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Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine

Actor, also producer and director · Born April 24, 1934 (92) · Richmond, Virginia, USA

Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress, singer, author, activist, and former dancer. Known for her portrayals of quirky, headstrong, and eccentric women, MacLaine has received numerous accolades throughout her career spanning seven decades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, two British Academy Film Awards, and six Golden Globe Awards. Born in Richmond, Virginia, MacLaine made her acting debut as a teenager with minor roles in the Broadway musicals Oklahoma! and The Pajama Game. Following minor appearances as an understudy in various other productions, MacLaine made her film debut with Alfred Hitchcock's black comedy The Trouble with Harry (1955), winning the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress. She rose to prominence with starring roles in Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Some Came Running (1958), Ask Any Girl (1959), The Apartment (1960), The Children's Hour (1961), Two for the Seesaw (1962), Irma la Douce (1963), and Sweet Charity (1969). A six time Academy Award nominee, MacLaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the comedy-drama Terms of Endearment (1983). Her other prominent films include The Turning Point (1977), Being There (1979), Madame Sousatzka (1988), Steel Magnolias (1989), Postcards from the Edge (1990), The Evening Star (1996), Bewitched (2005), In Her Shoes (2005), Valentine's Day (2010), and The Little Mermaid (2018). MacLaine has been the recipient of many honorary awards. She was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2012, Gala Tribute from the Film Society of Lincoln Center in 1995, and Kennedy Center Honor in 2013 for her contribution to American culture, through performing arts. In 1998, she was awarded the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award. Apart from acting, MacLaine has written numerous books regarding the subjects of metaphysics, spirituality, and reincarnation, as well as a best-selling memoir, Out on a Limb (1983).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 24, 1934 (92)
From
Richmond, Virginia, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer and director
Titles
67 on MovieCove · 92 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 23% in 30 days

What are Shirley MacLaine's films like?

Across their 62 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy35 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
41%
Self
26%
Morality
9%
Society
9%
Power
6%
Survival
5%
Ideas
3%
Romantic love19 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds17 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship10 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth10 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 62 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 41 · Serious 14 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 34 · Stylized 21 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 28 · Charged 31 · Intense 3

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 41 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 5

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 29 · Funny 21

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 36 · Even-paced 25 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 43 · Engaged 18 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 51 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

54 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 17 of 54 analyzed roles.

Hero
17 of 54
Shapeshifter
11 of 54
Mentor
8 of 54
Trickster
5 of 54
Threshold guardian
4 of 54
Herald
3 of 54
Ally
3 of 54
Shadow
3 of 54
Show the 54 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
32
Melancholic
22
Joyful
18
Bittersweet
18
Hopeful
16
Other
67

How their films linger

Feel-good35 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful27 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy28
  • Bittersweet26
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Shirley MacLaine's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 36 of their 67 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (20).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Shirley MacLaine's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

92 credits, 67 with a MovieCove page; 82 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Martha Levinson (archive footage)

  • American Dreamer(2022)

    as Astrid Fanelli

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Only Murders in the Building(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rose Cooper

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Noelle(2019)

    as Elf Polly

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Little Mermaid(2018)

    as Eloise

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Feminists: What Were They Thinking?(2018)

    as Martha Dobie

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Olympia(2018)

    as Ouiser Boudreaux

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Last Word(2017)

    Executive Producer · as Harriet Lauler

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • A Heavenly Christmas(2016)

    as Pearl

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Wild Oats(2016)

    as Eva

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Men of Granite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Sophia Prather

  • Elsa & Fred(2014)

    as Elsa

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Secret Life of Walter Mitty(2013)

    as Edna Mitty

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Wide-Awake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as The Pianist

  • Bernie(2011)

    as Marjorie Nugent

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Downton Abbey(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Martha Levinson

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Valentine's Day(2010)

    as Estelle

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Glee(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as June Dolloway

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning(2008)

    as Amelia Thomas

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Coco Chanel(2008)

    as Coco Chanel

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Closing the Ring(2007)

    as Ethel Ann

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Rumor Has It...(2005)

    as Katharine Richelieu

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • In Her Shoes(2005)

    as Ella Hirsh

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Bewitched(2005)

    as Iris Smythson / Endora

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Carolina(2003)

    as Grandmother Mirabeau

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Salem Witch Trials (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rebecca Nurse

  • Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Mary Kay Ash

  • These Old Broads(2001)

    as Kate Westbourne

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Bruno(2000)

    Director · as Helen

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Joan of Arc (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Madame de Beaurevoir

