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Shelley Winters Biography (1920?-)

  1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
  2. Henry Winkler to Paul Zaza

Original name, Shirley Schrift; born August 18, 1920 (some sources cite 1922and others site 1923), in St. Louis, MO (some sources site East St. Louis, IL); daughter of Jonas (a designer of men's clothing) and Rose (a singer; maiden name, Winters) Schrift; married Mack Paul Mayer (in textile sales), January1, 1943 (divorced, October, 1948); married Vittorio Gassman (an actor), April 28, 1952 (divorced June 2, 1954); married Anthony Francioso (an actor; alsoknown as Tony Francioso), May 4, 1957 (divorced November 18, 1960); children: (second marriage) Vittoria Gina Gassman (a physician).

Nationality
American
Gender
Female
Occupation
Actress, producer, writer
Birth Details
August 18, 1920?
St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Stage Appearances
  • Edna, Waiting for Lefty, Jamaica, Queens, New York City, 1930
  • Miss Holvaag, Conquest in April, Locust Street Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1940
  • Understudy for the role of Kitty Duval, The Time of Your Life, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1940
  • Flora, The Night before Christmas, Morosco Theatre, New York City,1941
  • Fifi, Rosalinda, 44th Street Theatre, New York City, 1942
  • Clo-Clo, The Merry Widow, Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, CA, 1946
  • Ado Annie Carnes, Oklahoma!, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1947-1948
  • Born Yesterday, 1950
  • Stella Kowalski, A Streetcar Named Desire, Circle Theatre, Hollywood, CA, 1952
  • Celia Pope, A Hatful of Rain, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1955
  • Stella, Wedding Breakfast, Triple Cities Playhouse, Binghamton, NY, 1955
  • Hilda Brookman, Girls of Summer, Longacre Theatre, New York City,1956
  • Mrs. Topaz, The Saturday Night Kid, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT, 1957 then Locust Street Theatre, 1958
  • Kay, A Piece of Blue Sky, North Jersey Playhouse, Fort Lee, NJ, 1959
  • Two for the Seesaw, 1960
  • Beatrice, A View from the Bridge, Paper Mill Playhouse, 1961
  • Georgia Elgin, The Country Girl, Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ, 1961
  • Maxine Faulk, The Night of the Iguana, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1962
  • Connie, "Snowangel," and the wife, "Epiphany" (one-acts), Cages (double bill; also known as The Last of the Great Jelly Bellies), York Playhouse, New York City, 1963
  • Dolores Goodwin, Days of the Dancing, Westport Country Playhouse,1964
  • Martha, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Coconut Grove Theatre, Miami, FL, 1965
  • Flora Sharkey, "Part I," Marcella Vankuchen, "Part II," and Hilda, "PartIII" (one-acts), Under the Weather (triple bill), Cort Theatre, New York City, 1966 then Spoleto Festival, Italy, 1967
  • Minnie Marx, Minnie's Boys, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1970
  • Beatrice, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Actors Studio, New York City, then Westchester Country Playhouse, NY, both 1973 later Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1978
  • Connie and the wife, Cages, Westwood Playhouse, Los Angeles, 1975
  • Wanda, Kennedy's Children, San Francisco, CA, 1976
  • Appeared in summer stock productions of Gentle People, Luv, The Male Animal, Meet the People, Of Mice and Men, andThe Rose Tattoo.
  • Major Tours
  • Member of the company, Meet the People (revue), U.S. cities, 1941
  • Billie Dawn, Born Yesterday, 1950
  • Gittel Mosca, Two for the Seesaw, 1960 later 1965-66.
  • Martha, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, U.S. cities, 1965
  • Beatrice, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, U.S. cities, 1973
  • Connie and the wife, Cages, U.S. cities, 1974
  • Film Appearances
  • Secretary, What a Woman! (also known as The Beautiful Cheat), Columbia, 1943
  • Girl, Cover Girl, Columbia, 1944
  • Gloria Flynn, Sailor's Holiday, Columbia, 1944
  • "Silver" Rankin, She's a Soldier, Too, Columbia, 1944
  • (As Shelley Winter) Ulda Tienhoven, Knickerbocker Holiday, UnitedArtists, 1944
  • Young woman, Together Again, Columbia, 1944
  • Meet the People, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1944
