Oscar Actors: Booth, Shirley–Background, Career, Awards (Cum Advantage, Tony, Emmy)

 

Shirley Booth (born Marjory Ford, August 30, 1898 – October 16, 1992) was an American actress.

One of only 24 performers to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, Booth was the recipient of an Oscar Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and three Tony Awards.

Primarily a theater actress, Booth began her career on Broadway in 1925. Her most significant success was as Lola Delaney, in the drama Come Back, Little Sheba, for which she received her first Tony Award in 1950 (she would go on to win two more).

She made her film debut, reprising her role in the 1952 film version, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance. Despite her successful entry into films, she preferred acting on the stage, and made only four more films.

From 1961 to 1966, she played the title role in the sitcom Hazel, for which she won two Primetime Emmy Awards. She was later acclaimed for her performance in the 1966 television production of The Glass Menagerie. Her final role was providing the voice of Mrs. Claus in the 1974 animated Christmas television special The Year Without a Santa Claus.

Booth was born in New York City to Albert James and Virginia M. (née Wright) Ford. In the 1905 New York state census, she was listed as Thelma Booth Ford. She had one sibling, a younger sister, Jean (1914-2010). Her early childhood was spent in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where she attended Public School 152.

When she was 7, Booth’s family moved to Philadelphia where she first became interested in acting after seeing a stage performance. When Booth was a teenager, her family moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where she became involved in summer stock. She made her stage debut in a production of Mother Carey’s Chickens. Against her father’s protests, she dropped out of school and traveled to New York to further pursue a career. She initially used the name “Thelma Booth” when her father forbade her to use the family name professionally. She eventually changed her name to Shirley Booth.

Booth began her career onstage as a teenager, acting in stock company productions. She was a prominent actress in Pittsburgh theatre for a time, performing with the Sharp Company.

Her debut on Broadway was in the play, Hell’s Bells, opposite Humphrey Bogart on January 26, 1925.

Booth first attracted major notice as the female lead in the comedy hit Three Men on a Horse, which ran almost two years from 1935 to 1937. During the 1930s and 1940s, she achieved popularity in dramas, comedies and, later, musicals.

She acted with Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (1939), originated the role of Ruth Sherwood in the 1940 Broadway production of My Sister Eileen, and performed with Ralph Bellamy in Tomorrow the World (1943).

Booth also starred on the popular radio series Duffy’s Tavern, playing the lighthearted, wisecracking, man-crazy daughter of the unseen tavern owner on CBS radio from 1941 to 1942 and on NBC Blue from 1942 to 1943. Her then-husband, Ed Gardner, created and wrote the show, as well as played its lead character, Archie, the malapropping manager of the tavern; Booth left the show not long after the couple divorced. She auditioned unsuccessfully for the title role of Our Miss Brooks in 1948; she had been recommended by Harry Ackerman, who was to produce the show, but Ackerman told radio historian Gerald Nachman that he felt Booth was too conscious of a high school teacher’s struggles to have full fun with the character’s comic possibilities. Our Miss Brooks became a radio and television hit when the title role went to Eve Arden.

Booth received her first Tony Award, for Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Dramatic), for her performance as Grace Woods in Goodbye, My Fancy (1948). Her second Tony was for Best Actress in a Play, which she received for her widely acclaimed performance as the tortured wife Lola Delaney in the poignant drama Come Back, Little Sheba (1950). Her leading man, Sidney Blackmer, received the Tony for Best Actor in a Play for his performance as her husband, Doc.

Her success in Come Back, Little Sheba was immediately followed by the musical A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1951), based on the popular novel, in which she played the feisty, but lovable Aunt Sissy, which proved to be another major hit. Her popularity was such that, at the time, the story was skewed from the original so that Aunt Sissy was the leading role (rather than Francie). Booth then went to Hollywood and reprised her stage role in the 1952 film version of Come Back, Little Sheba with Burt Lancaster playing Doc. After that movie was completed–her first of only five films in her career–— she returned to New York and played Leona Samish in The Time of the Cuckoo (1952) on Broadway.

In 1953, Booth received the Best Actress for her performance in Come Back, Little Sheba, becoming the first actress ever to win both a Tony and an Oscar for the same role.

The film also earned Booth Best Actress awards from The Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Globe Awards, The New York Film Critics Circle Awards, and National Board of Review.[18] She also received her third Tony, her second in the Best Actress in a Play category, for her performance in the Broadway production of Arthur Laurents’ play The Time of the Cuckoo.

Booth was 54 years old when she made her first movie, although she had successfully shaved almost a decade off her real age, with her publicity stating 1907 as the year of her birth. Her correct year of birth was known by only her closest associates until her correct year of birth, 1898, was announced at the time of her death.

