MGM portrait from the early 1960s.
| Without resorting to a lot of silly hyperbole, we'd just
like to state that Shirley Knight is simply one of the greatest actresses
in the known galaxy and she has left her indelible mark on stage, screen
and television. Lots of television. She's currently featured in a regular
role in the CBS sitcom Maggie Winters. Her film debut came with 1959's
Five Gates to Hell, and although she never
became a major star her talent was certainly recognized by fans, peers
and critics. Early in her film career she earned two supporting actress
Oscar nominations, one for 1960's The Dark at the
Top of the Stairs and another for 1962's Sweet
Bird of Youth. And before the end of that decade she had turned
up in a number of other interesting films, notably The
Group (1966), Petulia (1968) and Francis
Ford Coppola's The Rain People. We salute not only her talent but her longevity. Unlike herds of other fine actresses who peaked in the golden era of the 1950s and 1960s, Shirley Knight is still turning up in major films. She had featured roles in 1994's Color of Night and 1996's Diabolique, and she played Helen Hunt's mother in 1997's As Good As It Gets. Along the way her immense talent has earned her most of the major awards, including the Emmy and the Tony, and we wouldn't be surprised if she also picked up a Heisman Trophy and a Nobel Peace Prize before it's all over. |