Shirley Jones

Actress
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In her two-and-a-half-hour Archive interview, Shirley Jones speaks about her early career, being discovered by composer Richard Rodgers, and her television debut on Playhouse 90, which lead to Burt Lancaster casting her in her Academy Award-winning role in “Elmer Gantry.” She talks about working on the feature film “The Music Man” and other features. She goes in-depth about her first series role as “Shirley Partridge” on The Partridge Family and describes working with her stepson and co-star, David Cassidy. Jones recounts the many made-for-television movies she has made, including The Children of An Lac, There Were Times, Dear, and Hidden Places. She comments on her work on The Drew Carey Show, playing “Drew's” much older love interest for three episodes. Karen Herman conducted the interview on December 7, 2005 in Jones' home in Encino, CA.

"Every once in a while, I would find some young 16, 15, 14-year-old sitting on my lawn, just off a bus from Iowa, Michigan or someplace, saying, 'I've come to be in the Partridge Family. I want to be in your band.' ... I just had to tell them the truth and say, 'Listen, this is a television show. We don't have a band.'"

People Talking About ...
Shirley Jones
Highlights
Shirley Jones on appearing on Lux Video Theatre's "Dark Victory" and on The Ed Sullivan Show
Shirley Jones on being discovered by Richard Rodgers, and being cast in "South Pacific"
Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family bus
Shirley Jones on winning an Academy Award for "Elmer Gantry"
Shirley Jones on "Shirley Partridge" being a role model on The Partridge Family, and on the end of the show
Shirley Jones on career highlights and regrets
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On her early life and influences; on being discovered by Richard Rodgers, and being cast in "South Pacific"
On being cast in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!"; on working with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

Chapter 2
On the filming of "Oklahoma!" and on dealing with her newfound fame; on the first time she saw television and her early impression of the medium; on starring on Playhouse 90
On the experience of shooting "Elmer Gantry"; on appearing on Playhouse 90 and acting on live television
On appearing on Lux Video Theatre's "Dark Victory" and on The Ed Sullivan Show; on appearing in the feature film "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" and other feature films

Chapter 3
On working with Marlon Brando, and on working with Robert Preston in "The Music Man"; on the television movie Silent Night, Lonely Night, co-starring Lloyd Bridges
On how she came to be cast as "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family, and on David Cassidy being cast as her son "Keith Partridge"; on the cast of The Partridge Family; on David Cassidy becoming a rock star from The Partridge Family
On the character of "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family, and on the writers getting ideas from Shirley's life; on how The Partridge Family reflected its times, and on working with show creator Bernard Slade; on The Partridge Family being based on The Cowsills singing group, and on show producer Bob Claver, and on the musical aspects of the show

Chapter 4
On the music of The Partridge Family; on the cast of The Partridge Family
On The Partridge Family bus; on her favorite episodes of The Partridge Family, and on the merchandising of the show; on "Shirley Partridge" being a role model on The Partridge Family, and on the end of the show
On various made-for-television movies she starred in; on failed pilots, and on working with Bob Hope on variety specials; on returning to series television with Shirley

Chapter 5
On various guest-starring roles and television movies; on guest starring on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; on guest-starring on The Drew Carey Show as "Drew's" girlfriend
On then-current projects, and on how the industry has changed since she started; on ageism in the industry and on her family following in her footsteps; on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered
Shows

Burke's Law

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Shirley Jones on appearing on The Slap Maxwell Story and Burke's Law

Children of An Lac, The

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Shirley Jones on starring in the TV movie The Children of An Lac

Drew Carey Show, The

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Shirley Jones on guest-starring on The Drew Carey Show as "Drew's" girlfriend

Family Nobody Wanted, The

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Shirley Jones on the television movie The Family Nobody Wanted

Girls of Huntington House, The

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Shirley Jones on the television movie Girls of Huntington House, and on how she prepares for a part

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

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Shirely Jones on guest-starring on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Lux Video Theatre

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Shirley Jones on appearing on Lux Video Theatre's "Dark Victory" and on The Ed Sullivan Show

