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Shirley Douglas, OC , LL.D (born 2 April 1934 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian television, film and stage actress and activist. Shirley's acting career combined with her family name has made her recognisable in Canadian Film, Television and Politics: she is the daughter of Tommy Douglas (1904-1986), former Canadian statesman and Premier of Saskatchewan. Shirley is mother of three children: Thomas, from her first marriage, and of twins Rachel and Kiefer Sutherland, from her second marriage (1966-1971) to actor Donald Sutherland.
Actress Shirley's acting career began in 1950 with a role in the Regina Little Theatre entry at the Dominion Drama Festival, where she won the best actress award. In 1952 Shirley graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, U.K., and stayed in England for several years, performing for theatre and television, before returning to Canada in 1957. Shirley continues to act and her career since then has encompassed several memorable roles on stages in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. She has portrayed prominent feminist Nellie McClung, family matriarch and business woman May Bailey in the television series Wind at My Back, Hagar Shipley of Margaret Laurence's "The Stone Angel", and even characters in popular science fiction series' like "The Silver Surfer" and "Flash Gordon". Shirley Douglas was on stage in 1997 with her son Kiefer Sutherland at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and the National Arts Centre in "The Glass Menagerie". In 2000, Shirley performed on state in "The Vagina Monologues". In 2006, she portrayed former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in the American Broadcasting Company mini-series "The Path to 9/11". Activist Upon moving to Los Angeles, California in 1967, Shirley Douglas became involved in the American Civil Rights Movement -- first in the campaign against the Vietnam War and later on behalf of immigrants and women. Shirley helped to establish the fundraising group called "Friends of the Black Panthers" and was subsequently refused a U.S. work permit due to this. As a result, she returned to Toronto in 1977 with her three children. As the daughter of the man who brought medicare to Canada, Shirley Douglas has also been one of Canada's most prominent activists in favoring the publicly-funded health care system over privatization of some health care services. For her contributions to the performing arts, Shirley was named an officer of the Order of Canada in 2003. During the Canadian federal election, 2006, Shirley Douglas campaigned on behalf of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) as her father, Tommy Douglas was the first leader of Canada's federal NDP. Awards Filmography | ||||||||
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