Shannen Doherty Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Shannen Doherty
Doherty in 2011
Born	Shannen Maria Doherty (1971-04-12)April 12, 1971 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	July 13, 2024(2024-07-13) (aged 53) Malibu, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1981–2024
Works	Film and television
Spouse(s)	Ashley Hamilton (m. 1993; div. 1994) Rick Salomon (m. 2002; ann. 2003) Kurt Iswarienko (m. 2011; sep. 2023)

Shannen Maria Doherty (born April 12, 1971 – died July 13, 2024) was an American actress. She was famous for her roles in many TV shows and movies.

Some of her well-known characters include Jenny Wilder in Little House on the Prairie. She also played Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Prue Halliwell in Charmed. Shannen Doherty passed away from cancer at the age of 53.

Early Life
Acting Career
Personal Life
- Health and Passing
Images for kids
See also

Early Life

Shannen Maria Doherty was born on April 12, 1971. Her birthplace was Memphis, Tennessee. Her parents were Tom and Rosa Doherty. She grew up following her mother's Southern Baptist faith. Shannen had both Irish and Native American family roots.

Acting Career

Starting as a Child Actor: 1982–1988

Shannen Doherty began acting when she was young. In 1982, she appeared in TV shows like Voyagers!. She also had a role in Father Murphy.

At age 11, Shannen got a regular role on Little House on the Prairie. She played Jenny Wilder. She was in almost all episodes of the show's final season.

In 1982, she also lent her voice to the animated movie The Secret of NIMH. She appeared in an episode of Magnum, P.I.. She also had a part in Airwolf. For her role in Airwolf, she was nominated for an award.

In 1985, Shannen starred in the teen comedy movie Girls Just Want to Have Fun. She acted alongside Helen Hunt and Sarah Jessica Parker. From 1986 to 1988, she played Kris Witherspoon in the family drama Our House. This role earned her another award nomination.

Becoming Famous: 1988–2001

Doherty with Jason Priestley in 1991

Shannen Doherty's first big movie role was in the comedy Heathers in 1988. She became very famous for her role as Brenda Walsh. This was in the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210, which started in 1990.

Her portrayal of Brenda earned her Young Artist Award nominations in 1991 and 1992. Shannen left the show after its fourth season in 1994.

After Beverly Hills, 90210, Shannen mostly acted in TV movies. She also had a main role in the 1995 film Mallrats.

In 1998, she was cast in another TV series called Charmed. She played Prue Halliwell, one of three sisters who were witches. Shannen also directed some episodes of Charmed. She left the show in 2001 after the third season. Her character, Prue, was written off the show.

Later Work: 2002–2024

Doherty in 2008

In 2003, Shannen Doherty hosted the show Scare Tactics. From 2004 to 2005, she starred in the TV series North Shore. She played Alexandra Hudson.

In 2006, Shannen created and starred in her own reality show. It was called Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty. In this show, she helped people break up with boyfriends or tell friends hard truths. The show lasted for one season.

In 2007, Shannen appeared in two TV projects. She was in Kiss Me Deadly: A Jacob Keane Assignment. She also starred in the holiday movie Christmas Caper.

In 2008, Shannen returned to the Beverly Hills, 90210 world. She joined the cast of the spin-off show 90210. She played Brenda Walsh again as a guest star. Her character was a successful theater actress. She returned for several episodes.

Doherty with Brian Austin Green and Wilson Cleveland in 2011

Also in 2008, Shannen co-starred in the movie Burning Palms. She also had a lead role in the adventure film The Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon.

In 2010, Shannen was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with dancer Mark Ballas. They were the first couple to be eliminated.

Shannen also voiced characters in the animated web series Mari-Kari in 2010. She voiced both Mari and Kari, who were twin sisters.

In 2011, Shannen starred in a reality series called Shannen Says. The show followed her and her fiancé, Kurt Iswarienko, as they planned their wedding. The show started in 2012.

Doherty in 2015

In 2014, Shannen and her former Charmed co-star Holly Marie Combs starred in a road-trip reality show. It was called Off the Map with Shannen & Holly. The show followed them traveling across the southeastern United States.

In 2016, Shannen joined the cast of a Heathers TV series. She played the mother of one of the new "Heathers". The series aired in October 2018.

In 2019, Shannen played Brenda Walsh again in the six-episode sequel BH90210. She also appeared in the movie Undateable John. In 2021, she was in the movie Fortress.

Personal Life

Shannen Doherty was married three times. In 1993, she married Ashley Hamilton. They divorced in 1994. In 2002, she married Rick Salomon, but their marriage was ended after nine months. On October 15, 2011, Shannen married photographer Kurt Iswarienko. They divorced in 2023.

In November 2018, Shannen lost her house due to the Woolsey Fire.

Health and Passing

In 1999, Shannen Doherty shared that she had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease.

In March 2015, Shannen was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. She had surgery in May 2016. After surgery, she received chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In April 2017, she announced her cancer was in remission.

However, in February 2020, Shannen announced that her cancer had returned. It had advanced to stage four. In June 2023, she shared that the cancer had spread to her brain. In November 2023, she revealed it had spread to her bones.

Shannen Doherty passed away from cancer on July 13, 2024. She was 53 years old. She died at her home in Malibu, California.