Shirley Enola Knight Hopkins (née Knight; July 5, 1936 – April 22, 2020) was an American actress, active in theatre, film, and television from the 1960s through the 2010s. She was a two-time Oscar nominee, a three-time Primetime Emmy Award winner, and a Golden Globe and Tony Award winner, among other accolades.
She was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: for The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) and Sweet Bird of Youth (1962). In the 1960s, she had leading roles in a number of Hollywood films such as The Couch (1962), House of Women (1962), The Group (1966), The Counterfeit Killer (1968), and The Rain People (1969). She received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her role in the British film Dutchman (1966).
In 1976, Knight won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Kennedy's Children, a play by Robert Patrick. In later years, she played supporting roles in many films, including Endless Love (1981), As Good as It Gets (1997), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), and Grandma's Boy (2006).
Early life and education Knight was born in Goessel, Kansas, the daughter of Virginia (née Webster; 1916-1977) and Noel Johnson Knight (1913-1985), an oil company executive. She had a brother and a sister. She spent her young life in Mitchell, Kansas, and later lived in Lyons, Kansas, where she graduated from high school. She began studying to be an opera singer at age 11.
At the age of 14, she wrote a short story that was published in a national magazine. Knight later attended Phillips University and Wichita State University. After studying at the Pasadena Theatre School, she began her film career in 1959. She then went to New York and began her theatre career. She trained in acting with Jeff Corey, Erwin Piscator, Lee Strasberg, and Uta Hagen at HB Studio.
Career
Knight's feature films include The Group (1966), The Dutchman (1967), Petulia (1968), The Rain People (1969), Secrets (1971), Juggernaut (1974), Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979), Endless Love (1981), Angel Eyes (2001), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), Our Idiot Brother (2011) and Elevator (2011), in which she plays one of several people trapped in a Wall Street elevator with a bomber.
Knight was cast in 1958 and 1959 as Mrs. Newcomb in 20 of the 29 episodes of the television series Buckskin, with Tom Nolan, Sally Brophy, and Mike Road. She became a Warner Brothers Television contract star who while on breaks from filming feature films appeared in television series such as Maverick, Bourbon Street Beat, Sugarfoot, Cheyenne, and The Roaring 20s.
A life member of The Actors Studio, Knight's stage credits include Three Sisters (1964), We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1966), Kennedy's Children (1975), which earned her the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play, and A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur (1979). Knight also performed the lead role in the Chelsea Theater Center production of the Brecht/Weill musical Happy End in March 1977; when a modified version of the production transferred to Broadway the next month, Knight was replaced with Meryl Streep.
She was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play twice, for Landscape of the Body and The Young Man from Atlanta, for which she received another Tony nomination. She also appeared in Come Back, Come Back, Wherever You Are (2009), an original play by Arthur Laurents.
Her television credits include Target: The Corruptors!, The Eleventh Hour, The Outer Limits ("The Man Who Was Never Born"), The Reporter, The Fugitive, The Invaders, The Virginian, Murder, She Wrote, Spenser for Hire, Thirtysomething, Law & Order, L.A. Law, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Maggie Winters, ER, House M.D., Crossing Jordan, Cold Case, and Hot in Cleveland, among others.
She appeared in various television films, including Playing For Time and Indictment: The McMartin Trial. For the latter, she won both the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie and the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. Her guest performance in thirtysomething earned her a 1988 Emmy for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series. She won an Emmy in 1995 for her guest performance in the NYPD Blue episode "Large Mouth Bass".
She appeared in the first segment of If These Walls Could Talk. She also had a recurring role on Desperate Housewives.
Personal life Knight was married to American actor and producer Gene Persson from 1959 until their divorce in 1969. They had one child, actress Kaitlin Hopkins (born February 1, 1964).
Her second marriage was to English writer John Hopkins from 1969 until his death in 1998. They had one child, elementary school teacher Sophie C. Hopkins.
