Anne Shirley (born Dawn Evelyeen Paris; April 17, 1918 – July 4, 1993) was an American actress.
Beginning her career as a child actress under the stage name Dawn O'Day, she adopted the stage name of Anne Shirley after playing the titular character in the film adaptation of Anne of Green Gables in 1934, after which she achieved a successful career in supporting roles. Among her films is Stella Dallas (1937), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.1938 Academy Awards
Shirley left the acting profession in 1944 at the age of 26 and remained in Los Angeles, where she died at the age of 75.
Early life Born in New York City as Dawn Evelyeen Paris, Shirley began modeling as a baby and made her film debut with a featured role in Moonshine Valley (1922). She began acting at the age of five as the live-action Alice in Walt Disney's Alice Comedy Alice's Egg Plant. Shirley had a highly successful career in pre-Code films such as Liliom, Riders of the Purple Sage, So Big, Three on a Match and Rasputin and the Empress.
Career
In 1934, Shirley starred as the character of Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables and took that character's name as her stage name.
Shirley tested for the role of Melanie Hamilton Wilkes in the screen version of Gone with the Wind, but Olivia de Havilland was eventually cast instead. She starred in Steamboat Round the Bend, Make Way for a Lady and Stella Dallas, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her later roles came in films such as Vigil in the Night, Anne of Windy Poplars, The Devil and Daniel Webster and Murder, My Sweet, her final film.
Critic Bosley Crowther of The New York Times praised Shirley's performance in Saturday's Children (1940), writing that she played her role "with heroic integrity and strength of character."
Personal life Shirley married actor John Payne on August 22, 1937, in Montecito, California. They had a daughter, former actress Julie Payne, and divorced in 1943.
Her second husband was film producer and screenwriter Adrian Scott. When he was blacklisted and wanted to move the family to Europe, Shirley opted to remain in the U.S. The couple divorced in 1949.
Her third husband was Charles Lederer, nephew of Marion Davies. They had one son, Daniel Lederer.
Shirley had brief relationships with younger Western star Rory Calhoun and with French film star Jean-Pierre Aumont.
Shirley died from lung cancer in Los Angeles at the age of 75 on July 4, 1993, and was cremated. For her contributions to the motion-picture industry, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7020 Hollywood Blvd.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes 1922 The Hidden Woman Girl as Dawn O'Day Lost film Moonshine Valley Nancy as Dawn O'Day Lost film 1923 The Rustle of Silk Girl as Dawn O'Day Lost film The Spanish Dancer Don Balthazar Carlos as Dawn O'Day 1924 The Man Who Fights Alone Dorothy as Dawn O'Day Lost film The Fast Set Little Margaret as Dawn O'Day Lost film 1925 Riders of the Purple Sage Fay Larkin uncredited Alice's Egg Plant Alice Short subject as Dawn O'Day 1927 The Callahans and the Murphys Mary Callahan as Dawn O'Day Lost film Night Life Daughter of War Profiteer as Dawn O'Day 1928 Mother Knows Best Sally, as a child as Dawn O'Day Lost film 4 Devils Marion, as a girl as Dawn O'Day Lost film Sins of the Fathers Mary, as a child as Dawn O'Day 1930 City Girl Marie Tustine as Dawn O'Day Liliom Louise as Dawn O'Day 1931 Gun Smoke Horton's Daughter as Dawn O'Day Hello Napoleon The Little Girl short, as Dawn O'Day Howdy Mate - short, as Dawn O'Day Rich Man's Folly Anne, as a child as Dawn O'Day 1932 Emma Isabelle as a Child uncredited Young America Mabel Saunders as Dawn O'Day So Big! Selina Peake, as a Child uncredited The Purchase Price Sarah Tipton, the Daughter uncredited Three on a Match Vivian Revere as a Child as Dawn O'Day Rasputin and the Empress Princess Anastasia uncredited 1933 The Life of Jimmy Dolan Mary Lou uncredited 1934 This Side of Heaven Flower Girl scenes deleted, as Dawn O'Day School for Girls Catherine Fogarty Finishing School Billie as Dawn O'Day The Key Flower Girl as Dawn O'Day Bachelor Bait Miriam Ann Johnson, Marriage License Applicant uncredited Anne of Green Gables Anne Shirley Picture Palace Dawn short, as Dawn O'Day Private Lessons Dawn short, as Dawn O'Day 1935 Chasing Yesterday Jeanne Alexandre Steamboat Round the Bend Fleety Belle 1936 Chatterbox Jenny Yates M'Liss M'liss Smith Make Way for a Lady June Drew 1937 Too Many Wives Betty Jackson Meet the Missus Louise Foster Stella Dallas Laurel "Lollie" Dallas nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 1938 Condemned Women Millie Anson Law of the Underworld Annabelle Porter Mother Carey's Chickens Nancy Carey Girls' School Natalie Freeman A Man to Remember Jean Johnson 1939 Boy Slaves Annie Sorority House Alice Fisher Career Sylvia Bartholomew 1940 Vigil in the Night Lucy Lee Saturday's Children Bobby Halevy Anne of Windy Poplars Anne Shirley 1941 West Point Widow Nancy Hull Unexpected Uncle Kathleen Brown The Devil and Daniel Webster Mary Stone 1942 Four Jacks and a Jill Karanina 'Nina' Novak The Mayor of 44th Street Jessey Lee 1943 Lady Bodyguard A.C. Baker The Powers Girl Ellen Evans Bombardier Burton Hughes Government Girl May Harness Blake 1944 Man from Frisco Diana Kennedy Music in Manhattan Frankie Foster Murder, My Sweet Anne Grayle final film role
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 1937 10th Academy Awards Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Stella Dallas
References
External links
Anne Shirley at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films Anne Shirley at the Turner Classic Movies database Anne Shirley at AllMovie Anne Shirley at Virtual History