116 thoughts on “UMR’s In Memoriam – 2020”

1. I have seen 5 Shirley Knight movies. None are favourites;

   The Sweet Bird of Youth
   As Good As It Gets
   Petulia
   Flight From Ashiya
   The Group

   Rest In Peace

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   1. Thanks for the Shirley Knight tally count. From the movies listed above I have seen 11 of them…most being supporting roles in comedies in the twilight of her career. Thanks for sharing Flora.

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2. In the TV movie Indictment: The McMartin Trial [which I mention in Part One here and on Steve’s U Tube page]Woods gave the tour de force kind of performance that attracted me to him in the early 1990s and in my opinion Shirley deserved her Golden Globe as one of the persecuted heads of a family that Woods’ lawyer defends against hysteria and injustice –

   “Based on a real-life court case, Indictment: The McMartin Trial finds members of the McMartin family on trial for alleged sexual molestation and abuse of children at their well-regarded preschool. Publicity-seeking attorney Danny Davis [James Woods] initially defends the McMartins for selfish reason but he slowly begins to believe that they are innocent. Davis has his work cut out for him however since the media have demonized the family, and prosecuting lawyer Lael Rubin [supporting actress Oscar winner for 1991’s The Fisher King – Mercedes Ruehl] is a tough opponent.”

   The film lasts 135 mins and IMDB gives it a 76% rating. I would recommend it to anyone who likes Woods and/or Knight. Indeed Shirley also won a Primetime Emmy for her sensitive performance; James Woods got Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy best actor nominations for his riveting portrayal of lawyer Danny Davis; and Mercedes Ruehl got a Cable ACE best leading actress nomination for her portrayal of prosecutor Lael Rubin. I am looking out for the opportunity to view it again. Meanwhile RIP Shirley. She was a member of the Actors Studio.

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3. I have seen 6 of the movies [over the period 1960-2001] that Bruce lists above: As Good as it Gets/Sweet Bird of Youth/Ice Palace/The Dark at the Top of the Stairs/Juggernaut/ and Angel Eyes. I also saw her in Colour of Night in which Shirley co-starred with Bruce Willis but which is not included above.

   That’s not a lot of her movies that I have seen considering how mega-prolific Shirley’s career has been with Wikipedia for example crediting her with 50 movies and 71 television performances. Included in her TV roles were ones in some of the major series that are listed in Bruce’s new Greatest TV Shows page such as Matlock/The Virginian/Maverick. She also appeared in Broadway and off-Broadway productions winning for example a Broadway Tony Award for 1976’s “Kennedy’s Children”

   Overall IMDB credits her with 6 acting awards and 18 nominations. One of the outright wins was a Golden Globe best supporting actress award for 1995’s TV movie Indictment: The McMartin Trial which I in exchanges with Steve I highlighted recently as a favourite of mine among James Woods’ movies.

   In the Matlock episode that I mention above [called The Mother and aired in 1990] Shirley touchingly plays a mother who takes the fall for a murder her daughter may have committed. IMDB awards it a 69% rating.

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4. Hey Dan. Thanks for the very detailed trivia lists on the late Shirley Knight. She is ranked much higher on Oracle than I would have guessed. The first list is massive….with many one timers. Some of the 2 timers are Garfield that you mentioned and Harris Yulin, who recently impressed me with his role in Ozark. Second list is not nearly as impressive but that is still a lot legends. I first noticed her in The Rain People. Then I kept getting her mixed up with Piper Laurie. Good stuff as always…great record keeping that lets you now exactly when you saw The Group. Thanks for sharing this information. Rest In Peace Shirley Knight.

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5. The Group which Flora just watched debuted on television in America on NBC on November 20, 1971 which is when I saw the film and I haven’t watched since.

   Shirley Knight was # 643 on The Oracle of Bacon Top 1000 Center of the Hollywood Universe list. These are the actors on the list she appeared with. She co-starred in 2 films with Allen Garfield # 510 on the list, who passed away April 9th, Diabolique and Stuart Saves His Family.