  • Nine Girls, Columbia, 1944
  • The Racket Man, Columbia, 1944
  • Two Man Submarine, Columbia, 1944
  • Bubbles, Tonight and Every Night, Columbia, 1945
  • Handmaiden, A Thousand and One Nights (also known as 1001 Nights), Columbia, 1945
  • Princess, Two Smart People, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1946
  • Autograph hound, Killer McCoy, 1947
  • Hazel, The Gangster (also known as Low Company), Allied Artists, 1947
  • Pat Kroll, A Double Life, Universal, 1947
  • Secretary, New Orleans, United Artists, 1947
  • Bit part, Living in a Big Way, 1947
  • Brenda Martingale, Cry of the City (also known as The Chair forMartin Rome and The Law and Martin Rome), Twentieth Century-Fox,1948
  • Dance hall girl in wagon train, Red River, United Artists, 1948
  • Tory, Larceny, Universal, 1948
  • Catherine Sykes, Take One False Step, Universal, 1949
  • Myrtle Wilson, The Great Gatsby, Paramount, 1949
  • Terry, Johnny Stool Pigeon, Universal, 1949
  • Coral, South Sea Sinner (also known as East of Java), Universal, 1950
  • Frenchie Fontaine (title role), Frenchie, Universal, 1950
  • Lola Manners, Winchester '73 (also known as Montana Winchester), Universal, 1950
  • Alice Tripp, A Place in the Sun, Paramount, 1951
  • Connie Thatcher, The Raging Tide, Universal, 1951
  • Kate Denny, Behave Yourself!, RKO Radio Pictures, 1951
  • Peggy Dobbs, He Ran All the Way, United Artists, 1951
  • Binky Gay, Phone Call from a Stranger, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
  • Jane Stevens, Untamed Frontier, Universal, 1952
  • Joy Carroll, Meet Danny Wilson, Universal, 1952
  • Nancy, My Man and I, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1952
  • Eva Bardeman, Executive Suite, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1954
  • Fran Davis, Playgirl, Universal, 1954
  • Grace Markey, Saskatchewan (also known as O'Rourke of the RoyalMounted), Universal, 1954
  • Sarah Surble, Tennessee Champ, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1954
  • Dixie Evans, The Big Knife, United Artists, 1955
  • Marie Gibson, I Died a Thousand Times, Warner Bros., 1955
  • Natalia Landauer, I Am a Camera, Distributing Corporation of America, 1955
  • Ruth Harris, The Treasure of Pancho Villa, RKO Radio Pictures, 1955
  • Toni Salerno (some sources cite Tony Burns), Mambo, Paramount, 1955
  • Willa Harper, The Night of the Hunter, United Artists, 1955
  • Myrtle La Mar, To Dorothy a Son (also known as Cash on Delivery), RKO Radio Pictures, 1956
  • Lorry, Odds against Tomorrow, United Artists, 1959
  • Mrs. Van Daan, The Diary of Anne Frank, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1959
  • Nellie Romano, Let No Man Write My Epitaph, Columbia, 1960
  • Mary di Pace, The Young Savages, United Artists, 1961
  • Charlotte Haze, Lolita, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1962
  • Sarah Garnell, The Chapman Report, Warner Bros., 1962
  • A Matter of Conviction, 1962
  • Fran Cabrell, Wives and Lovers, Paramount, 1963
  • Madame Irma, The Balcony, Continental, 1963
  • Polly Adler, A House Is Not a Home, Paramount, 1964
  • Lisa, Gli indifferenti (also known as Time of Indifferenceand Les deux rivales), Continental, 1965
  • "Woman of no name," The Greatest Story Ever Told, United Artists,1965
  • Fay Estabrook, Harper (also known as The Moving Target), Warner Bros., 1966
  • Rose-Ann D'Arcey, A Patch of Blue, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1966
  • Ruby, Alfie, Paramount, 1966
  • Natalya, The Three Sisters, Actors Studio/NTA, 1966 also releasedin 1977
  • Emma Kolowitz, Enter Laughing, Columbia, 1967
  • Kate, The Scalphunters, United Artists, 1968
  • Mrs. Flatow, Wild in the Streets, American International Pictures,1969
  • Mrs. Gladys Armstrong, The Mad Room, Columbia, 1969
  • Shirley Newman, Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell, United Artists, 1969
  • Dorothy Bluebell, Flap (also known as The Last Warrior, Nobody Loves a Drunken Indian, and Nobody Loves a Flapping Eagle),Warner Bros., 1970
  • Kate (Ma) Parker, Bloody Mama, American International Pictures, 1970
  • Lena Mervin, How Do I Love Thee?, Cinerama, 1970
  • Arthur! Arthur!, J. Arthur Rank, 1970
  • Gabriella, Something to Hide (also known as Shattered), Atlantic, 1971
  • Helen Hill, What's the Matter with Helen?, United Artists, 1971