Death One month after suffering a fall at an assisted living facility, Knight died on April 22, 2020, at age 83, at her daughter Kaitlin Hopkins's home in San Marcos, Texas.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1959 Five Gates to Hell Sister Maria 1960 Ice Palace Grace Kennedy The Dark at the Top of the Stairs Reenie Flood 1962 The Couch Terry Ames Sweet Bird of Youth Heavenly Finley House of Women Erica Hayden 1964 Flight from Ashiya Caroline Gordon 1966 The Group Polly Andrews Ridgeley Dutchman Lula 1968 The Counterfeit Killer Angie Peterson Petulia Prudence "Polo" Bollen 1969 The Rain People Natalie Ravenna 1971 Secrets Beatrice 1974 Juggernaut Barbara Bannister 1979 Beyond the Poseidon Adventure Hannah Meredith 1981 Endless Love Ann Butterfield 1982 The Sender Jerolyn Prisoners Virginia 1994 Benders Donna Color of Night Edith Niedelmeyer The Secret Life of Houses Aunt Fergie 1995 Stuart Saves His Family Mrs. Smalley 1996 Diabolique Edie Danziger Somebody Is Waiting Irma Cill 1997 As Good as It Gets Beverly Connelly Little Boy Blue Doris Knight 2000 75 Degrees in July Jo Beth Anderson 2001 A House on a Hill Mercedes Mayfield Angel Eyes Elanora Davis 2002 The Salton Sea Nancy Plummer P.S. Your Cat Is Dead Aunt Claire Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Necie Rose Kelleher 2005 Sexual Life Joanna 2006 Grandma's Boy Bea Open Window Dr. Ann Monohan Thanks to Gravity Lea 2008 The Other Side of the Tracks Helen Not Fade Away Diane 2009 Paul Blart: Mall Cop Margaret Blart The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Dot Nadeau 2010 Listen to Your Heart Grandma Sam 2011 Our Idiot Brother Ilene Rochlin The Melancholy Fantastic Mor (voice) Elevator Jane Redding 2013 Redwood Highway Marie Vaughn 2014 Mercy Mercy 2015 Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 Margaret Blart The Missing Girl Mrs. Colvins 2016 Doll in the Dark Mor (voice) 2018 Periphery Leanne Cross
Television Year Title Role Notes 1958–59 Buckskin Mrs. Newcomb 20 episodes 1959 The Restless Gun Episode: "Better Than a Cannon" 1960 77 Sunset Strip Mari Ellen Taylor Episode: "Fraternity of Fear"1961Lawman Episode: "The Trial" Maverick Nancy Powers Episode: "The Ice Man" The Roaring 20s Ellie Hollis Episode: "Big Town Blues" 1962 Naked City Kathy Meigs Episode: "Five Cranks for Winter... Ten Cranks for Spring" 1962, 1965 The Virginian Susan Morrow, Clara Malone 2 episodes 1963 The Outer Limits Noel Anderson Episode: "The Man Who Was Never Born" 1964–66 The Fugitive Janice Pruitt, Mona Ross, Jane Washburn, 3 episodes 1967 The Invaders Margaret Cook Episode: "The Watchers" 1973 The Streets of San Francisco Mary Rae Dortmunter Episode: "A Room With a View" Circle of Fear Beth Episode: "Legion of Demons" Orson Welles Great Mysteries Margot Brenner Episode: "The Power of Fear" 1974 Nakia Faye Arnold Episode: "Pete" 1975 Barnaby Jones Kay Lewiston Episode: "Fantasy of Fear"Medical StoryPhyllis LenahanPilot episode 1982 Nurse Sylvia Dennis Episode: "Euthanasia" Tales of the Unexpected Elizabeth Bourdon Episode: "A Woman's Help" 1984 Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense Ann Fairfax Denver Episode: "The Sweet Scent of Death" 1985, 1987 Spenser: For Hire Katie Quirk 2 episodes 1987, 1990 Thirtysomething Ruth Murdoch 2 episodes 1989 Murder, She Wrote Grace Fenton Episode: "Smooth Operators" The Equalizer Kay Episode: "Time Present, Time Past" 1990 Murder, She Wrote Grace Lambert Episode: "Always a Thief" Matlock Phyllis Todd Episode: "The Mother" 1991 Law & Order Melanie Cullen Episode: "The Wages of Love" 1993 L.A. Law Belinda Collins Episode: "Hello and Goodbye" Angel Falls Edie Wren Cox Television series 1995 Fudge Mrs. A Episode: "Fudge-a-mania" NYPD Blue Agnes Cantwell Episode: "Large Mouth Bass" 1996 Cybill Loretta Episode: "Romancing the Crone" 1998–99 Maggie Winters Estelle Winters 16 episodes 1998 Significant Others Mrs. Callaway 2 episodes 2001 The Fugitive Delores Dalkowski Episode: "Past Perfect" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Wharton Episode: "Repression" 2002 Ally McBeal Helen Apple Episode: "Homecoming" ER Mrs. Burke Episode: "Insurrection" 2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Rose Granville Episode: '"Tragedy" 2004 Crossing Jordan Frances Littleton Episode: "Most Likely" Cold Case Dottie Episode: "Factory Girls" 2005 House Georgia Adams Episode: "Poison" 2005–07 Desperate Housewives Phyllis Van de Kamp 5 episodes 2009 Drop Dead Diva Millie Carlson Episode: "Dead Model Walking" 2010 Hot in Cleveland Loretta Episode: "Meet the Parents" 2012 The Mob Doctor Ann Wilson Episode: "Turf War"
TV films, miniseries, and specials Year Title Role Notes 1967 The Outsider Peggy Leydon 1968 Shadow Over Elveron Joanne Tregaskis 1973 The Lie Anna 1974 The Country Girl Georgie Elgin 1975 Friendly Persuasion Eliza Birdwell 1976 Return to Earth Joan Aldrin 21 Hours at MunichAnneliese Graes 1978 The Defection of Simas Kudirka Genna Kudirka 1979 Champions: A Love Story Barbara Harlich A Last Cry for Help Joan Muir 1980 Playing for Time Frau Lagerfuhrerin Maria Mandel 1982 Kennedy's Children Carla 1984 With Intent to Kill Edna Reinecker 1991 Bump in the Night Katie Shadow of a Doubt Mrs. Potter To Save a Child Rinda Larson 1993 When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn Edna Larson A Mother's Revenge Bess Warden 1994 Baby Brokers Sylvia 1995 Children of the Dust Aunt Bertha Indictment: The McMartin Trial Peggy Buckey 1996 Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden Sally Ann A Promise to Carolyn Jolene Maggart If These Walls Could Talk Mary Donnelly 1998 The Wedding Caroline "Gram" Shelby A Father for Brittany Donna Minkowitz 2001 My Louisiana Sky Jewel Ramsey
Stage credits Year Title Role Notes 1963 Journey to the Day Katherine 1964 Three Sisters Irina Sergeyevna Prozorova 1966 Rooms Jenny Zubitsky We Have Always Lived in the Castle Constance Blackwood 1969 The Watering Place Janet 1975–76 Kennedy's Children Carla 1977 Happy End Lt. Lillian Holiday Landscape of the Body Betty 1979 A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur Dorothea Losing Time Ruth 1984 Come Back, Little Sheba Lola Delaney 1997 The Young Man from Atlanta Lily Dale Kidder 1999 The Vagina Monologues 2002 Necessary Targets J.S. 2005 Cycling Past the Matterhorn Esther 2009 Love, Loss, and What I Wore 2012 In Masks Outrageous and Austere Babe Foxworth
Awards and nominations