Silver Screen Magic with Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine went from being an ingénue to a mature actress and had her silver screen debut in 1955. In 1983 she won an Oscar for her performance in the film “Terms of Endearment." Today she is remembered as a great actress and is 91 years old.

Director Billy Wilder directed the 1960 American romantic comedy “The Apartment." The film starred Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, and Jack Lemmon. In 1961 Shirley MacLaine won the Golden Globe for Actress in a Leading Role—Musical or Comedy.

The storyline revolves around Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), who is an elevator operator. Insurance agent C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) has a big crush on her, but she is having a sordid affair with the company manager Jeff Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray), wishing he would leave his wife.

Director William Wyler directed the 1961 American psychological drama “The Children’s Hour." It was based on the 1934 play of the same name by Lillian Hellman. The film starred Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, and Miriam Hopkins.

The storyline revolves around Karen Wright (Audrey Hapburn) and Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine) as two women who open a boarding school for girls. A female student overhears an argument about an "unnatural" relationship between the two partners and then starts spreading tales about the duo being lesbian lovers. The women loose their reputation and are ruined by slander.

Director Billy Wilder directed the 1963 American romantic-comedy film “Irma la Douce." It was based on the 1956 French stage musical of the same name by Marguerite Monnot and Alexandre Breffort. The film starred Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.

The storyline revolves around Irma la Douce (Shirley MacLaine) as a streetwalker in Paris. Nestor Patou/Lord X (Jack Lemmon) plays an ex-policeman who becomes her pimp. Kicked off the force and humiliated, Nestor finds himself drawn to the very neighborhood that ended his career with the Paris police—returning to Chez Moustache, a popular tavern for prostitutes and pimps. Down on his luck, Nestor befriends Irma la Douce, a popular prostitute. 

Director Vincente Minnelli directed the 1958 American drama “Some Came Running." The film was based on the 1958 novel of the same name by James Jones. It starred Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Shirley MacLaine, and Martha Hyer.

The storyline is set in 1948 and revolves around veteran and ex-writer Dave Hirsh (Frank Sinatra), who drunkenly buys a coach ticket back to his hometown after an absence of many years. He turns up with good-time girl Ginny Moorehead (Shirley MacLaine) in tow, but when sober, he prefers prim school teacher Gwen French (Martha Hyer).

Director Herbert Ross directed the 1989 American comedy-drama “Steel Magnolias." The film was based on the 1987 play of the same name by Robert Harling. It starred Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts.

The storyline revolves around a group of women in a small Southern community and how they cope with the death of one of their own.

Director Bob Fosse directed the American musical "Sweet Charity." The musical has music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields and is based on a book by Neil Simon and based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film “Nights of Cabiria."

The storyline revolves around Charity Hope Valentine (Shirley MacLaine), who is a golden-hearted dancehall hostess at the Fandango Ballroom in NYC who just wants to be loved.

Director James L. Brooks directed the 1983 American tragicomedy “Terms of Endearment." It was adapted from the 1975 novel of the same name by Larry McMurtry. The film starred Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow. The film won five awards—Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Shirley MacLaine), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson).

The storyline revolves around 30 years of the relationship between Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter Emma Greenway-Horton (Debra Winger).

Director J. Lee Thompson directed the 1964 American black comedy “What a Way to Go!” The film starred Shirley MacLaine, Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum, Dean Martin, Gene Kelly, Bob Cummings, and Dick Van Dyke.

The storyline revolves around Louisa May Foster, a wealthy widow who wants to donate most of her fortune to the IRS. She narrates her life story to her psychiatrist Dr. Victor Stephanson (Bob Cummings). Each of her past husbands found wealth and success but met with tragic deaths, and she thinks she is cursed.