  • Rosie Forrest (Aunt Roo), Who Slew Auntie Roo? (also known as Gingerbread House and Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?), American International Pictures, 1971
  • Belle Rosen, The Poseidon Adventure, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1972
  • Mommy, Cleopatra Jones, Warner Bros., 1973
  • Mrs. Cramer, Blume in Love, Warner Bros., 1973
  • Elizabeth Cameron, Our Time, Warner Bros., 1974 (theatrical release of the television movie A Death of Innocence, CBS, 1971
  • Bertha, Poor Pretty Eddie (also known as Black Vengeance, Heartbreak Motel, Poor Pretty Eddy, Redneck County, and Redneck County Rape), 1975
  • Diana Steedeman, That Lucky Touch (also known as Bleib mir ja vom Leib), Allied Artists, 1975
  • Mrs. Lapinsky, Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1975
  • Zelda Shapiro, Diamonds (also known as Diamond Shaft and Yahlumim), Avco-Embassy, 1975
  • The concierge, Le locataire (also known as The Tenant), Paramount, 1976
  • Mrs. Mathews, Journey into Fear (also known as Burn Out), Sterling Gold, 1976
  • An Average Man, 1976
  • La dahlia scarlatta, 1976
  • Amalia Vivaldi, Un borghese piccolo piccolo (also known as A Very Little Man), 1977
  • Caterina, Mimi Bluette ... fiore del mio giardino, 1977
  • Lea, Gran bollito (also known as Black Journal and La signora degli orrori), 1977
  • Lena Gogan, Pete's Dragon, Buena Vista, 1977
  • Tillie Turner, Tentacoli (also known as Tentacles), American International Pictures, 1977
  • Queen Rachel, King of the Gypsies, Paramount, 1978
  • Elzbieta, The Magician of Lublin (also known as Der Magierand Ha-Kosem Mi'Lublin), 1979
  • Jane Phillips, The Visitor (also known as Il visitatore andStridulum), International Picture Show, 1979
  • Nurse Andrea Harper, City on Fire, Avco-Embassy, 1979
  • Carmen, Looping, 1981
  • Eva Brown, S.O.B., Paramount, 1981
  • The mother, My Mother, My Daughter, 1981
  • Herself, Acting: Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio, 1981
  • Mrs. Cole, Fanny Hill (also known as Fanny Hill--Die Memoiren eines Freudenmaedchen), 1983
  • Becky Sherman, Over the Brooklyn Bridge (also known as Across the Brooklyn Bridge and My Darling Shiksa), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1984
  • Cora Mae Jackson, Ellie, Shapiro Entertainment, 1984
  • Cover Girl, New World Pictures, 1984
  • Edie Kaplan, The Delta Force, Cannon, 1985
  • Olga Nabokov (some sources site Olga Nabokova), Deja Vu, Cannon, 1985
  • Herself, George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey (documentary), 1985
  • Galina, Very Close Quarters, Cable Star, 1986
  • Lydia, Witchfire (also known as A Sonnet for the Hunter), Shapiro, 1986
  • Herself, Hello Actors Studio (documentary), 1987
  • Rita, Purple People Eater, Concorde Pictures, 1988
  • Evelyn McEllany, An Unremarkable Life, SVS, 1989
  • Lily, Touch of a Stranger, Raven/Star, 1990
  • Helena, 1990
  • Mrs. Fraser, Stepping Out, Paramount, 1991
  • The Linguini Incident, 1991
  • Yetta, The Pickle, Columbia, 1993
  • Mrs. Motel (the mother), Il silenzio dei prosciutti (also known asSilence of the Hams), October Films, 1994
  • Herself, A Century of Cinema, 1994
  • Dolly, Heavy, Columbia/TriStar Home Video, 1995
  • The good lieutenant, Backfire!, A-pix Entertainment, 1995
  • Grandma Ruth, Raging Angels, Borde Releasing, 1995
  • Mrs. Collins, Jury Duty, TriStar, 1995
  • Mrs. Touchett, The Portrait of a Lady, Gramercy, 1996
  • Mrs. Willows, Gideon, Baldwin/Cohen Productions, 1999
  • Professor Summers, La bomba (also known as Once upon a Time inLittle Italy), 1999
  • Also appeared in The Order of Things.
  • Film Work
  • (Associate producer) Bloody Mama, American International Pictures,1970
  • (Executive producer) Witchfire (also known as A Sonnet for theHunter), Shapiro, 1986
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • Nana Mary, a recurring role, Roseanne, ABC, 1991-1997
  • Miniseries
  • Helen Wabash, The French Atlantic Affair, ABC, 1979
  • Movies
  • Amanda Hilton, Revenge (also known as There Once Was a Woman), ABC, 1971
  • Elizabeth Cameron, A Death of Innocence, CBS, 1971 released theatrically as Our Time, Warner Bros., 1974
  • The Vamp, [Great Britain], 1972
  • Lilith Malone, The Devil's Daughter, ABC, 1973
  • Agatha Murphy, The Sex Symbol, ABC, 1974
  • Double Indemnity, CBS, 1974
  • Miss Erica Hunter, The Initiation of Sarah, ABC, 1978