   5 MICHAEL CAINE Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   15 ANTHONY HOPKINS Juggernaut (1974)
   40 ROBERT DUVALL The Rain People (1969)
   41 MICHAEL HORDERN Juggernaut (1974)
   45 OMAR SHARIFF Juggernaut (1974)
   54 JACK NICHOLSON As Good as It Gets (1997)
   56 ELLIOTT GOULD Open Window (2006)
   62 JAMES CAAN The Rain People (1969)
   66 BRUCE WILLIS Color of Night (1994)
   69 ALAN ARKIN The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
   77 CANDICE BERGEN The Group (1966)
   81 JOHN SAVAGE Little Boy Blue (1997)
   85 JACK WARDEN Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   86 DANNY TREJO The Salton Sea (2002)
   94 PAUL NEWMAN Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)
   102 RIP TORN Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)
   106 BRAD DOURIF Color of Night (1994)
   111 RICHARD HARRIS Juggernaut (1974)
   116 VAL KILMER The Salton Sea (2002)
   133 IAN HOLM Juggernaut (1974)
   154 KATHY BATES Diabolique (1996)
   164 GABRIEL BYRNE Somebody Is Waiting (1996)
   167 MAGGIE SMITH Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
   177 LANCE HENRIKSEN Color of Night (1994)
   187 JULIE CHRISTIE Petulia (1968)
   193 WILLIAM HOLDEN Picnic (1955)
   198 ELLEN BURSTYN Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
   208 TELLY SAVALAS Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   209 KEANU REEVES The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
   220 PHILIP BAKER HALL A House on a Hill (2003)
   224 JACQUELINE BISSET Secrets (1971)
   230 JEFF COREY Color of Night (1994)
   232 ANGELA LANSBURY The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960)
   243 HAL HOLBROOK The Group (1966)
   249 TOM CRUISE Endless Love (1981)
   260 DAVID HEMMINGS Juggernaut (1974)
   260 DAVID HEMMINGS Prisoners (1981)
   261 PETER BOYLE Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   261 PETER BOYLE The Group (1966)
   264 JAMES GARNER Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
   278 AUSTIN PENDLETON Petulia (1968)
   282 VINCENT D’ONOFRIO Stuart Saves His Family (1995)
   282 VINCENT D’ONOFRIO The Salton Sea (2002)
   284 JULIANNE MOORE The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
   298 JULIAN GLOVER Juggernaut (1974)
   299 RICHARD BURTON Ice Palace (1960)
   305 JOSEPH COTTEN Petulia (1968)
   311 SHARON STONE Diabolique (1996)
   312 HARRIS YULIN 75 Degrees in July (2000)
   312 HARRIS YULIN Stuart Saves His Family (1995)
   322 ROSHAN SETH JUGGERNAUT (1974)
   332 STEVE COOGAN OUR IDIOT BROTHER (2011)
   346 MICHAEL MCKEAN The Man Who Counted (1998)
   404 SCOTT WILSON Open Window (2006)
   425 EMILY MORTIMER OUR IDIOT BROTHER (2011)
   426 LUIS GUZMAN The Salton Sea (2002)
   428 RICHARD WIDMARK Flight from Ashiya (1964)
   476 YUL BRYNNER Flight from Ashiya (1964)
   480 KEVIN CORRIGAN Sexual Life (2005)
   485 ROY KINNEAR Juggernaut (1974)
   488 ROB SCHNEIDER Grandma’s Boy (2006)
   495 BO HOPKINS Open Window (2006)
   510 ALLEN GARFIELD Diabolique (1996)
   510 ALLEN GARFIELD Stuart Saves His Family (1995)
   522 WINONA RYDER The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
   556 JAMES SPADER ENDLESS LOVE (1981)
   569 RICHARD RIEHLE Stuart Saves His Family (1995)
   570 CLIFF ROBERTSON Picnic (1955)
   580 CLIFTON JAMES Juggernaut (1974)
   583 GEORGE TAKEI ICE PALACE (1960)
   585 PAUL RUDD Our Idiot Brother (2011)
   595 SLIM PICKENS Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   599 NASTASSJA KINSKI Little Boy Blue (1997)
   599 NASTASSJA KINSKI Somebody Is Waiting (1996)
   616 SUSAN STRASBERG Picnic (1955)
   651 CYRIL CUSACK Juggernaut (1974)
   655 R. LEE ERMEY The Salton Sea (2002)
   673 CARLA GUGINO The Center of the World (2001)
   691 DUB TAYLOR Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)
   717 ROBERT RYAN Ice Palace (1960)
   736 FREDDIE JONES Juggernaut (1974)
   737 PAUL FREEMAN THE SENDER (1982)
   750 CUBA GOODING JR. As Good as It Gets (1997)
   778 SANDRA BULLOCK Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
   800 KEVIN MICHAEL RICHARDSON STUART SAVES HIS FAMILY (1995)
   812 GEORGE C. SCOTT Petulia (1968)
   832 SALLY FIELD Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   856 VICTOR ARGO Angel Eyes (2001)
   876 ISABELLE ADJANI DIABOLIQUE (1996)
   895 TIM GUINEE THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE (2009)
   913 MONICA BELLUCCI THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE (2009)
   949 DORIS ROBERTS GRANDMA’S BOY (2006)
   951 GREG KINNEAR As Good as It Gets (1997)
   966 JIM BACKUS Ice Palace (1960)
   968 STEVE GUTTENBERG P.S. Your Cat Is Dead! (2002)
   984 LESLEY ANNE WARREN Color of Night (1994)
   994 DONAL LOGUE Diabolique (1996)
   HM (872) JACK WATSON JUGGERNAUT (1974)
   HM (976) BROOKE SHIELDS Endless Love (1981)
   HM (996) BRIAN DOYLE-MURRAY As Good as It Gets (1997)
   HM (999) BUCK HENRY The Man Who Counted (1998)

   Shirley Appeared with 22 Oscar winners.

   ALAN ARKIN The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
   ANTHONY HOPKINS Juggernaut (1974)
   CLIFF ROBERTSON Picnic (1955)
   CUBA GOODING JR. As Good as It Gets (1997)
   ELLEN BURSTYN Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
   GEORGE C. SCOTT Petulia (1968)
   GERALDINE PAGE Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)
   HELEN HUNT AS GOOD AS IT GETS (1997)
   JACK NICHOLSON As Good as It Gets (1997)
   JULIANNE MOORE The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
   JULIE CHRISTIE Petulia (1968)
   KARL MALDEN Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   KATHY BATES Diabolique (1996)
   MAGGIE SMITH Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
   MICHAEL CAINE Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   PAUL NEWMAN Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)
   ROBERT DUVALL The Rain People (1969)
   SALLY FIELD Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   SANDRA BULLOCK Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
   SHIRLEY JONES Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
   SHIRLEY JONES Grandma’s Boy (2006)
   WILLIAM HOLDEN Picnic (1955)
   YUL BRYNNER Flight from Ashiya (1964)

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