Shirley Douglas, a longtime actress and mother to actor Kiefer Sutherland, has died at the age of 86
Kiefer announced his mother’s passing on his Twitter account on Sunday.
“Early this morning my mother, Shirley Douglas, passed away due to complications surrounding pneumonia (not related to COVID19),” Kiefer, 53, shared in a statement. “My mother was an extraordinary woman who led an extraordinary life. Sadly she had been battling for her health for quite some time and we, as a family, knew this day was coming.”
The “24” star added, “To any families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly to the Coronavirus, my heart breaks for you. Please stay safe.”
— Kiefer Sutherland (@RealKiefer) April 5, 2020
Shirley married actor Donald Sutherland in 1965 and the pair had two children, twins, Kiefer and Rachel. The duo divorced in 1971. Donald went on to marry Francine Racette, but Shirley never remarried.
Shirley was born on April 2, 1934 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, and began her acting career in 1950 at a local theater, Regina Little Theatre. She went on to attend the well-known Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 1952 and worked in England before returning to her home-country of Canada in 1957.
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Her notable credits include, Stanley Kubrick’s “Lolita” (1962) and David Cronenberg’s “Dead Ringers” (1988). She was also a TV star, with roles in “Wind at My Back” (1996) and “Shadow Lake” (1999) a TV film for where she earned a Gemini Award.
Shirley was also a well-known activist, participating in the American Civil Rights Movement and campaigning against the Vietnam War. She also established a fundraising group called Friends of the Black Panthers.
In 2003 she was awarded the Officer of the Order of Canada and was a well-known advocate for publicly funded healthcare over privatized care in Canada.
Shirley will be missed.
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