Shirley Jones

Born in Charleroi, Pa., on March 31, 1934, Shirley Jones trained at the renowned Pittsburgh Playhouse and appeared with Pittsburgh's Civic Light Opera Company before songwriters Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II cast her in the Broadway musical "Me and Juliet."

She made her film debut in Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1955 musical Oklahoma!, then won an Oscar for her portrayal of a cynical prostitute in 1960's Elmer Gantry. Other notable films include Carousel, April Love, The Music Man, The Courtship of Eddie's Father and The Cheyenne Social Club.

In 1970, Jones began a four-year run on the musical sitcom "The Partridge Family," playing the mother of a singing family and starring with her real-life stepson, David Cassidy. She continues to perform in concert and act on television and in film, earning an Emmy nod for her 2005 performance in the TV movie Hidden Places.

Filmography