Carole Shelley biography, actress, married, divorce, husband

<< Back

Edit Mode: Carole Shelley

Email *

If we need to contact you, we will contact you on this email.

Full Name *

Your name please so that we can credit your work.

Main Text *

<p>Carole Shelley was born in 1939 and was an English actress best known for her extensive work in theater. One of her most iconic roles was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madame_Morrible">Madame Morrible</a> in the original Broadway cast of the hit musical <em>Wicked</em>. Throughout her career, she earned critical acclaim, including a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in <em>The Elephant Man</em> in 1979.</p>

<h2>Early Life and Background</h2>
<p>Shelley was born in London, England, to Deborah, a singer, and Curtis Shelley, a composer. Her heritage was a blend of German Jewish descent from her father’s side and Russian Jewish descent from her mother’s. This diverse cultural background helped shape her artistic sensibilities and passion for the performing arts.</p>

<h2>Broadway Debut and <em>The Odd Couple</em></h2>
<p>Carole Shelley made her Broadway debut in 1965 as Gwendolyn Pigeon in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Simon">Neil Simon</a>’s original play <em>The Odd Couple</em>, opposite <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Matthau">Walter Matthau</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Carney">Art Carney</a>. She reprised the same role in the 1968 film adaptation starring <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Matthau">Matthau</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Lemmon">Jack Lemmon</a>. Alongside <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Evans">Monica Evans</a>, who played her onscreen sister Cecily Pigeon, she remained one of the only actresses to appear in the stage, film, and television adaptations of the play—marking a rare and notable achievement in theatrical history.</p>

<h2>Acclaimed Stage Work and Award Recognition</h2>
<p>From the 1970s through the 1980s, Shelley appeared in a variety of acclaimed stage productions. Notably, she played Rosalind in <em>As You Like It</em> at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Canada. She earned a Tony Award nomination in 1975 for her role as Jane in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Ayckbourn">Alan Ayckbourn</a>’s <em>Absurd Person Singular</em>.</p>

<p>Her performance as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madge_Kendal">Mrs.</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madge_Kendal">Kendal</a> in <em>The Elephant Man</em> brought her widespread acclaim, culminating in her win of the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 1979. She also starred as Maxine in <em>Stepping Out</em>, earning a nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Shelley received an Obie Award for her work in <em>Twelve Dreams</em>, further acknowledging her range and depth as a dramatic actress.</p>

[page-break]

<h2>Transition to Musicals and Continued Success</h2>
<p>In the 1990s, Shelley transitioned into musical theater with remarkable effectiveness. She appeared in the revival of <em>Show Boat</em> as Parthy and portrayed Fraulein Schneider in the 1999 Broadway revival of <em>Cabaret</em>. Her stage presence and vocal ability brought these characters to life with authenticity and grace.</p>

<h2><em>Wicked</em> and Later Career</h2>
<p>In 2003, Shelley originated the role of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madame_Morrible">Madame Morrible</a> in the Broadway premiere of <em>Wicked</em>, a performance that earned her new generations of fans. She later reprised the role in the national touring production from 2005 to 2006 during its run in Chicago. Her final Broadway appearance was as Grandma in the musical <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Elliot">Billy Elliot</a></em>, which opened at the Imperial Theatre in 2008. For this role, she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2009.</p>

<h2>Personal Life</h2>
<p>Carole Shelley was married once; however, the marriage was tragically short-lived, lasting only four years before her husband passed away. She never remarried and remained a private individual outside of her celebrated stage career.</p>

Source *

Source you received the information from. eg. personal experiences, acquaintances, web-links, etc

Comment *

Briefly describe the changes you made.

Warning! All fields are required. Empty fields won't allow the form to be submitted and your changes will be lost.
Once the changes are submitted they cannot be edited again until your submission is reviewed.