Partridge Family, The

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Shirley Jones on how she came to be cast as "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family, and on David Cassidy being cast as her son "Keith Partridge"
Shirley Jones on the cast of The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on David Cassidy becoming a rock star from The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on the character of "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family, and on the writers getting ideas from Shirley Jones' life
Shirley Jones on how The Partridge Family reflected its times, and on working with show creator Bernard Slade
Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family being based on The Cowsills singing group, and on show producer Bob Claver
Shirley Jones on the musical aspects of The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on the music of The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on David Madden as "Reuben Kincaid" on The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on Danny Bonaduce as "Danny Partridge" on The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on Susan Dey as "Laurie Partridge" on The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on the younger cast members of The Partridge Family: Suzanne Crough, Jeremy Gelbwaks, and Brian Forster
Shirley Jones on Ray Bolger and Rosemary DeCamp playing her parents on The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family bus
Shirley Jones on her favorite episodes of The Partridge Family, and on the merchandising of the show
Shirley Jones on "Shirley Partridge" being a role model on The Partridge Family, and on the end of the show
Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family reunions, and on the continued popularity of the show

Playhouse 90

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Shirley Jones on starring on Playhouse 90
Shirley Jones on appearing on Playhouse 90 and acting on live television

Shirley

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Shirley Jones on returning to series television with Shirley

Silent Night, Lonely Night

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Shirley Jones on the television movie Silent Night, Lonely Night, co-starring Lloyd Bridges

There Were Times, Dear

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Shirley Jones on appearing in There Were Times, Dear
Topics

Advice

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Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered

Characters & Catchphrases

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Shirley Jones on the character of "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family, and on the writers getting ideas from Shirley Jones' life

Diversity in Television

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Shirley Jones on ageism in the industry and on her family following in her footsteps

Historic Events and Social Change

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Shirley Jones on ageism in the industry and on her family following in her footsteps

Pop Culture

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Shirley Jones on the character of "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family, and on the writers getting ideas from Shirley Jones' life
Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family bus

Television Industry

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Shirley Jones on how the industry has changed since she started and on continuing to work
Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered
Professions

Actress

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Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered

Performers

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Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered
Genres

Classic Anthology Series

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Shirley Jones on appearing on Playhouse 90 and acting on live television
Shirley Jones on appearing on Lux Video Theatre's "Dark Victory" and on The Ed Sullivan Show

Comedy Series

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Shirley Jones on playing "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Shirley Jones on appearing on Lux Video Theatre's "Dark Victory" and on The Ed Sullivan Show
People

Ray Bolger

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Shirley Jones on Ray Bolger and Rosemary DeCamp playing her parents on The Partridge Family

Danny Bonaduce

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Shirley Jones on the cast of The Partridge Family: Danny Bonaduce
Shirley Jones on Danny Bonaduce as "Danny Partridge" on The Partridge Family

Marlon Brando

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Shirley Jones on working with Marlon Brando, and on working with Robert Preston in "The Music Man"

David Cassidy

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Shirley Jones on how she came to be cast as "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family, and on David Cassidy being cast as her son "Keith Partridge"
Shirley Jones on David Cassidy becoming a rock star from The Partridge Family

Bob Claver

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Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family being based on The Cowsills singing group, and on show producer Bob Claver

Susan Dey

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Shirley Jones on the cast of The Partridge Family: Susan Dey
Shirley Jones on Susan Dey as "Laurie Partridge" on The Partridge Family

Bob Hope

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Shirley Jones on working with Bob Hope on variety specials

Oscar Hammerstein II

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Shirley Jones on being cast in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!"
Shirley Jones on working with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

David Madden

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Shirley Jones on David Madden as "Reuben Kincaid" on The Partridge Family

Robert Preston

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Shirley Jones on working with Marlon Brando, and on working with Robert Preston in "The Music Man"

Richard Rodgers

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Shirley Jones on being discovered by Richard Rodgers, and being cast in "South Pacific"
Shirley Jones on being cast in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!"
Shirley Jones on working with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

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