Shirley Knight | |
---|---|
Shirley Knight in 1963
|
|
Born |
Goessel, Marion County Kansas, USA |
July 5, 1936
Other names | Shirley Knight Hopkins |
Alma mater | Wichita State University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1959–present |
Spouse(s) |
Gene Persson (1959–69) 1 child John Hopkins (1969–98, his death) 1 child |
Shirley Knight Hopkins (born July 5, 1936) is an American actress, who during her career has appeared in more than 50 feature films, playing leading and character roles, made-for-television movies and series, as well as Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. She is a member of the Actors Studio.
Knight has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) and Sweet Bird of Youth (1962). During 1960s, she had leading roles in a number of Hollywood movies such as The Couch (1962), House of Women (1962), The Group (1966), The Counterfeit Killer (1968), and The Rain People (1969). She also received Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her role in the British film Dutchman (1966).
In 1976 Knight won a Tony Award for her performance in Kennedy's Children. In later years, she played supporting roles in many films, include Endless Love (1981), As Good as It Gets (1997), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), and Grandma's Boy (2006). For her performances on television, Knight eight times was nominated for Primetime Emmy Award (winning three), and has also received a Golden Globe Award.