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Shirley Jones

Shirley Jones

Actor · Born March 31, 1934 (92) · Charleroi, Pennsylvania, USA

Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. In her six decades of television, she starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), and The Music Man (1962). She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a prostitute in Elmer Gantry (1960). She is probably best known as Shirley Partridge, the widowed mother of five children in the situation-comedy television series The Partridge Family (1970–1974), co-starring her real-life stepson David Cassidy, son of Jack Cassidy. Description above from the Wikipedia article Shirley Jones , licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 31, 1934 (92)
From
Charleroi, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
53 on MovieCove · 92 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 64 days to Oct 27Down 8% in 30 days

What are Shirley Jones' films like?

Across their 39 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 8th percentile
: browse their Action 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
34%
Morality
16%
Self
13%
Ideas
13%
Society
12%
Survival
8%
Power
4%
Family bonds19 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 37 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 25 · Serious 5 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 23 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 16 · Charged 13 · Intense 8

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

Steady 25 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 5

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 12

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 21 · Even-paced 15 · 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 28 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 33 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 21 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 21
Ally
5 of 21
Mentor
5 of 21
Shadow
2 of 21
Shapeshifter
1 of 21
Trickster
1 of 21
Herald
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
18
Warm
17
Tense
13
Melancholic
9
Hopeful
8
Other
30

How their films linger

Feel-good22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy20
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3
  • Cyclical2

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 Jones' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 53 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Shirley Jones' 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, 53 with a MovieCove page; 42 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Irresistible Blueberry Farm(2016)

    as Ruth

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Looking for Mabel Normand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Eco-Teens Save The World!(2018)

    as Mrs. Ryburn

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Over the Garden Wall(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Beatrice's Mother (voice) · as Beatrice's Mother / Additional Voices (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Waiting in the Wings: The Musical(2014)

    as Broadway Diva

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Miracle at Gate 213 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Rita Goodrich

  • Zombie Night(2013)

    as Nana

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • A Strange Brand of Happy(2013)

    as Mildred

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Family Weekend(2013)

    as GG

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Real Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Raising Hope(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Burt's Mom · as Christine

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Hot in Cleveland(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Sophie

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Good Luck Charlie(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Linda Duncan

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Victorious(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Mona Patterson

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Cougar Town(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Anne

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1980s, 1990s and 2000s(2009)

    as Host

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Ruby & the Rockits(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Shirley Gallagher

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1970's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Host

  • Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical(2009)

    as Host

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Childrens Hospital(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Grandma Shirley

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Cleaner(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1920s: The Dawn of the Hollywood Musical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Host

  • Christmas Is Here Again(2007)

    as Victoria Claus (voice)

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Monarch Cove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 14 episodes · as Grace Foster

  • Grandma's Boy(2006)

    as Grace

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Hidden Places (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Aunt Batty

  • Raising Genius (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Aunt Sis

  • The Creature of the Sunny Side Up Trailer Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Charlotte

  • Manna from Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Bunny

  • Ping!(2000)

    as Ethel Jeffries

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth(2000)

    as Nurse Kervorkian

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • The Adventures of Cinderella's Daughter(2000)

    as Fairy Godmother

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Felicity Bradshaw

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Gideon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Elly Morton

  • That '70s Show(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Shirley Jones

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Dog's Best Friend(1997)

    as Ethel

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Sabrina the Teenage Witch(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Lydia

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • E! True Hollywood Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rodgers & Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Host

  • The Drew Carey Show(1995)

    Show 3 episodes · as Celia

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Deadly Games (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Shirley Ashborne/Evil Shirley

  • Burke's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Barbara Manchester · as Barbara Mansfield

  • Melrose Place(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • There Were Times, Dear(1985)

    as Susanne Millard

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Betsy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Ann Owens Arden · as Kathleen Lane

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Tank(1984)

    as LaDonna

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 2 episodes · as Claire Langley

  • The Adventures of Pollyanna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Aunt Polly Harrington

  • Inmates: A Love Story(1981)

    as E.F. Crown

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Children of an Lac(1980)

    as Betty Tisdale

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Visions of Christmas Past (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Shirley Miller

  • Shirley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 13 episodes · as Shirley Miller

