Shirley Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shirley Jones
Jones in the 1970s
Born	Shirley Mae Jones (1934-03-31) March 31, 1934 (age 91) Charleroi, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	1950–present
Spouse(s)	Jack Cassidy ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1975)​ Marty Ingels ​ ​ (m. 1977; died 2015)​
Children	3, including Shaun and Patrick
Musical career
Genres	Pop traditional pop gospel
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Colpix RCA Victor Bell A&M Diadem Stage Door Encore Music Presents
Associated acts	The Partridge Family Jack Cassidy Pat Boone Gordon MacRae

Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is a famous American actress and singer. She has been in show business for over sixty years. Shirley Jones is known for playing kind characters in many musical films. These include Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), and The Music Man (1962).

She also won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for a different kind of role. This was for her part in Elmer Gantry (1960). Later, she starred as Shirley Partridge in the TV show The Partridge Family (1970–1974). In this musical comedy, she played a widowed mother of five children. Her real-life stepson, David Cassidy, also starred in the show.

Early Life and Beginnings

Shirley Jones was born on March 31, 1934, in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Marjorie and Paul Jones. Her father owned the Jones Brewing Company. Shirley was named after the famous child star Shirley Temple.

Many people thought her middle name came from the star Mae West. But Shirley Jones was actually named after her aunt. Her family later moved to Smithton.

Shirley started singing in her church choir when she was six years old. She also took voice lessons. While in high school, she performed in school plays. In 1952, she won the Miss Pittsburgh contest.

Career Highlights

Starting on Stage

A program featuring Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy at the White House in 1957

Shirley Jones had her first audition for John Fearnley. He was the casting director for Rodgers and Hammerstein. These were very famous musical creators. Fearnley was so impressed that he called Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

Shirley became the only singer to get a special contract with them. They first gave her a small role in South Pacific. For her next Broadway show, Me and Juliet, she started in the chorus. She later became an understudy for the main role.

Becoming a Movie Star

Rodgers and Hammerstein were very impressed with Shirley's singing voice. They cast her as the main female character in the movie Oklahoma! in 1955. More musical films followed quickly. These included Carousel (1956) and The Music Man (1962). In these movies, she often played sweet and kind characters.

However, she won an Academy Award in 1960 for her role in Elmer Gantry. She played a character who had a difficult past. The director, Richard Brooks, initially did not want her in the movie. But after seeing her first scene, he told her she would win an Oscar. She also worked with famous actors like Jimmy Stewart and Gene Kelly.

The Partridge Family TV Show

Jones with fellow cast members of The Partridge Family in 1972

The Partridge Family, season 1

In 1970, Shirley Jones was chosen for the main role of Shirley Partridge. This was for The Partridge Family, an ABC musical comedy show. It was based on a real-life musical family. The show was about a widowed mother and her five children. They formed a pop-rock group and traveled in a painted bus.

Shirley believed that mixing music and comedy would be a big hit. She knew that starring in a TV series might change her film career. But she had no regrets. The show became a huge hit in its first season. It was shown in over 70 countries. Shirley and her co-stars became very popular.

Her real-life stepson, David Cassidy, played her oldest son, Keith. He became a teen idol. The show also released many albums and songs. David Cassidy and Shirley Jones performed on these. In 1970, their song "I Think I Love You" reached number one on the music charts. This made Shirley Jones the second person, and first woman, to win an acting Oscar and have a number-one hit song. The Partridge Family won an award for the best-selling song of 1970. In 1971, they were nominated for a Grammy award.

Jones in 1972

The show ended in 1974. Shirley Jones and David Cassidy had a close relationship. Shirley was surprised when David auditioned for the show. She said, "I'm the mother!" David said Shirley was a great role model for him. They appeared on many shows together after The Partridge Family.

Other Projects and Later Career

In 1979, Shirley Jones tried another TV show called Shirley. This show also featured a widowed mother and her family. However, it did not get high ratings and was canceled. She also played a recurring role on The Drew Carey Show.

