- Shirley Douglas
Infobox actor
imagesize = 150px
birthdate = Birth date and age|1934|4|2|df=y
birthplace =Weyburn, Saskatchewan
spouse =Donald Sutherland (1966-1970)
geminiawards = Best Supporting Actress - Dramatic Program or Mini-Series
2000 "Shadow Lake "Shirley Jean Douglas, OC , LL.D (born
2 April 1934 ) is a Canadian television, film and stage actress andactivist . Her acting career combined with her family name has made her recognisable in Canadian film, television and politics.Biography
Personal life
Douglas was born in
Weyburn, Saskatchewan , the daughter of Irma May (née Dempsey) andTommy Douglas (1904-1986), former Canadian statesman andPremier of Saskatchewan . She is mother of three children: Thomas, from her first marriage, and of twins Rachel andKiefer Sutherland , from her second marriage (1966-1971) to actorDonald Sutherland .Acting work
Douglas's acting career began in 1950 with a role in the
Regina Little Theatre entry at the Dominion Drama Festival, [ [http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Dominion%20Drama%20Festival Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia ] ] where she won the best actress award. In 1952 Shirley graduated from theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art inLondon , UK, and stayed inEngland for several years, performing for theatre and television, before returning to Canada in 1957. She continues to act and her career since then has encompassed several memorable roles on stages inCanada , theUnited Kingdom and theUnited States . She has portrayed prominentfeminist Nellie McClung , familymatriarch and business woman May Bailey in the television series "Wind at My Back ", Hagar Shipley inMargaret Laurence 's "The Stone Angel ", and even characters in popularscience fiction series like "The Silver Surfer " and "Flash Gordon ".Douglas appeared on stage in 1997 with her son
Kiefer Sutherland at theRoyal Alexandra Theatre and theNational Arts Centre in "The Glass Menagerie ". In 2000, she performed on stage in "The Vagina Monologues ". In 2006, she portrayed former Secretary of StateMadeleine Albright in theAmerican Broadcasting Company mini-series "The Path to 9/11 ".For her contributions to the performing arts, she was named an officer of the
Order of Canada in 2003.Activism
Upon moving to Los Angeles, California in 1967, Douglas became involved in the
American Civil Rights Movement — first in the campaign against theVietnam War and later on behalf of immigrants and women. She helped to establish the fundraising group called "Friends of theBlack Panthers " and was subsequently refused a U.S. work permit due to this. As a result, she returned to Toronto in 1977 with her three children.As the daughter of the man who brought medicare to Canada, Douglas has also been one of Canada's most prominent activists in favoring the publicly-funded health care system over
privatization of health care services. During theCanadian federal election, 2006 , Douglas campaigned on behalf of the federalNew Democratic Party .Awards
* (2000)
Gemini Award for her performance in the 1999 TV film “Shadow Lake.”
* (2000) Honorary doctorate fromRyerson University
* (2000) "Diamond Award" for her volunteerism, by the [http://www.varietyclub.org.uk Variety Club] an international charity for children in need
* (2003)Order of Canada
* (2004) awarded a space on the Wall of Fame at theNational Arts Centre inOttawa
* (2004) received the "Distinguished Canadian Award" by the Seniors’ Education Centre at theUniversity of Regina , an award first presented to her father almost 20 years before
* (2004) inducted with a star, onCanada's Walk of Fame inToronto
* (2006) In November, Shirley gave an honorary lecture atTrent University Filmography
*
The Path to 9/11 (2006) - Madeleine Albright
*Corner Gas (2005) - Peg ('Trees a Crowd')
*Robson Arms (2005)- Pauline Dubois
*The Christmas Shoes (2002) - Ellen Layton
*Made in Canada (2001) - Cybill Thornbush ('Beaver Creek Commercials')
*The Law of Enclosures (2000) - Myra
*A House Divided (2000) - Elizabeth Dickson
*Woman Wanted (2000) - Peg
*Shadow Lake (1999) - ?
*Barney's Great Adventure (1998) - Grandma Greenfield
*TheSilver Surfer (1998) - Infectia
*Franklin (1997) - Narrator
*Wind at My Back (1996) - May Bailey
*Flash Gordon (1996) - ?(voice)
*Johnny's Girl (1995) - Mrs. Hardwick
*Redwood Curtain (1995) - Schyler Noyes
*Mesmer (1994) - Duchess DuBarry
*Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story (1993) - Vivian Karney
*The Hat Squad (1992) - Kitty (#1) (pilot)
*Road to Avonlea (1992) - Miss Cavendish ('High Society')
*The Shower (1992) - Marie
*Passage of the Heart (1992) - Katherine Ward
*Street Legal (1990-91) - Mayor Riley
*Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1989) - Monica Logan ('Driving Under the Influence')
*Dead Ringers (1988) - Laura
*Shadow Dancing (1988) - Nicole
*Really Weird Tales (1987) - Edna Besley ('Cursed with Charisma')
*Screwball Academy (1986) - Dadapopoplous' wife
*Turning to Stone (1985) - Lena
*The Wars (1983) - Mrs. Lawson
*Nellie McClung (1978) -Nellie McClung
*Lolita (1962) - Mrs. Starch
*Joe MacBeth (1955)
*Singin' in the Rain (1952)
*The Wizard of Oz (1939) - Young MunchkinFurther reading
* [http://www.saskndp.com/cw/64.3/shirleyawarded.html Shirley Douglas: Distinguished Canadian] in The Commonwealth, Vol 64, No 3 (Jun-Jul 2004)
* [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/women/002026-601-e.html Canadian Women in Theatre and Dance]
* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009781 The Canadian Enclopedia]References
External links
* [http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=8873 Order of Canada Citation]
* [http://www.northernstars.ca/actorsdef/douglas.html Northern Stars]
*imdb name|0235250
* [http://www.saskndp.com/cw/64.3/shirleyawarded.html The Commonwealth Journal]
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