Shirley Knight
Biography
Shirley Knight was an American actress whose work in film, theater and television ran from the 1960s to the 2010s. After training at the Pasadena Theatre School she started her screen career in 1959, and she went on to earn two Academy Award nominations in the supporting actress category, for Sweet Bird of Youth (1962) and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960). Her performance in the British film Dutchman (1966) won her the Volpi Cup, and in that decade she took leading roles in Hollywood movies, among them The Group (1966) and The Rain People (1969). She won a Tony Award in 1976 for the play Kennedy's Children. She won three Primetime Emmy Awards, among them one for the television film Indictment: The McMartin Trial. Later film work included Endless Love (1981) and As Good as It Gets (1997), along with supporting parts in Grandma's Boy (2006) and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002).
83years old at death
- Born Goessel
- Died San Marcos
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Also credited as Shirley Knight Hopkins
Movie Career
- Films
- 31
- Career span
- 55 years1960 to 2015
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A role that slipped away
Shirley Knight was replaced by Meryl Streep when the Chelsea Theater Center production of the Brecht and Weill musical Happy End moved to Broadway in 1977.
Early training
After her studies at the Pasadena Theatre School, Knight went to New York to start her theater career. There she trained in acting at HB Studio with Jeff Corey, Erwin Piscator, Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen.
Shirley Knight movies on Netflix
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2as Mom
Mercyas Mercy
Elevatoras Jane Redding
Our Idiot Brotheras Ilene
Listen to Your Heartas Grandma Sam
Paul Blart: Mall Copas Mom
The Private Lives of Pippa Leeas Dot Nadeau
The Other Side of the Tracksas Helen
Grandma's Boyas Bea
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhoodas Necie Rose Kelleher
The Salton Seaas Nancy Plummer
Angel Eyesas Elanora Davis
As Good as It Getsas Beverly
Little Boy Blueas Doris Knight
Diaboliqueas Edie Danziger
If These Walls Could Talkas Mary Donnelly
Indictment: The McMartin Trialas Peggy Buckey
Stuart Saves His Familyas Mom
Color of Nightas Edith Niedelmeyer
The Senderas Jerolyn
Endless Loveas Ann
Playing for Timeas Frau LagerfĂĽhrerin Maria Mandel
Beyond the Poseidon Adventureas Hannah Meredith
21 Hours at Munichas Anneliese Graes
Juggernautas Barbara Bannister
The Rain Peopleas Natalie
Petuliaas Polo
The Groupas Polly
Flight from Ashiyaas Caroline Gordon…
Sweet Bird of Youthas Heavenly Finley
The Dark at the Top of the Stairsas Reenie Flood
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Richard Lester directed two of these films. Eight actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.








Films together
Vincent D'Onofrio2 films together, 1995 to 2002
Vincent D'Onofrio's page The Salton Sea2002IMDb rating 7.0Knight as Nancy PlummerD'Onofrio as Pooh-Bear
Stuart Saves His Family1995IMDb rating 5.3Knight as MomD'Onofrio as Donnie
Kevin James2 films together, 2009 to 2015
Kevin James's page Paul Blart: Mall Cop 22015IMDb rating 4.5Knight as MomJames as Paul Blart
Paul Blart: Mall Cop2009IMDb rating 5.3Knight as MomJames as Paul Blart
Allen Covert2 films together, 2006 to 2009
Allen Covert's page Paul Blart: Mall Cop2009IMDb rating 5.3Knight as MomCovert as Jerky Security Guy
Grandma's Boy2006IMDb rating 6.9Knight as BeaCovert as Alex
Erick Avari2 films together, 1994 to 2009
Erick Avari's page Paul Blart: Mall Cop2009IMDb rating 5.3Knight as MomAvari as Vijay
Color of Night1994IMDb rating 5.2Knight as Edith NiedelmeyerAvari as Cabbie
Shirley Jones2 films together, 1979 to 2006
Shirley Jones's page Grandma's Boy2006IMDb rating 6.9Knight as BeaJones as Grace
Beyond the Poseidon Adventure1979IMDb rating 4.7Knight as Hannah MeredithJones as Nurse Gina Rowe
Gary Valentine2 films together, 2009 to 2015
Gary Valentine's page Paul Blart: Mall Cop 22015IMDb rating 4.5Knight as MomValentine as Saul Gundermutt
Paul Blart: Mall Cop2009IMDb rating 5.3Knight as MomValentine as Karaoke Singer
Richard LesterDirector, 2 films, 1968 to 1974
All films by Richard Lester Juggernaut1974IMDb rating 6.6Knight as Barbara Bannister
Petulia1968IMDb rating 6.8Knight as Polo
Also two films together2 more actors
- Raini RodriguezPaul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015) and Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)
- Kathleen WiddoesPetulia (1968) and The Group (1966)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Shirley Knight's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$854 million
15 of the 31 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 31 films: 15 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 5 never in cinemas; 9 figure not found.
- 15Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 5Never in cinemas
- 9Figure not found
Top grosser

Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 96% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$314M36.8% of the total
- 2$183M21.5% of the total
- 3$108M12.6% of the total
- 4$74M8.6% of the total
- 5$52M6.1% of the total
- 6$32M3.8% of the total
- 7$30M3.5% of the total
- 8$25M2.9% of the total
Awards
Three awards and honors from 1988 to 1995, three of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1995 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | NYPD Blue | Won |
| 1988 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Thirtysomething | Won |
| Venice Film Festival | |||
| Volpi Cup for Best Actress | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.










