Shirley Jones
|
Shirley Jones, in a still from the opening credits of The Partridge Family |
Shirley Mae Jones (born
March 31,
1934) is an
Academy Award-winning
singer and
actress, perhaps best known for her role as "Shirley Partridge," the
widowed
single mother of five children, in the
television series
The Partridge Family, co-starring her real-life stepson,
David Cassidy.
Early life
Jones was born in the
Pittsburgh suburb of
Smithton, Pennsylvania to Marjorie and Paul Jones, who was the owner of the Jones Brewing Company. An only child, she was named after
Shirley Temple. She won a beauty pageant as a teenager and was crowned "Miss Pittsburgh 1952."
Career
Before
The Partridge Family, Jones had already achieved fame as a singer and actress. She starred in many films, including the highly successful musicals
Oklahoma!,
Carousel, and
The Music Man. In a rare "naughty girl" role, she won an
Oscar as a prostitute corrupted by
Burt Lancaster, who then takes revenge upon him in
Elmer Gantry. She attempted a television comeback in
1979 with the family drama
Shirley, but the series fared poorly and was canceled after thirteen episodes.
Although best known for her movie and television roles, Shirley has an impressive stage résumé, including the musical
Maggie Flynn on Broadway and a stellar turn in a rare revival of
Noel Coward's operetta
Bitter Sweet at the
Long Beach Civic Light Opera in 1983. In 2004, Shirley returned to Broadway in a revival of
42nd Street, portraying diva "Dorothy Brock", opposite her son, Patrick Cassidy, the first known time a mother and son starred together on Broadway. In July 2005, Shirley revisited the musical
Carousel onstage in Massachusetts portraying Cousin Nettie. Shirley continues to appear in venues nationwide, in concert and in speaking engagements.
In July
2006, Jones received an
Emmy nomination for her supporting performance in the TV film "
Hidden Places".
Personal life
She married actor
Jack Cassidy on
August 5,
1956, with whom she had 3 sons,
Shaun, Patrick and Ryan;
David Cassidy, Jack's only child from his first marriage to actress
Evelyn Ward, became her stepson. Divorcing Cassidy in 1974, she later married comic/actor
Marty Ingels on
November 13,
1977. Despite drastically different personalities and several separations (she filed, then withdrew, a divorce petition in 2002), they remain married.
She is a registered
Republican who appeared at the
1988 Republican Convention and sang the National Anthem. She also sang at the
2003 lighting of the
National Christmas Tree in
Washington, D.C., at
George W. Bush's request.
Jones and her son
Shaun Cassidy are the only mother and son to each have a song reach number one on the Billboard Charts. Jones hit #1 with The Partridges "I Think I Love You" in 1970. Shaun followed that in 1977 with "Do-Ron-Ron.
Oklahoma! (
1955)
Carousel (
1956)
April Love (
1957)
Never Steal Anything Small (
1959)
Bobbikins (
1960)
Elmer Gantry (
1960)
Pepe (
1960)
Two Rode Together (
1961)
The Music Man (
1962)
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (
1963)
A Ticklish Affair (
1963)
Dark Purpose (
1964)
Bedtime Story (
1964)
Fluffy (
1965)
The Secret of My Success (
1965)
The Gulf (
1969)
The Happy Ending (
1969)
Oddly Coupled (
1970)
The Cheyenne Social Club (
1970)
Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (
1979)
Tank (
1984)
Cops n Roberts (
1995) (Cameo)
This Is My Father (
1998) (documentary)
Gideon (
1999)
The Adventures of Cinderella's Daughter (
2000)
Ping! (
2000)
Manna from Heaven (
2002)
The Creature of the Sunny Side Up Trailer Park (
2004)
Raising Genius (
2004)
Grandma's Boy (
2006)Upcoming:
Who Stole Santa's Sack? (2006) (voice)
Out of the Blue (
1968)
Silent Night, Lonely Night (
1969)
The Partridge Family (
1970-
1974)
But I Don't Want to Get Married! (
1970)
The Girls of Huntington House (
1973)
The Family Nobody Wanted (
1975)
Winner Take All (
1975)
The Lives of Jenny Dolan (
1975)
Yesterday's Child (
1977)
Evening in Byzantium (
1978)
Who'll Save Our Children? (
1978)
A Last Cry for Help (
1979)
Shirley (
1979-
1980)
The Children of An Lac (
1980)
Inmates: A Love Story (
1981)
The Adventures of Pollyanna (
1982)
There Were Times, Dear (
1987)
Charlie (
1989)
Deadly Games (
1995)
Dog's Best Friend (
1997)
Melrose Place (cast member in
1998)
South Pacific (
1953) (Broadway, ensemble role)
Me and Juliet (
1954) (Chicago and National Tour)
Oklahoma! (
1956) (European tour with
Jack Cassidy)
The Beggar's Opera (
1957) (with Jack Cassidy)
Wish You Were Here! (
1959) (Dallas State Fair Theater with Jack Cassidy)
Maggie Flynn (
1967) (Broadway with Jack Cassidy)
Wait Until Dark (
1967) (with Jack Cassidy)
The Marriage Band (
1972) (with Jack Cassidy)
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (
1974)
Show Boat (
1976)
The Sound of Music (
1977)
Bitter Sweet (
1982)
Love Letters (
1994) (with
Marty Ingels)
The King & I (
1994)
Love Letters (
1995) (with Marty Ingels)
42nd Street (
2004) (Broadway with
Patrick Cassidy)
Carousel (
2005)
* http://www.shirleyjones.com
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Classic Movies (1939 - 1969): Shirley Jones
