Shirley MacLaine was born Shirley MacLean Beaty in Richmond, Virginia.Her mother, Kathlyn Corinne (MacLean), was a drama teacher from NovaScotia, Canada, and her father, Ira Owens Beaty, a professor ofpsychology and real estate agent, was from Virginia. Her brother,Warren Beatty, was born on March30, 1937. Her ancestry includes English and Scottish.

Shirley was the tallest in her ballet classes at the Washington Schoolof Ballet. Just after she graduated from Washington-Lee High School,she packed her bags and headed for New York. While auditioning forRichard Rodgers andOscar Hammerstein II's "Me andJuliet", the producer kept mispronouncing her name. She then changedher name from Shirley MacLean Beaty to Shirley MacLaine. She later hada role in "The Pajama Game", as a member of the chorus and understudytoCarol Haney. A few months into the run,Shirley was going to leave the show for the lead role in "Can-Can" butended up filling in for Haney, who had broken her ankle and could notperform. She would fill in for Carol, again, three months later,following another injury, the very night that movie producerHal B. Wallis was in the audience. Wallissigned MacLaine to a five-year contract to Paramount Pictures. Threemonths later, she was off to shootHarii no sainan (1955).She then took roles inHot Spell (1958)and80 nichi kan sekai isshuu (1956),completed not too long before her daughter,Sachi Parker (born Stephanie), was born.With Shirley's career on track, she played one of her most challengingroles: "Ginny Moorhead" inSome Came Running (1958), forwhich she received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.She went on to doThe Sheepman (1958) and花嫁売り込み作戦 (1958). In 1960,she got her second Academy Award nomination forApâto no kagi kashimasu (1960). Three yearslater, she received a third nomination forAnata dake konban wa (1963). In 1969, shebrought her friendBob Fosse from Broadway todirect her inSuîto Chariti (1969),from which she got her "signature" song, "If My Friends Could See MeNow". After a five-year hiatus, Shirley made a documentary on ChinacalledThe Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir (1975),for which she received an Oscar nomination for best documentary.

In 1977, she got her fourth Best Actress Oscar nomination forThe Turning Point (1977). In1979, she worked withPeter Sellers inChansu (1979), made shortlybefore his death. After 20 years in the film industry, she finally tookhome the Best Actress Oscar forAi to Tsuioku no Hibi (1983).After a five-year hiatus, Shirley madeMadame Sousatzka (1988), acritical and financial hit that took top prize at the Venice FilmFestival. In 1989, she starred withDolly Parton,Sally Field andJulia Roberts inSteel Magnolias (1989). Shereceived rave reviews playingMeryl Streep's mother inPostcards from the Edge (1990)and forGuarding Tess (1994). In1996, she reprised her role from "Terms of Endearment" as "AuroraGreenway" inThe Evening Star (1996), whichdidn't repeat its predecessor's success at the box office. In mid-1998,she directedBruno (2000), which starredAlex D. Linz. In February 2001, Shirleyworked with close friends once again inだって女優ですもの！ (2001),and co-starred withJulia Stiles inCarolina (2003) and withKirstie Alley inSalem Witch Trials (2002).

MacLaine has her own website which includes her own radio show andinterviews, the Encounter Board, and Independent Expression, amembers-only section of the site. In the past few years, Shirleystarred in a CBS miniseries based on the life of cosmetics queenMary Kay Ash--Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay (2002),and wrote two more books, "The Camino" in 2001, and "Out On A Leash" in2003. After taking a slight hiatus from motion pictures, Shirleyreturned with roles in the movies that were small, but wonderfullyscene-stealing:Bewitched (2005) withNicole Kidman andWill Ferrell,In Her Shoes (2005) withCameron Diaz andToni Collette, in which Shirley wasnominated for a Golden Globe in the best supporting actress category,andRumor Has It... (2005) withJennifer Aniston andKevin Costner. Shirley completed filmingofClosing the Ring (2007),directed by SirRichard Attenborough, in 2007. Herlatest book is entitled "Sage-ing While Ag-ing"; Shirley's latest filmisValentine's Day (2010),which debuted in theaters on February 12, 2010.