SHIRLEY MacLAINE was born on April 24, 1934, as Shirley MacLean Beaty in Richmond, Virginia. She was named after Shirley Temple and both her parents as well as her grandparents were teachers. She danced ballet as a child, but found it too limiting as she grew older. She decided to pursue dancing on Broadway, and later began acting.
After graduating high school, she became an understudy to Carol Haney on Broadway and ended up replacing her when she broke her ankle. A film producer took a liking to her and signed her to Paramount. She made her movie debut in 1955 in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Trouble With Harry”. Her performance won her a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year. She continued getting nominated and winning awards for additional roles that she took in films. She began directing in 2000, starting with the movie Bruno (a.k.a. The Dress Code), in which she also played a main role.
Shirley has a daughter, Sachi Parker, who was born in 1956, and was married to Steve Parker until their divorce in 1982. She is known for her spiritual beliefs and her New Age spiritual exploration. She has given multiple interviews about her serious belief in UFOs, and has written in her books about her personal alien encounters.
Shirley MacLaine continues to have an active career in all aspects of the media – books, movies, television, radio, and internet.