Jones in 2010

Shirley Jones was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work in There Were Times, Dear. In this film, she played a loyal wife whose husband had Alzheimer's disease. In 1986, she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2004, she returned to Broadway in 42nd Street. She played the role of Dorothy Brock. Her son, Patrick Cassidy, also starred in the show. This was the first time a mother and son starred together on Broadway. In 2006, she received another Emmy nomination for the TV film Hidden Places.

Jones and Patrick Cassidy in 2012

In 2008, Shirley Jones played Colleen Brady on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. She also had a recurring role in the TV comedy series Raising Hope. In 2012, she played Mrs. Paroo in a musical revival of The Music Man. Her son Patrick played Harold Hill in this show.

Personal Life

Jones (left) with U.S. First Lady Nancy Reagan, September 29, 1982

On August 5, 1956, Shirley Jones married actor and singer Jack Cassidy. They had three sons: Shaun, Patrick, and Ryan. Jack's son from his first marriage, David Cassidy, became her stepson. Shirley and Jack divorced in 1975.

On November 13, 1977, Shirley married actor and comedian Marty Ingels. They wrote a book about their relationship called Shirley & Marty: An Unlikely Love Story. They stayed married until Marty's death on October 21, 2015. He passed away from a stroke. Shirley said she would miss him and love him very much.

Shirley Jones is a supporter of PETA, an animal rights organization. She was very sad when Suzanne Crough, who played one of her TV daughters on The Partridge Family, passed away in 2015.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Performances

Discography

Albums with Jack Cassidy

• Speaking of Love (1957)
• Brigadoon (1957)
• With Love from Hollywood (1958)
• Maggie Flynn (1968)
• Show Tunes (1995)

The Partridge Family Albums

• The Partridge Family Album (1970)
• Up To Date (1971)
• Sound Magazine (1971)
• A Partridge Family Christmas Card (1971)
• Shopping Bag (1972)
• At Home With Their Greatest Hits (1972)
• Notebook (1972)
• Crossword Puzzle (1973)
• Bulletin Board (1973)
• The World of the Partridge Family (1974)
• Greatest Hits (1989)
• The Definitive Collection (2001)
• Come On Get Happy!: The Very Best of The Partridge Family (2005)

The Partridge Family Songs

• "I Think I Love You" (1970)
• "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" (1971)
• "I'll Meet You Halfway" (1971)
• "I Woke Up In Love This Morning" (1971)
• "It's One of Those Nights (Yes Love)" (1972)
• "Am I Losing You" (1972)
• "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (1972)
• "Looking Through the Eyes of Love" (1972)
• "Friend and a Lover" (1973)
• "Walking in the Rain" (1973)
• "Looking For a Good Time" (1973)

Shirley Jones Solo Albums

• Silent Strength (1989)
• Shirley (1992)
• Shirley Jones (2000)
• Then & Now (2008)
• A Touch of Christmas (2009)
• A Tribute to Richard Rodgers (2010)

Shirley Jones Solo Songs

• "Clover in the Meadow" (1957)
• "Pepe" (1960)
• "I've Still Got My Heart Joe" (1971)
• "Ain't Love Easy" (1972)
• "Walk in Silence" (1973)

Soundtracks with Shirley Jones

• Oklahoma! (1955)
• Carousel (1956)
• April Love (1957)
• Never Steal Anything Small (1959)
• Pepe (1960)
• The Music Man (1962)
• Endless Night (1972)
• Manna from Heaven (2002)
• Christmas Is Here Again (2007)
• Over the Garden Wall (2014)

Other Album Appearances

• Free to Be... You and Me (1972)
• The Christmas Album.....A Gift of Hope (1991)
• An Evening with Rodgers & Hammerstein, The Sullivan Years (1993)
• Embraceable You – Broadway In Love (1993)
• George & Ira Gershwin, A Musical Celebration (1994)
• Lerner, Loewe, Lane & Friends (1998)

See also

In Spanish: Shirley Jones para niños