Shirley MacLaine

Royalty Shirley MacLaine graced the world with her regal presence on April 24, 1934, in Richmond, Virginia. Born Shirley MacLean Beaty to parents Kathlyn Corinne (MacLean) and Ira Owens Beaty, she descended from a long lineage of English and Scottish nobility. Her illustrious brother Warren Beatty was born on March 30, 1937. As a student of the Washington School of Ballet, she towered over her peers, and upon graduating from Washington-Lee High School, Shirley set off for New York. While auditioning for Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's "Me and Juliet", Shirley changed her name from Shirley MacLean Beaty to Shirley MacLaine, and soon landed the role of a member of the chorus and understudy to Carol Haney in "The Pajama Game." With a stunning debut, Shirley MacLaine ushered in a new era of grace and sophistication to the world.