Shirley Jones

Actress

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

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.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"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 ...

Highlights

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

01:56

Shirley Jones on being discovered by Richard Rodgers, and being cast in "South Pacific"

08:07

Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family bus

01:33

Shirley Jones on winning an Academy Award for "Elmer Gantry"

02:51

Shirley Jones on "Shirley Partridge" being a role model on The Partridge Family, and on the end of the show

03:01

Shirley Jones on career highlights and regrets

01:49

Full Interview

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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

01:04

Children of An Lac, The

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

02:21

Drew Carey Show, The

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

01:49

Family Nobody Wanted, The

Shirley Jones on the television movie The Family Nobody Wanted

00:47

Girls of Huntington House, The

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

01:36

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

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

00:46

Lux Video Theatre

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

01:56

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"

03:03

Shirley Jones on the cast of The Partridge Family

01:58

Shirley Jones on David Cassidy becoming a rock star from The Partridge Family

02:13

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

06:49

Shirley Jones on how The Partridge Family reflected its times, and on working with show creator Bernard Slade

02:54

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

03:06

Shirley Jones on the musical aspects of The Partridge Family

01:20

Shirley Jones on the music of The Partridge Family

02:07

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

00:51

Shirley Jones on Danny Bonaduce as "Danny Partridge" on The Partridge Family

01:01

Shirley Jones on Susan Dey as "Laurie Partridge" on The Partridge Family

01:52

Shirley Jones on the younger cast members of The Partridge Family: Suzanne Crough, Jeremy Gelbwaks, and Brian Forster

02:34

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

01:18

Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family bus

01:33

Shirley Jones on her favorite episodes of The Partridge Family, and on the merchandising of the show

02:03

Shirley Jones on "Shirley Partridge" being a role model on The Partridge Family, and on the end of the show

03:11

Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family reunions, and on the continued popularity of the show

02:52

Playhouse 90

Shirley Jones on starring on Playhouse 90

02:56

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

04:11

Shirley

Shirley Jones on returning to series television with Shirley

03:39

Silent Night, Lonely Night

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

02:02

There Were Times, Dear

Shirley Jones on appearing in There Were Times, Dear

02:06

Topics

Advice

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

01:29

Characters & Catchphrases

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

06:49

Historic Events and Social Change

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

03:26

Pop Culture

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

06:49

Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family bus

01:33

Representation on Television

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

03:26

Television Industry

Shirley Jones on how the industry has changed since she started and on continuing to work

02:05

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

01:29

Professions

Actress

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

01:29

Performers

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

01:29

Genres

Classic Anthology Series

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

04:11

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

01:56

Comedy Series

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

21:23

Shirley Jones on The Partridge Family

19:26

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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

01:56

People

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

03:06

Bob Hope

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Shirley Jones on working with Bob Hope on variety specials

02:02

Danny Bonaduce

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

00:47

Shirley Jones on Danny Bonaduce as "Danny Partridge" on The Partridge Family

01:01

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"

03:03

Shirley Jones on David Cassidy becoming a rock star from The Partridge Family

02:13

David Madden

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

00:51

Marlon Brando

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

05:31

Oscar Hammerstein II

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Shirley Jones on being cast in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!"

06:36

Shirley Jones on working with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

02:55

Ray Bolger

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

01:18

Richard Rodgers

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Shirley Jones on being discovered by Richard Rodgers, and being cast in "South Pacific"

08:07

Shirley Jones on being cast in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!"

06:36

Shirley Jones on working with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

02:55

Robert Preston

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

05:31

Susan Dey

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

01:11

Shirley Jones on Susan Dey as "Laurie Partridge" on The Partridge Family

01:52