Dyan Cannon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dyan Cannon
Cannon, c. 1960
Born	Samille Diane Friesen (1937-01-04) January 4, 1937 (age 88) Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Occupation	Actress director screenwriter producer editor
Years active	1958–present
Spouse(s)	Cary Grant ​ ​ (m. 1965; div. 1968)​ Stanley Fimberg ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 1991)​
Children	Jennifer Grant
Relatives	David Friesen (brother)

Dyan Cannon (born Samille Diane Friesen on January 4, 1937) is an American actress, director, and editor. She has won many awards, like a Golden Globe Award and a Saturn Award. She was also nominated for three Academy Awards and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was even named 'Female Star of the Year' twice!

She was once a beauty queen, winning 'Miss West Seattle'. She started acting on TV in 1958. Soon, she was seen often on TV shows, and sometimes on Broadway or in movies. Her big movie break came in 1969 with the film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. This role earned her an Academy Award nomination.

She was nominated for another Academy Award for Heaven Can Wait (1978), winning a Golden Globe for it. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for her main role in Such Good Friends (1971). Dyan Cannon was also nominated for an Academy Award as a producer for her short film Number One (1976).

Some of her other movies include The Love Machine (1971), Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978), and Caddyshack II (1988). In 1990, she directed her first movie, The End of Innocence, which she also wrote and starred in. From 1997 to 2000, she had a regular role on the TV show Ally McBeal.

Before her acting career became huge, Dyan Cannon was married to actor Cary Grant. They were married for three years and had a daughter named Jennifer Grant. She wrote a book about her life with Cary Grant called Dear Cary, which became a bestseller in 2011. In 2023, her book was made into a TV miniseries called Archie, and Dyan Cannon helped produce it.

Early Life and Beginnings

Dyan Cannon was born Samille Diane Friesen in Tacoma, Washington, on January 4, 1937. Her mother, Claire, was from Ukraine, and her father, Ben, was a life insurance salesman. She was raised in her mother's Jewish faith. Her younger brother is the jazz musician David Friesen.

She went to West Seattle High School and was crowned Miss West Seattle in 1954. She studied anthropology at the University of Washington for a while. In 1956, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and worked at Merrill Lynch. Later, she moved to Beverly Hills, California, and decided to stay there.

A part-time modeling job led her to meet producer Jerry Wald. He suggested she change her last name to Cannon. She then signed with MGM and studied acting with Sanford Meisner.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in Entertainment

Dyan Cannon's first movie role was in 1960 in The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond. She had already started appearing on television in the late 1950s. She guest-starred on shows like Bat Masterson and Wanted: Dead or Alive. She also appeared on Westerns like Johnny Ringo and Stoney Burke.

In 1962, Cannon acted on Broadway with Jane Fonda in a play called The Fun Couple. She then toured with the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In 1964, she guest-starred on Gunsmoke. She also had a regular role on the TV soap opera Full Circle.

Becoming a Star

Cannon in 1971

Cannon in 1988

Dyan Cannon's first big movie role was in 1969's Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. This film earned her nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 1971, she starred in four movies. These included The Love Machine and Such Good Friends, for which she got another Golden Globe nomination.

In 1973, Cannon starred with Burt Reynolds in Shamus. She also played a character based on a real agent in The Last of Sheila. That year, she was named 'Actress of the Year' by the National Association of Theatre Owners. After starring in Child Under a Leaf in 1974, she took a break from movies for four years.

During the mid-1970s, Dyan Cannon performed her own musical show in Las Vegas. She then studied directing at the American Film Institute. She became the first actress nominated for an Oscar to also be nominated for Best Short Film. This was for Number One (1976), which she produced, directed, wrote, and edited.

In 1978, Cannon co-starred in Revenge of the Pink Panther. That same year, she appeared in Heaven Can Wait. For this role, she received another Oscar nomination and won a Golden Globe Award. She also hosted Saturday Night Live and guest-starred on The Muppet Show. In 1979, she was voted 'Female Star of the Year' by the Hollywood Women's Press Club.

In the early 1980s, Cannon appeared in movies like Honeysuckle Rose (1980) with Willie Nelson. She also starred in Author! Author! (1982) with Al Pacino and Deathtrap (1982) with Michael Caine. She also wrote a song for Chaka Khan's album. For her work in movies, Dyan Cannon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983.

Recent Work and Projects

In 1990, Dyan Cannon wrote, directed, and starred in The End of Innocence. She then appeared in Jailbirds (1991) and Christmas in Connecticut (1992). The latter was directed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

She had guest roles on popular TV shows like Diagnosis: Murder and The Practice. She was also a regular on Ally McBeal from 1997 to 2000. In 1997, she was in three major movies: 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag, That Darn Cat, and Out to Sea. She also worked with Sarah Michelle Gellar in the TV movie Beverly Hills Family Robinson.

From 2001 to 2002, she had a regular role in the TV series Three Sisters. In 2005, she appeared in Boynton Beach Club, a movie about older people who have lost their spouses. Her later roles include A Kiss at Midnight (2008). She also wrote and directed another short film called Unleashed (2010).

In 2013, Dyan Cannon returned to the stage in a play called The Fox on the Fairway. After a break from acting, she appeared in the family film Hope's Legacy (2021). This movie was released on streaming platforms due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2011, Cannon published her bestselling book, Dear Cary: My Life with Cary Grant. She had turned down offers to write about her ex-husband before. In 2023, a four-part miniseries based on her book, called Archie, premiered. Dyan Cannon was an executive producer for the series. In 2025, she started co-hosting a podcast called God’s Table.

Personal Life

In 1961, Dyan Cannon started dating actor Cary Grant. He was 33 years older than her. They got married on July 22, 1965. Their daughter, Jennifer Grant, was born on February 26, 1966. Cannon filed for divorce in September 1967, and it was finalized in March 1968.

Cannon married again on April 18, 1985, to Stanley Fimberg, a lawyer and real estate investor. They divorced in 1991, but they remain friends. Dyan Cannon is also known for being a big fan of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. She is often seen at their games. She identifies as spiritual rather than religious.

Helping Others

Because she was a single mother, Dyan Cannon became a spokeswoman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. This organization helps children from single-parent homes by providing support and friendship. She has also used her fame to help other charities, like Special Olympics, which supports athletes with disabilities. For 12 years, she hosted a Bible study group called God's Party.

Filmography

Stage Performances

See also

In Spanish: Dyan Cannon para niños