At the age of 90, celebrated actress and Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine is reflecting on her remarkable career with a playful spirit. While looking through old photographs, predominantly in black and white, she humorously questioned, “Where are the nude ones?”
Reviewing a particular image of herself perched on a Cadillac at Paramount Pictures, she quipped, “Here, I’m just trying to be coy, on purpose. Jesus. What a jerk!” Another photo prompted her to remark, “Oh, there I wanted to see how my legs photographed.”
Her legs, she noted, photographed quite well, admitting, “Well, I was born with good legs.” MacLaine, known for her magnetic presence, is a multifaceted talent in singing, dancing, and acting. She had the ability to captivate many in Hollywood, including Dean Martin, whom she described as the funniest person she ever met. Though she had a crush on him, she refrained from pursuing a romance, fearing it might diminish his humor, which she valued greatly.
MacLaine previously showcased her life through an eclectic collection of photos in her home in Santa Fe, which she called her “Wall of Life.” Recently, she compiled this collection into a captioned photographic memoir titled “The Wall of Life,” chronicling her journey from her upbringing in Virginia as the daughter of educators and the sister of actor-director Warren Beatty.
While Warren waited until college to pursue acting, Shirley changed her surname to her middle name and ventured to New York to dance before graduating high school. She attributes her success to two teachers who advised her to explore acting due to her expressive dancing.
MacLaine made her Broadway debut in “The Pajama Game” as the understudy, stepping into the role on short notice when the lead injured her ankle. Her performance impressed none other than Alfred Hitchcock, who cast her in “The Trouble with Harry,” marking her film debut.
During her early career, she enjoyed daily lunches with Hitchcock, recalling, “I had these huge Hitchcockian meals!” This led to an unintentional weight gain of 25 pounds due to her hearty meals. She also shares a humorous yet unsettling encounter with producer Hal Wallis, who, upon their first meeting, leaned into her car and made an inappropriate advance.
At the time, MacLaine was married to businessman Steve Parker, the love of her life, with whom she had a daughter, Sachi Parker. Their marriage was known for its openness, as MacLaine spent much of her time in New York and Hollywood while Parker and Sachi lived in Japan.
Though she viewed herself as unconventional and not particularly attractive, she had several relationships and candidly spoke about her past. Even her Oscar win for “Terms of Endearment” showcased her playful spirit, as she referenced her desire to work with Jack Nicholson while humorously acknowledging the joys of their middle-aged roles.
MacLaine has continued to evolve as an actress, embracing roles that resonate with her age, such as in “Steel Magnolias,” “Postcards from the Edge,” and TV shows like “Downton Abbey” and “Only Murders in the Building.”
Known for her belief in past lives, she recounts conversations with figures like Cecil B. DeMille, revealing her anticipation of life after death: “Oh, no. I’m kind of interested in going there. I’m looking forward to being part of the heaven experience.”
As she remains in Santa Fe, MacLaine expresses contentment with her environment and acknowledges that while she is aware of life’s finite nature, she isn’t daunted by the prospect of death, saying, “Shirley MacLaine isn’t going anywhere.”