About
"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.'"
In her two-and-a-half-hour interview, Shirley Jones speaks about her early career, being discovered by composer Richard Rodgers, and her television debut on Playhouse 90, which led 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.
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
Shirley Jones on appearing on The Slap Maxwell Story and Burke's Law
Children of An Lac, The
Shirley Jones on starring in the TV movie The Children of An Lac
Drew Carey Show, The
Shirley Jones on guest-starring on The Drew Carey Show as "Drew's" girlfriend
Family Nobody Wanted, The
Shirley Jones on the television movie The Family Nobody Wanted
Girls of Huntington House, The
Shirley Jones on the television movie Girls of Huntington House, and on how she prepares for a part
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Shirely Jones on guest-starring on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Lux Video Theatre
Shirley Jones on appearing on Lux Video Theatre's "Dark Victory" and on The Ed Sullivan Show
Partridge Family, The
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
Shirley Jones on starring on Playhouse 90
Shirley Jones on appearing on Playhouse 90 and acting on live television
Shirley
Shirley Jones on returning to series television with Shirley
Silent Night, Lonely Night
Shirley Jones on the television movie Silent Night, Lonely Night, co-starring Lloyd Bridges
There Were Times, Dear
Shirley Jones on appearing in There Were Times, Dear
Topics
Advice
Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered
Characters & Catchphrases
Shirley Jones on the character of "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family, and on the writers getting ideas from Shirley Jones' life
Historic Events and Social Change
Shirley Jones on ageism in the industry and on her family following in her footsteps
Pop Culture
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
Representation on Television
Shirley Jones on ageism in the industry and on her family following in her footsteps
Television Industry
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
Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered
Performers
Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
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
Shirley Jones on playing "Shirley Partridge" on The Partridge Family
Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Shirley Jones on appearing on Lux Video Theatre's "Dark Victory" and on The Ed Sullivan Show
People
Ray Bolger
Shirley Jones on Ray Bolger and Rosemary DeCamp playing her parents on The Partridge Family
Danny Bonaduce
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
Shirley Jones on working with Marlon Brando, and on working with Robert Preston in "The Music Man"
David Cassidy
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
Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family being based on The Cowsills singing group, and on show producer Bob Claver
Susan Dey
Shirley Jones on the cast of The Partridge Family: Susan Dey
Shirley Jones on Susan Dey as "Laurie Partridge" on The Partridge Family
Oscar Hammerstein II
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
Bob Hope
Shirley Jones on working with Bob Hope on variety specials
David Madden
Shirley Jones on David Madden as "Reuben Kincaid" on The Partridge Family
Robert Preston
Shirley Jones on working with Marlon Brando, and on working with Robert Preston in "The Music Man"
Richard Rodgers
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