Shirley Jones played the loving mom Shirley Partridge in the 1970-74 TV musical sitcom “The Partridge Family” and the lovable girl next door in such movie musicals as “Oklahoma!” and “Carousel.”
But there's another side to her career: an actress of strong dramatic mettle willing to take risky roles. She got glowing reviews as a boozer in a 1956 “Playhouse 90” drama “The Big Slide,” and she won a supporting actress Academy Award for her role as prostitute Lulu Bains in 1960's “Elmer Gantry” with Burt Lancaster.
"Those were great roles," Jones said. “The problem with 'Partridge' — though it was great for me and gave me an opportunity to stay home and raise my kids — when my agents came to me and presented it to me, they said if you do a series and it becomes a hit show, you will be that character for the rest of your life and your movie career will go into the toilet, which is what happened. But I have no regrets.”
Jones’ first husband was Jack Cassidy, with whom she raised four sons: TV producer-writer Shaun, actor Patrick, art director Ryan and stepson David (who also starred in “The Partridge Family”). In 1977, she married her second husband, comic actor Marty Ingels.
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Year | Category | Work | |
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1960 | Best Supporting Actress | Elmer Gantry | Win |
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