  • Beyond the Poseidon Adventure(1979)

    as Nurse Gina Rowe

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • A Last Cry for Help(1979)

    as Joan Muir

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Who'll Save Our Children?(1978)

    as Sarah Laver

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Thanksgiving Reunion with the Partridge Family and My Three Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 2 episodes · as Priscilla

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Yesterday's Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Laura Talbot

  • The Lives of Jenny Dolan(1975)

    as Jenny Dolan

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Winner Take All(1975)

    as Eleanor Anderson

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Family Nobody Wanted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Helen Doss

  • The Girls of Huntington House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Anne Baldwin

  • McMillan & Wife(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellyn Mandrake

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • But I Don't Want to Get Married! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Evelyn Harris

  • The Partridge Family(1970)

    Show 96 episodes · as Shirley Renfrew Partridge

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • The Cheyenne Social Club(1970)

    as Jenny

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Happy Ending(1969)

    as Flo Harrigan

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Silent Night, Lonely Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Katherine Johnson

  • El golfo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as María O'Hara

  • The Jim Nabors Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Jackie Harding

  • The Danny Thomas Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Peggy Ruby

  • The Secret of My Success(1965)

    as Marigold Marado

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Fluffy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Janice

  • Bedtime Story(1964)

    as Janet Walker

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Dark Purpose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Karen Williams

  • A Ticklish Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Amy Martin

  • The Courtship of Eddie's Father(1963)

    as Elizabeth Marten

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Music Man(1962)

    as Marian Paroo

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Two Rode Together(1961)

    as Marty Purcell

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Pepe(1960)

    as Suzie Murphy

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Elmer Gantry(1960)

    as Lulu Bains

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

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

    as Betty Barnaby

  • Never Steal Anything Small(1959)

    as Linda Cabot

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • April Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Liz Templeton

  • DuPont Show of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Gretchen Van Damm

  • The Big Slide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as May Marley

  • Carousel(1956)

    as Julie Jordan

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Oklahoma!(1955)

    as Laurey Williams

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Aunt Polly Harrington · as Self

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Judith Traherne · as Self

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 92 titles from 1950 to 2016; peak year 2012.

Biggest box office

Tank (1984)

$11M worldwide

Highest rated

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

The Partridge Family (1970)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19502016

Peak 2012 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 8 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
Acting92 of 92: 92 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score57th

By decade

1950s9 · acting1960s16 · acting1970s16 · acting1980s8 · acting1990s11 · acting2000s18 · acting2010s14 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
5565

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 Jones' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 35; across their 37 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Reach · how many have seen their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Midcredits score across 53 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 53 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed19

Most divisive · actor

Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1980s, 1990s and 2000s (2009)

93rd percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Elmer Gantry (1960)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 26 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 40. 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 Jones' work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles9–49 · median 17 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 3 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 10 · minimalMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 20 · mildMedian 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 Jones work with?

People who share at least 2 of Shirley Jones' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mark McLaughlin shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

  • Mark McLaughlin5 titles · 4 as writer    See all 5 shared titles with Mark McLaughlin
  • Denise Hamilton4 titles    See all 4 shared titles with Denise Hamilton
  • Phillip Dye5 titles · 3 as writer    See all 5 shared titles with Phillip Dye
  • Tasha Lowe-Newsome5 titles · 3 as writer    See all 5 shared titles with Tasha Lowe-Newsome

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

  • Jose Bugarin5 titles    See all 5 shared titles with Jose Bugarin
  • Maurey Dahlen5 titles    See all 5 shared titles with Maurey Dahlen
  • Julie Antepli5 titles · 4 as editor    See all 5 shared titles with Julie Antepli
  • Adrienne Fazan2 titles    See all 2 shared titles with Adrienne Fazan

Producers

  • Dante J. Pugliese5 titles    See all 5 shared titles with Dante J. Pugliese
  • Randy Gitsch5 titles    See all 5 shared titles with Randy Gitsch
  • Anthony Mercaldi2 titles    See all 2 shared titles with Anthony Mercaldi
  • Bryan Cooper2 titles    See all 2 shared titles with Bryan Cooper

Mixed roles