  • Louise Brooks: Looking for Lulu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • A Smile Like Yours(1997)

    as Martha (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Evening Star(1996)

    as Aurora Greenway

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Mrs. Winterbourne(1996)

    as Grace Winterbourne

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The West Side Waltz(1995)

    as Margaret Mary Elderdice

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Guarding Tess(1994)

    as Tess Carlisle

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Wrestling Ernest Hemingway(1993)

    as Helen Cooney

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Used People(1992)

    as Pearl Berman

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Defending Your Life(1991)

    as Shirley MacLaine

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Postcards from the Edge(1990)

    as Doris Mann

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Waiting for the Light(1990)

    as Aunt Zena

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Steel Magnolias(1989)

    as Ouiser Boudreaux

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Madame Sousatzka(1988)

    as Madame Yuvline Sousatzka

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Live with Kelly and Mark(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all shows

  • Out on a Limb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 2 episodes · Book · Teleplay · as Shirley MacLaine

  • The Shirley MacLaine Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Writer · as Herself

  • Cannonball Run II(1984)

    as Veronica

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Terms of Endearment(1983)

    as Aurora Greenway

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • A Change of Seasons(1980)

    as Karyn Evans

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Loving Couples (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Evelyn

  • Being There(1979)

    as Eve Rand

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Royal Variety Performance 1977 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • The Turning Point(1977)

    as Deedee

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Laugh-In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Guest Performer

  • The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Executive Producer · as Self

  • Circasia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Clown

  • The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Self

  • Shirley MacLaine: If They Could See Me Now (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Producer · as Self

  • The Possession of Joel Delaney(1972)

    as Norah Benson

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Shirley's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 17 episodes · as Shirley Logan

  • Desperate Characters(1971)

    as Sophie Bentwood

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Two Mules for Sister Sara(1970)

    as Sara

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Sweet Charity(1969)

    as Charity

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • From Stage to Screen---A Director's Dilemma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom(1968)

    Songs · as Harriet Blossom

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Omnibus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Woman Times Seven(1967)

    as Paulette / Maria Teresa / Linda / Edith / Eve Minou / Marie / Jeanne

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Gambit(1966)

    as Nicole

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!(1965)

    Songs · as Jenny

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Yellow Rolls-Royce(1964)

    as Mae Jenkins

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • What a Way to Go!(1964)

    as Louisa May Foster

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Irma la Douce(1963)

    as Irma La Douce

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Two for the Seesaw(1962)

    as Gittel 'Mosca' Moscawitz

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • My Geisha(1962)

    Songs · as Lucy Dell / Yoko Mori

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Children's Hour(1961)

    as Martha Dobie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Two Loves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Anna Vorontosov

  • All in a Night's Work(1961)

    as Katie Robbins

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Ocean's Eleven(1960)

    as Tipsy Girl (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Apartment(1960)

    as Fran Kubelik

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Can-Can(1960)

    as Simone Pistache

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Career (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Sharon Kensington

  • Ask Any Girl(1959)

    as Meg Wheeler

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Some Came Running(1958)

    as Ginnie Moorehead

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Matchmaker(1958)

    as Irene Molloy

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Hot Spell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Virginia Duval

  • The Sheepman(1958)

    as Dell Payton

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Around the World in 80 Days(1956)

    as Princess Aouda

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Artists and Models(1955)

    as Bessie Sparrowbush

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Trouble with Harry(1955)

    as Jennifer Rogers

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Lucy Boomer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Lucy Boomer

  • Margret and Stevie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Margret Rey

  • People Not Places (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Clare

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 91 titles, 88 of them dated from 1955 to 2024; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

$188M worldwide

Highest rated

The Apartment (1960)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Film career

19552024

Peak 2017 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 32 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting87 of 91: 81 only acting, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thDirecting2 of 91: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting3 of 91: 1 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing4 of 91: 2 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew3 of 91: 0 only other crew, 3 with another role

91 titles, 7 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1950s9 · acting1960s18 · 18 acting · 3 crew1970s12 · 9 acting · 3 crew1980s10 · 9 acting · 2 crew1990s12 · acting2000s12 · 12 acting · 1 crew2010s12 · 12 acting · 1 crew2020s3 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 39% of 46 roles
55606575859510

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Shirley MacLaine's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 63; across their 62 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 62

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 62

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 62

Midcredits score across 67 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up22
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

34 of their 67 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser34
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · actor

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning (2008)

82nd percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Apartment (1960)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 60 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Shirley MacLaine's work okay for kids?

Across up to 23 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore17 titles7–38 · median 27 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity23 titles13–50 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity19 titles3–52 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles10–46 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense16 titles5–45 · median 24 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Shirley MacLaine work with?

People who share at least 2 of Shirley MacLaine's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dean Martin shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles