Shelley Winters

Biography

Shelley Winters was an American actress whose screen career lasted seven decades. Born Shirley Schrift in St. Louis, Missouri, she first gained notice on Broadway in Oklahoma! as Ado Annie. After minor film roles, she broke through in A Double Life (1947) and became a leading lady. Though initially marketed as a blonde bombshell, she resisted typecasting and became known for versatility. Her Oscar wins came for The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) and A Patch of Blue (1965), and she was nominated for A Place in the Sun (1951) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972). Among her other films were The Night of the Hunter (1955), Alfie (1966), Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976), and Pete's Dragon (1977). She also worked extensively in television, including as Nana Mary on Roseanne, and wrote three autobiographies. Her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame came in 1960.

85years old at death

Born August 18, 1920East St. Louis
Died January 14, 2006Beverly Hills
Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
Shirley Schrift (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 52
Career span: 48 years1948 to 1996

Genres

Drama63%, 33 films
Comedy31%, 16 films
Thriller23%, 12 films
Crime21%, 11 films
Romance19%, 10 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Early training
Winters studied with Lee Strasberg at the Actors' Studio, where she worked to reveal her inner self. Strasberg called her the actor of her generation and said she used his Method more accurately than anyone.
Behind the camera
Winters wrote three one-act plays, gathered as One Night Stands of a Noisy Passenger, which had a run of seven performances. Robert De Niro and Diane Ladd were in the cast.

Shelley Winters movies on Netflix

The Portrait of a Lady1996IMDb rating 6.2as Mrs. Touchett
Backfire!1995IMDb rating 3.2as The Good Lieutenant
Heavy1995IMDb rating 6.7as Dolly Modino
Jury Duty1995IMDb rating 4.4as Mom
Mrs. Munck1995IMDb rating 4.7as Aunt Monica
The Silence of the Hams1994IMDb rating 4.7as Mrs. Motel (The Mother)
The Pickle1993IMDb rating 4.4as Yetta
Stepping Out1991IMDb rating 6.5as Mrs. Fraser
The Delta Force1986IMDb rating 5.7as Edie Kaplan
Déjà Vu1985IMDb rating 4.7as Olga Nabokova
S.O.B.1981IMDb rating 6.4as Eva Brown
City on Fire1979IMDb rating 4.5as Nurse Andrea Harper
Elvis1979IMDb rating 6.9as Gladys Presley
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July1979IMDb rating 6.3as Crystal (voice)
The Visitor1979IMDb rating 5.2as Jane Phillips
King of the Gypsies1978IMDb rating 6.3as Queen Rachel
The Initiation of Sarah1978IMDb rating 5.7as Mrs. Erica Hunter
Pete's Dragon1977IMDb rating 6.4as Lena Gogan
Tentacles1977IMDb rating 3.8as Tillie Turner
Frosty's Winter Wonderland1976IMDb rating 6.8as Crystal
Next Stop, Greenwich Village1976IMDb rating 7.0as Faye Lapinsky
Journey into Fear1975IMDb rating 5.3as Mrs. Mathews
Poor Pretty Eddie1975IMDb rating 5.5as Bertha
That Lucky Touch1975IMDb rating 4.8as Diana Steedeman
Blume in Love1973IMDb rating 6.2as Mrs. Cramer
Cleopatra Jones1973IMDb rating 5.9as Mommy
The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1as Belle Rosen
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?1972IMDb rating 6.1as Mrs. Forrest
What's the Matter with Helen?1971IMDb rating 6.3as Helen
Bloody Mama1970IMDb rating 5.7as 'Ma' Kate Barker
Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell1968IMDb rating 6.8as Shirley Newman
The Scalphunters1968IMDb rating 6.7as Kate
Wild in the Streets1968IMDb rating 5.9as Daphne Flatow
Alfie1966IMDb rating 7.0as Ruby
Harper1966IMDb rating 6.8as Fay Estabrook
A Patch of Blue1965IMDb rating 8.0as Rose-Ann D'Arcey
The Chapman Report1962IMDb rating 5.5as Sarah Garnell
The Young Savages1961IMDb rating 6.9as Mary diPace
Odds Against Tomorrow1959IMDb rating 7.4as Lorry
The Diary of Anne Frank1959IMDb rating 7.4as Mrs. Petronella Van Daan
I Died a Thousand Times1955IMDb rating 6.4as Marie Garson
The Big Knife1955IMDb rating 6.7as Dixie Evans
The Night of the Hunter1955IMDb rating 7.9as Willa Harper
Executive Suite1954IMDb rating 7.4as Eva Bardeman
Saskatchewan1954IMDb rating 6.4as Grace Markey
Phone Call from a Stranger1952IMDb rating 6.9as Binky Gay (Mrs. Michael Carr)
A Place in the Sun1951IMDb rating 7.7as Alice Tripp
He Ran All the Way1951IMDb rating 7.0as Peggy Dobbs
The Raging Tide1951IMDb rating 6.4as Connie Thatcher
Winchester '731950IMDb rating 7.6as Lola Manners
The Great Gatsby1949IMDb rating 6.5as Myrtle Wilson
Cry of the City1948IMDb rating 7.2as Brenda Martingale

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The Night of the Hunter1955 Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Thrilleras Willa Harper
IMDb rating 7.9110K votes
The Poseidon Adventure1972 Action, Adventure, Dramaas Belle Rosen
IMDb rating 7.155K votes
A Place in the Sun1951as Alice Tripp
IMDb rating 7.727K votes
Winchester '731950as Lola Manners
IMDb rating 7.623K votes
Alfie1966as Ruby
IMDb rating 7.017K votes
The Diary of Anne Frank1959as Mrs. Petronella Van Daan
IMDb rating 7.415K votes
A Patch of Blue1965as Rose-Ann D'Arcey
IMDb rating 8.010K votes
Pete's Dragon1977as Lena Gogan
IMDb rating 6.428K votes

