Shirley Knight facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shirley Knight
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Knight in 1963
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| Born | July 5, 1936 Goessel, Kansas, U.S.
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| Died | April 22, 2020 (aged 83) San Marcos, Texas, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Wichita State University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1955–2018 |
| Spouse(s) |
Gene Persson
(m. 1959; div. 1969)John Hopkins
(m. 1969; died 1998) |
| Children | 2, including Kaitlin Hopkins |
Shirley Knight Hopkins (born July 5, 1936 – died April 22, 2020) was a talented American actress. She appeared in over 50 movies, TV shows, and plays during her long career. Shirley Knight was known for playing both main characters and supporting roles.
She was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This was for her roles in The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) and Sweet Bird of Youth (1962). In the 1960s, she starred in many Hollywood films like The Group and The Rain People. She also won an award called the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her part in the British movie Dutchman (1966).
In 1976, Shirley Knight won a Tony Award for her acting in the play Kennedy's Children. Later in her career, she appeared in popular movies such as As Good as It Gets (1997) and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002). She also won three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for her work on television.
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Early Life and Training
Shirley Knight was born in Goessel, Kansas. Her father, Noel Johnson Knight, worked as an executive for an oil company. Shirley had one brother and one sister. She spent her childhood in Mitchell, Kansas, and later in Lyons, Kansas, where she finished high school.
From a young age, Shirley showed a passion for the arts. She started learning to be an opera singer when she was just 11 years old. When she was 14, a short story she wrote was even published in a national magazine!
After high school, Shirley went to Phillips University and Wichita State University. She also studied acting at the Pasadena Theatre School. She began her movie career in 1959. Later, she moved to New York to start her stage career. She learned from famous acting teachers like Lee Strasberg.
Acting Career Highlights
Shirley Knight had a very busy acting career that lasted for many years. She was a member of The Actors Studio, which is a famous place where actors train.
Movies
Shirley Knight appeared in many different movies. Some of her notable films include:
- The Group (1966)
- The Dutchman (1967)
- The Rain People (1969)
- Endless Love (1981)
- As Good as It Gets (1997)
- Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)
- Elevator (2011), where she played someone stuck in an elevator with a bomber.
Television Work
Shirley Knight was also a familiar face on television. Early in her career, she was a contract star for Warner Brothers Television. This meant she appeared in many TV series while also making movies. Some of these shows included Maverick, Cheyenne, and The Roaring 20s.
Throughout her career, she made guest appearances on many popular TV shows, such as:
- The Outer Limits
- The Fugitive
- Murder, She Wrote
- Law & Order
- ER
- House M.D.
- Desperate Housewives, where she had a recurring role.
She also starred in several TV movies. For her role in the TV movie Indictment: The McMartin Trial, she won both an Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. She won another Emmy in 1988 for her guest role in Thirtysomething, and again in 1995 for an episode of NYPD Blue.
Stage Performances
Shirley Knight was also a successful stage actress. She performed in many plays on Broadway and Off-Broadway. Some of her stage roles included:
- Three Sisters (1964)
- Kennedy's Children (1975), for which she won a Tony Award.
- A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur (1979)
She was nominated for the Drama Desk Award twice for her stage work. She also received another Tony nomination for The Young Man from Atlanta.
Personal Life and Family
Shirley Knight was married twice. Her first marriage was to American actor and producer Gene Persson from 1959 to 1969. They had one daughter together, actress Kaitlin Hopkins, who was born in 1964.
Her second marriage was to English writer John Hopkins. They were married from 1969 until his death in 1998. Shirley and John had one daughter, Sophie C. Hopkins, who became an elementary school teacher. Shirley and John raised both of their daughters together.
Shirley Knight passed away peacefully on April 22, 2020, at her daughter Kaitlin Hopkins' home in San Marcos, Texas. She was 83 years old.
Images for kids
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Shirley Knight in 1963
See also
In Spanish: Shirley Knight para niños