Her second starring film, a romantic drama About Mrs. Leslie opposite Robert Ryan, was released in 1954 to good reviews, but was poorly received by audiences.[20] In 1953, Booth had made a cameo appearance as herself in the all-star comedy/drama movie Main Street to Broadway. She spent the next few years commuting between New York and California. On Broadway, she scored personal successes in the musical By the Beautiful Sea (1954) and the comedy Desk Set (1955).

Although Booth had become well known to moviegoers during this period, the movie roles for The Time of the Cuckoo (re-titled as Summertime for the film in 1955), and Desk Set (1957), both went to Katharine Hepburn.

In 1957, Booth won the Sarah Siddons Award for her work on the stage in Chicago.[23] She returned to the Broadway stage in 1959, starring as the long-suffering title character in Marc Blitzstein’s musical Juno, an adaptation of Seán O’Casey’s 1924 classic play, Juno and the Paycock.[24][25] In 1961, director Frank Capra approached Booth about starring in Pocketful of Miracles, an updated version of Capra’s 1933 comedy-drama Lady for a Day starring May Robson. Booth informed him that she was unable to match Robson’s Oscar-nominated performance in the original film and declined the role. Capra instead cast Bette Davis, who was unfavorably compared to Robson by most reviewers when the film was released.

Booth returned to motion pictures to star in two more films for Paramount, playing Dolly Gallagher Levi in the 1958 film adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s romance-comedy The Matchmaker (the source text for the musical Hello, Dolly!), and to play Alma Duval in the drama Hot Spell (1958).[27][28] For her performances in both films, Booth was nominated as the year’s Best Actress by the New York Film Critics Circle (Susan Hayward won for her portrayal of executed murderer Barbara Graham in I Want to Live!).

In 1961, Booth was cast in the title role on the NBC situation comedy Hazel, based on Ted Key’s popular single-panel cartoon from the Saturday Evening Post about the domineering yet endearing housemaid named Hazel Burke who works for the Baxter family. The series also starred Don DeFore as George Baxter, Whitney Blake as Dorothy “Missy” Baxter, and Bobby Buntrock as the Baxters’ young son Harold (whom Hazel called “Sport”). Upon its premiere, Hazel was an immediate hit with audiences and drew high ratings.

I liked playing Hazel the first time I read one of the scripts, and I could see all the possibilities of the character—the comedy would take care of itself. My job was to give her heart. Hazel never bores me. Besides, she’s my insurance policy.[4]

Over the course of its five-year run, Booth won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her work in the series and was nominated for a third. Booth is one of the few performers to win all three major entertainment awards (Oscar, Tony, Emmy).

In 1965, NBC canceled the series.[32] CBS picked up and retooled the series; Don DeFore (George Baxter) and Whitney Blake (Dorothy Baxter) were written out of the series, while Bobby Buntrock (Harold “Sport” Baxter) remained a cast member. Ray Fulmer was cast as Steve Baxter, the brother of DeFore’s character George.[33] Booth, who owned the rights to the series,[citation needed] hired Lynn Borden, a former Miss Arizona, as Steve’s wife Barbara.[34][better source needed] Julia Benjamin was cast as Barbara and Steve’s daughter, Susie. In the retooled version, George and Dorothy Baxter have moved to Baghdad leaving Harold to live with Steve and Barbara. Hazel remains on as the new Baxters’ housekeeper.[33] While ratings for the fifth season were still strong (Hazel ranked #26 for the season), Booth decided to end the show due to health issues.

Shortly after the end of Hazel, Booth appeared in the television production of The Glass Menagerie that aired on the anthology series CBS Playhouse. She won critical acclaim for her performance and was nominated for another Primetime Emmy Award.

Booth’s final Broadway appearances were in a revival of Noël Coward’s play Hay Fever and the musical Look to the Lilies, both in 1970. In 1971, she returned to Chicago to star opposite Gig Young in a revival of Harvey at the Blackstone Theater.[37] In 1973, Booth returned to episodic television in the ABC series A Touch of Grace. The series was based on the British sitcom For the Love of Ada.[38] A Touch of Grace was canceled after one season.[39]

In 1974, Booth provided the voice for the character of Mrs. Claus in the animated television special The Year Without a Santa Claus.[40] It was Booth’s final acting role after which she retired to her home in Cape Cod.[4]

On November 23, 1929, Booth married Ed Gardner, who later gained fame as the creator and host of the radio series Duffy’s Tavern. They divorced in 1942. She married William H. Baker Jr., a corporal in the U.S. Army, the following year. Booth and Baker remained married until his death from heart disease in 1951. She never remarried and had no children from either marriage.