Most often with

Paul Mazursky directed three of these films, George Stevens two and Lewis Gilbert two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Paul Frees

Telly Savalas

Marianne Stone

Ed Begley

Red Buttons

Tito Vuolo

Paul MazurskyDirector, 3 films

George StevensDirector, 2 films

Lewis GilbertDirector, 2 films

Films together

Paul Frees4 films together, 1951 to 1979
Paul Frees's page
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July1979IMDb rating 6.3Winters as CrystalvoiceFrees as Winterbolt / Jack Frost / Policemanvoice
- Frosty's Winter Wonderland1976IMDb rating 6.8Winters as CrystalFrees as Jack Frost
- Wild in the Streets1968IMDb rating 5.9Winters as Daphne FlatowFrees as Narratorvoice
- A Place in the Sun1951IMDb rating 7.7Winters as Alice TrippFrees as Rev. Morrison
Telly Savalas4 films together, 1961 to 1995
Telly Savalas's page
- Backfire!1995IMDb rating 3.2Winters as The Good LieutenantSavalas as Most Evil Man
- Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell1968IMDb rating 6.8Winters as Shirley NewmanSavalas as Walter Braddock
- The Scalphunters1968IMDb rating 6.7Winters as KateSavalas as Jim Howie
- The Young Savages1961IMDb rating 6.9Winters as Mary diPaceSavalas as Detective Lt. Gunderson
Marianne Stone3 films together, 1972 to 1985
Marianne Stone's page
- Déjà Vu1985IMDb rating 4.7Winters as Olga NabokovaStone as Mabel
- That Lucky Touch1975IMDb rating 4.8Winters as Diana SteedemanStone as Party Guest
- Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?1972IMDb rating 6.1Winters as Mrs. ForrestStone as Miss Wilcox
Ed Begley3 films together, 1949 to 1968
Ed Begley's page
- Wild in the Streets1968IMDb rating 5.9Winters as Daphne FlatowBegley as Senator Amos Allbright
- Odds Against Tomorrow1959IMDb rating 7.4Winters as LorryBegley as Dave Burke
- The Great Gatsby1949IMDb rating 6.5Winters as Myrtle WilsonBegley as Myron Lupus
Red Buttons3 films together, 1972 to 1979
Red Buttons's page
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July1979IMDb rating 6.3Winters as CrystalvoiceButtons as Miltonvoice
- Pete's Dragon1977IMDb rating 6.4Winters as Lena GoganButtons as Hoagy
- The Poseidon Adventure1972IMDb rating 7.1Winters as Belle RosenButtons as Martin
Tito Vuolo3 films together, 1948 to 1951
Tito Vuolo's page
- The Raging Tide1951IMDb rating 6.4Winters as Connie ThatcherVuolo as Barney Schriona
- The Great Gatsby1949IMDb rating 6.5Winters as Myrtle WilsonVuolo as Mavromichaelis
- Cry of the City1948IMDb rating 7.2Winters as Brenda MartingaleVuolo as Papa Roma
Paul MazurskyDirector, 3 films, 1973 to 1993
All films by Paul Mazursky
- The Pickle1993IMDb rating 4.4Winters as Yetta
- Next Stop, Greenwich Village1976IMDb rating 7.0Winters as Faye Lapinsky
- Blume in Love1973IMDb rating 6.2Winters as Mrs. Cramer
George StevensDirector, 2 films, 1951 to 1959
All films by George Stevens
- The Diary of Anne Frank1959IMDb rating 7.4Winters as Mrs. Petronella Van Daan
- A Place in the Sun1951IMDb rating 7.7Winters as Alice Tripp
Lewis GilbertDirector, 2 films, 1966 to 1991
All films by Lewis Gilbert
- Stepping Out1991IMDb rating 6.5Winters as Mrs. Fraser
- Alfie1966IMDb rating 7.0Winters as Ruby

Box office

What Shelley Winters's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top

Combined worldwide box office

$178 million

10 of the 52 films have a worldwide figure.

10Worldwide figure
11US gross only
4Never in cinemas
27Figure not found

Top grosser

The Poseidon Adventure1972Belle Rosen$84.6 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Poseidon Adventure1972as Belle Rosen
$85M47.6% of the total
2
The Portrait of a Lady1996as Mrs. Touchett
$20M11.3% of the total
3
The Delta Force1986as Edie Kaplan
$18M10.0% of the total
4
Jury Duty1995as Mom
$17M9.6% of the total
5
Harper1966as Fay Estabrook
$12M6.8% of the total
6
King of the Gypsies1978as Queen Rachel
$7.3M4.1% of the total
7
A Place in the Sun1951as Alice Tripp
$7.0M3.9% of the total
8
A Patch of Blue1965as Rose-Ann D'Arcey
$6.8M3.8% of the total

$5.2 millionfrom the other 2 films with a worldwide figure, 3% of the total

Awards

Five awards and honors from 1960 to 1966, three of them major.

Top

Shelley Winters's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
1966	Best Supporting Actress	A Patch of Blue	Won
1960	Best Supporting Actress	The Diary of Anne Frank	Won
Emmy Awards
1964	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie	Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre	Won
Other honors
	David di Donatello Award for Lifetime Achievement		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top