Shirley MacLaine, whose real name is Shirley MacLean Beaty, was born Richmond, Virginia, USA, in April 1934, daughter of Owens beaty and his wife Kathlyn. Three years later, his brother, the actor, was born Warren beaty.
In his youth, Shirley She was the tallest of her class in the Washington School of Ballet. She was also an excellent hitter, but she soon recognized that it was not a very feminine activity and exchanged the bat for a pair of pom-poms, becoming a leader of the cheerleaders, in her high school, the institute. Washington-Lee. As soon as she graduated, she packed her bags and flew to New York to live her dream of being a Broadway actress.
It was in one of his first auditions, when he decided to change his name to Shirley MacLaineDue to the original, it was often mispronounced. She had her chance when she became a stand-in actress for Carol haney in “The Pajama Game“; Haney broke his ankle, and MacLaine replaced it.
A few months later, with Haney still off duty, the director-producer Hal B. Wallis, who was in the audience, took note of MacLaine, and hired her to go to Hollywood to work for Paramount Pictures.
Three months later, he made his film debut with the film of Alfred Hitchcock “But … who killed Harry?“(1955). Then he had other roles in”Around the world in eighty days“(1956) and in”Hot spell“(1958), starring Anthony Quinn.
With his career already on track, and after the birth of his daughter Sachi parker (born Stephanie), played one of his most challenging roles as Ginny moorhead in “Like a torrent“(1958), the film by Vincent Minelli starring Frank Sinatra. For this role he received his first award nomination. Oscar, as Best Actress. That year he was also in “Fury in the valley“, a western with Glenn ford and in comedy “The matchmaker“.
In 1960 she was nominated again for the Oscar by “Apartment“, where he shared a poster with Jack Lemmon. Three years later the third nomination for “Irma, the sweet“, also co-starring Jack Lemmon.
In 1969 he brought his friend from Broadway Bob fosse, to direct her in “Nights in the city“, the musical internationally known by its original title,”Sweet charity.
At the beginning of the ’70, he worked in some minor productions like the western “Two mules and a woman“(1970), with Clint eastwood; the drama “Desperate characters“(1971) and the thriller”Possession“(1972). He also starred in the television series”Shirley’s world“and wrote and directed the documentary on China”The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir“(1975), for which she was nominated for Oscar in the Best Documentary category.
In 1977 he received his fourth nomination for the Oscar by “Decisive stepor “and in 1979 he works with Peter sellers, shortly before his death, in “Welcome Mr. Chance“.
After 20 years in the film industry, he was finally able to take home the prized statuette, when he wins the Oscar for best actress for “The strength of affection“(1983).
Away from the screens for a few years, she returned in 1988 with “Madame Sousatzka“and the following year he starred alongside Dolly parton, Sally field Y Julia Roberts, “Steel magnolias“.
In 1990 she was the mother of Meryl streep in “Postcards from the edge“and was a former First Lady in the care of Nicolas Cage in “Tess and her bodyguard“(1994). In 1996 he returned to interpret Aurora greenway, in “The Force of Caring: The Story Continues“, the sequel to”The strength of affection“(1983).
In 2000 her second job as a director was released, the movie “Bruno“, also starring Alex D. Linz, Gary sinise Y Kathy bates.
In this new millennium, Shirley occasionally appears on the screen, this is how it was the grandmother of Julia Stiles, in the romantic comedy “Carolina“(2003); then it was Endora, the mother of Samantha (Nicole Kidman) the witch of “Haunted“(2005) and she was again a grandmother, this time of Cameron Diaz in “In his shoes“(2005). That same year he starred with Jennifer Aniston Y Kevin Costner “They say out there …”
Recently released is the drama directed by Richard Attenborough, “Closing the circle“(2007) in which Shirley starred alongside Christopher Plummer Y Mischa barton.
Among his next works, in different stages of production, is the European co-production “Coco Chanel“(2008), in miniseries format, where he plays Coco Chanel, and the dramatic comedy, also starring Rosario Dawson Y Brittany murphy, “Poor Things“(2008).
In her personal life, MacLaine was married to the businessman Steve Parker until 1982. They had a daughter, Sachi parker, born in 1956. Shirley got divorced after learning that Steve He had lied to her about his childhood in Japan, and that he had transferred all of her money to her Japanese lover’s bank account over the years.
He also had a relationship with Andrew Peacock, a former aspiring Prime Minister of Australia for the Liberal Party who was later appointed Ambassador to the United States. He also has a close friendship with the Ohio deputy, Dennis Kucinich, who was a candidate for the Democrats in the 2004 presidential primaries.
Shirley It is also known for its work to disseminate the ideas of the movement New age. The first volume of his memoirs, Don´t Fall Off The Mountain (Don’t fall off the mountain, 1970) was a bestseller and made this movement known to the general public. In other later autobiographical writings he has expressed his belief in reincarnation and other forms of mysticism. A second volume of his autobiography, Out on a Limb (Isolated), appeared in 1983.