After retiring from acting in 1974, Booth moved to North Chatham, Massachusetts, where she lived with her pet poodle and two cats. She maintained contact with her friends via telephone and spent her time painting and doing needlework. In November 1979, she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.[41] Booth did not attend the ceremony and the award was accepted on her behalf by Celeste Holm.

By the 1980s, Booth’s health began to decline. She reportedly suffered a stroke that caused mobility issues and blindness. After her death, Booth’s sister said she had broken her hip in 1991, which further inhibited her mobility. On October 16, 1992, Booth died at age 94 at her home in North Chatham.[4][42] After a private memorial service, Booth was interred in the Baker family plot in Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair, New Jersey.

For her contributions to the film industry, Booth has a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6850 Hollywood Boulevard.

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1952 Come Back, Little Sheba Lola Delaney Academy Award for Best Actress
Cannes Film Festival – Award for Best Actress
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
National Board of Review Award for Best Actress
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
Nominated–BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
1953 Main Street to Broadway Herself
1954 About Mrs. Leslie Mrs. Vivien Leslie Nominated–BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
1958 Hot Spell Alma Duval
1958 The Matchmaker Dolly ‘Gallagher’ Levi Final feature film
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1954–1961 The United States Steel Hour 2 Episodes
1957 Playhouse 90 Perle Mesta Episode: “The Hostess With the Mostess”
1961–1966 Hazel Hazel Burke 154 Episodes
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1962 and 1963)
Nominated–Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1964)
1966 CBS Playhouse Amanda Wingfield Episode: “The Glass Menagerie”
Nominated–Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
1967 CBS Playhouse Heloise Michaud Episode: “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”
1968 The Smugglers Mrs. Hudson TV movie
1969 The Ghost & Mrs. Muir Spiritualist Madame Tibaldi Episode: “Medium Well Done”
1973 A Touch of Grace Grace Simpson 13 Episodes
1974 The Year Without a Santa Claus Mrs. Claus (voice) TV movie – (Final role)
Theatre
Date Production Role Notes
January 26 – May 1925 Hell’s Bells Nan Winchester
November 2, 1925 – June 1926 Laff That Off Peggy Bryant
October 7 – October 1926 Buy, Buy Baby Betty Hamilton
October 6 – October 1927 High Gear Mary Marshall
September 24 – December 1928 The War Song Emily Rosen
April 21 – April 1931 School for Virtue Marg
October 2 – October 1931 The Camels are Coming Bobby Marchante
November 30, 1931 – January 1932 Coastwise Annie Duval
May 8 – June 1933 The Mask and the Face Elisa Zanotti Revival
February 7 – February 1934 After Such Pleasures
January 30, 1935 – January 9, 1937 Three Men on a Horse Mabel
April 9 – July 1937 Excursion Mrs. Loschavio
November 15 – November 1937 Too Many Heroes Carrie Nolan
March 28, 1939 – March 30, 1940 The Philadelphia Story Elizabeth Imbrie
December 26, 1940 – January 16, 1943 My Sister Eileen Ruth Sherwood
April 14, 1943 – June 17, 1944 Tomorrow the World Leona Richards
May 31 – July 14, 1945 Hollywood Pinafore Louhedda Hopsons
December 11–14, 1946 Land’s End Susan Pengilly
January 16–17, 1948 The Men We Marry Maggie Welch
November 17 – December 24, 1949 Goodbye, My Fancy Grace Woods Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play[44]
November 7–19, 1949 Love Me Long Abby Quinn
February 15 – July 29, 1950 Come Back, Little Sheba Lola Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play[44]
April 19 – December 8, 1951 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Cissy
October 15, 1952 – May 30, 1953 The Time of the Cuckoo Leona Samish Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play[21]
April 8 – November 27, 1954 By the Beautiful Sea Lottie Gibson
October 24, 1955 – July 5, 1956 Desk Set Bunny Watson
December 26, 1957 – February 8, 1958 Miss Isobel Mrs. Ackroyd
March 9–21, 1959 Juno Juno Boyle
April 13 – May 7, 1960 A Second String Fanny
March 29 – April 18, 1970 Look to the Lilies Mother Maria
November 9–28, 1970 Hay Fever Judith Bliss Revival

Biblio
Tucker, David C. (2008). Shirley Booth: A Biography and Career Record. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.

Manago, Jim; Manago, Donna (2008). Love is the Reason for It All: The Shirley Booth Story. Albany, GA: BearManorMedia.

Manago, Jim (2010). For Bill His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story. U.S.: Jim & Donna Manago Books.