Shirley Jones
| Shirley Jones | |
|---|---|
Jones in the 1970s
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| Born |
Shirley Mae Jones March 31, 1934 Charleroi, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Singer, actress |
| Years active | 1953–present |
| Known for | Oklahoma! Carousel Elmer Gantry The Music Man The Partridge Family |
| Spouse(s) |
Jack Cassidy (m. 1956; div. 1974) Marty Ingels (m. 1977; his death 2015) |
| Children | 4, including David (stepson), Shaun, and Patrick Cassidy |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | |
| Website | shirleyjones |
Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. In her six decades of show business, she has starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), and The Music Man (1962). She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a vengeful prostitute in Elmer Gantry (1960). She played the lead role of Shirley Partridge, the widowed mother of five children, in the musical situation-comedy television series The Partridge Family (1970–74), which co-starred her real-life stepson David Cassidy, son of Jack Cassidy.
Jones was born on March 31, 1934, in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, to Methodist parents Marjorie (née Williams), a homemaker, and Paul Jones, owners of the Jones Brewing Company. Jones' paternal grandfather came from Wales. She was named for child star Shirley Temple. The family later moved to the small nearby town of Smithton, Pennsylvania. Jones began singing at the age of six in the Methodist Church choir and took voice lessons from Ralph Lewando. Upon attending South Huntingdon High School in Ruffs Dale, Pennsylvania, she participated in school plays. Afterwards, she frequently joined her father for a show at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.
Jones won the Miss Pittsburgh contest in 1952.
In New York City, her voice teacher convinced her to audition for a Broadway agent, Gus Sherman, who wanted to put Jones under contract, and with her parents' approval, she resettled in New York City and gave herself one year to become a Broadway performer. She had only $100 in her pocket.
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