  • Gladys Presley, Elvis, ABC, 1979
  • Dodo Bird, Alice in Wonderland (also known as Alice through theLooking Glass), CBS, 1985
  • Vivian "Vi" Morgan, Weep No More, My Lady (also known as Pleurepas ma belle), syndicated, 1992
  • Aunt Monica, Mrs. Munck, Showtime, c. 1995
  • Specials
  • The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1957
  • Voice of Mrs. Frosty, Frosty's Winter Wonderland (animated), ABC,1976
  • Voice of Crystal, Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (animated), ABC, 1979
  • Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope's Women I Love--Beautiful but Funny, NBC, 1982
  • Parade of Stars, 1983
  • Dom DeLuise and Friends, Part 2, 1984
  • Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend, Cinemax, 1986
  • "Montgomery Clift: His Place in the Sun," Crazy about the Movies,Cinemax, 1989
  • An AFI Salute to Sidney Poitier (also known as The 20th AnnualAmerican Film Institute Life Achievement Award), NBC, 1992
  • Street Scenes: New York on Film, syndicated, 1992
  • Marlon Brando: The Wild One, 1996
  • Episodic
  • "Mantrap," Ford Theater (also known as The Ford Television Theater), NBC, 1954
  • "Sorry, Wrong Number," Climax!, CBS, 1954
  • Crystal Allen, "The Women," Producers' Showcase, NBC, 1955
  • "Dark Wall," Climax!, CBS, 1956
  • Person to Person, CBS, 1956
  • Ruth Owens, "The Ruth Owens Story," Wagon Train, NBC, 1957
  • "Beyond This Place," DuPont Show of the Month, CBS, 1957
  • "Don't Touch Me," Climax!, CBS, 1957
  • "A Double Life," The Alcoa Hour, NBC, 1957
  • "Inspired Alibi," The United States Steel Hour, CBS, 1957
  • "Polka," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1957
  • "Smarty," Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, CBS, 1957
  • "A Piece of Blue Sky," The Play of the Week, syndicated, 1960
  • "The Cake Baker," Alcoa Premiere, ABC, 1962
  • "The Way from Darkness," Alcoa Premiere, ABC, 1962
  • Jenny Dworak, "Two Is the Number," Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater, NBC, 1964
  • "A Disease of the Heart Called Love," Ben Casey, ABC, 1964
  • Edith, "Back to Back," Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater, NBC, 1965
  • Ma Parker, "The Greatest Mother of Them All," Batman, ABC, 1966
  • Title role, "Ma Parker," Batman, ABC, 1966
  • "Wipeout," Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater, NBC, 1967
  • Shelley Summers, "Lucy and Miss Shelley Winters," Here's Lucy, CBS, 1968
  • "The Ninth Month," That's Life, ABC, 1968
  • "The Barefoot Girls of Bleecker Street" (also known as "McCloud"), TheNBC Sunday Mystery Movie, NBC, 1974
  • Shirley Schrift, "Ed's Steps Out," Chico and the Man, NBC, 1975
  • Evelyn McNeil, "The Captain's Brother's Wife," Kojak, CBS, 1978
  • "The Macho Murders," Vega$, ABC, 1979
  • "Venetian Love Song," The Love Boat, ABC, 1982
  • Adele Ellsworth, "Trials," Hotel, ABC, 1984
  • Florence Senkowski, "Andy's Mom," Hawaiian Heat, ABC, 1984
  • Actors on Acting, PBS, 1984
  • True Confessions, syndicated, 1986
  • "Broadway Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre," American Masters, PBS, 1989
  • "Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol," American Masters,PBS, 1992
  • Herself, The Full Wax, BBC, 1993
  • Herself, "Conner Family Reunion," The Roseanne Show, syndicated, 1998
  • "On Cukor," American Masters, PBS, 2000
  • Appeared in an episode of Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo; appeared as a guest on talk shows.
  • Pilots
  • Bess Carter (some sources cite Bess Tucker), The Adventures of Nick Carter, ABC, 1972
  • Rose Winters, Big Rose: Double Trouble (also known as Double Trouble), CBS, 1974
  • Other
  • Wipe-Out, 1963
  • WRITINGS
  • Plays
  • One Night Stands of a Noisy Passenger (three one-acts), produced at Actors' Playhouse, New York City, 1970-1971
  • Nonfiction
  • Autobiographies
  • Shelley: Also Known As Shirley, Morrow (New York City), 1980
  • Shelley II: The Middle of My Century (The Best of Times, the Worst ofTimes), Simon & Schuster (New York City), 1989

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books

    • International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, St. James Press, 1996

    Periodicals

    • Los Angeles Times, April 9, 1995
    • People Weekly, December 16, 1996
    • Premiere, January, 1995