Theron ( ; ; born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 201 ...
praised her for her work in '' The Apartment'' during the 89th Academy Awards, 2017 Academy Awards telecast. She later presented the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Academy Award for Best International Film of the year alongside Theron. * In 2019 she won the Movies for Grown Ups with AARP the Magazine's Life Time Achievement Award.


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * (Published in Europe as: ) * * * * * *


References


Further reading

* Erens, Patricia (1978). ''The Films of Shirley MacLaine''. South Brunswick: A. S. Barnes. .


External links

* * * * * * *
Shirley MacLaine interviewed by Ginny Dougary
(2005)
Shirley MacLaine
interview on BBC Radio 4 ''Desert Island Discs'', November 11, 1983 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Maclaine, Shirley 1934 births 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American memoirists 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American biographers 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American women writers Actresses from Richmond, Virginia Actresses from Virginia AFI Life Achievement Award recipients American female dancers American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American people of Canadian descent American spiritual writers American television actresses American women biographers American women comedians American women memoirists Baptists from New York (state) Baptists from Virginia Best Actress Academy Award winners Best Drama Actress Golden Globe (film) winners Best Foreign Actress BAFTA Award winners Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (film) winners Cecil B. DeMille Award Golden Globe winners Comedians from Virginia Dancers from New York (state) David di Donatello winners Honorary Golden Bear recipients Kennedy Center honorees Living people New Age writers New Star of the Year (Actress) Golden Globe winners Paramount Pictures contract players People from Arlington County, Virginia Primetime Emmy Award winners Silver Bear for Best Actress winners Singers from Virginia Volpi Cup for Best Actress winners Washington-Liberty High School alumni Writers from Richmond, Virginia