Sally Kirkland

Sally Kirkland Jr. (October 31, 1941 – November 11, 2025) was an American actress and producer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A one-time member of Andy Warhol's The Factory, she was a part of 1960s New York avant-garde theater. She appeared in more than 250 film and television productions during a 60-year career. Kirkland was the daughter of Sally Kirkland, fashion editor of Life and Vogue.

Kirkland garnered widespread critical acclaim for her eponymous performance as a former popular actress in the independent comedy-drama Anna (1987), which earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref>

Kirkland was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for her performance in the horror film The Haunted (1991). She was also known for her roles in Best of the Best (1989),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> JFK (1991),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Bruce Almighty (2003).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Early life

Kirkland was born in New York City on October 31, 1941,<ref name=allm/> to Sally (née Phinney), an Oklahoma-born fashion editor for Vogue and Life magazines, and Frederic McMichael Kirkland, a scrap metals merchant from Philadelphia.<ref name=NYTObit/>

Standing at Template:Convert tall, Kirkland began her career as a model.<ref name=NYTObit>Template:Cite news</ref> She also worked as a go-go dancer at the Peppermint Lounge in Los Angeles before studying acting at the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen. Notably, Robert De Niro dated one of her roommates.<ref>Straight to the Heart of Hollywood Moxie: A Candid Interview with Sally Kirkland Moxie Magazine. 2000.</ref><ref name=allm>Template:Cite web</ref> Kirkland graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles in 1961.<ref name=aad>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

File:Sally Kirkland (1970).jpg

Kirkland in a 1970 publicity headshot

1962–1986: Initial work

Kirkland began acting Off-Broadway in 1963.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She joined Andy Warhol's The Factory and appeared nude while tied to a chair for 45 minutes in The 13 Most Beautiful Women., a 1964 drama film.<ref name=NYTObit/> By 1964, she was deeply involved in New York City's avant-garde movement. During that time, she was an active drug user until an attempted suicide frightened her into improving her life via yoga and painting.<ref name=allm/> She returned to film in 1968, appearing in the western Blue<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and starred in the underground film Coming Apart (1969).Template:Citation needed

For the 1970s and most of the 1980s Kirkland had secondary roles in such films as Going Home (1971), The Young Nurses (1973), The Way We Were (1973), The Sting (1973), Big Bad Mama (1974), Crazy Mama (1975), Breakheart Pass (1975), Griffin and Phoenix: A Love Story (1976; U.S. made-for-television movie which was also released theatrically overseas), A Star Is Born (1976), and Private Benjamin (1980).Template:Citation needed She played a leading role in the 1984 horror film Fatal Games.Template:Citation needed Her television credits include guest-starring roles on Hawaii Five-O, Police Story, The Rookies, Three's Company, Kojak, Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, and Falcon Crest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1987–1999: Critical acclaim and awards success

In 1987, Kirkland received widespread critical acclaim for her eponymous performance as a former popular actress in the independent comedy-drama Anna.<ref name="THP">Template:Cite web</ref> The Washington Post deemed her performance "superb"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Los Angeles Times rated her as one of the best actresses of the decade.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name="THP" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1989, she appeared in the sports drama Best of the Best.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1990s, Kirkland starred in the action-comedy Bullseye! (1990) opposite Michael Caine, and played supporting roles in Revenge (1990), JFK (1991), Gunmen (1994), Excess Baggage (1997), and EDtv (1999).Template:Citation needed Kirkland also co-starred in the 1989/1990 genre films including Paint It Black, Cold Feet, High Stakes, and Two Evil Eyes, as well as starred in the 1992 erotic thrillers In the Heat of Passion and Double Threat, which were successful as home video releases.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her career shifted to the small screen during this time, appearing in lead roles in several made-for-television movies, and starring in the syndicated soap opera Valley of the Dolls in 1994. In 1990, she also played Truvy Jones in the television adaptation of Steel Magnolias. For her performance in the television film The Haunted (1991), Kirkland received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film.Template:Citation needed She was a guest star on Roseanne, Murder, She Wrote, and The Nanny. In 1999, she had recurring roles in Felicity and Days of Our Lives.Template:Citation needed

2000–2025: Later career

In 2000s, she played supporting roles in films including Bruce Almighty (2003), Adam & Steve (2005), and Big Stan (2007).Template:Citation needed She hosted a weekly program on the syndicated HealthyLife Radio Network.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2019, she starred in the film Cuck.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, she had a leading role in Hope For The Holidays on Amazon Prime Video with Robert Lasardo, Doug Hutchison, Alex Cubis, and George Stults.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2024, Kirkland starred as herself in the independent comedy film, Sallywood, a parody about a longtime fan of the actress who becomes her assistant and helps her in her quest to return to red-carpet glory.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Other work and activism

Kirkland was a health activist whose work included advocacy for women harmed by breast implants. She founded the Kirkland Institute for Implant Survival Syndrome in August 1998.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was an ordained minister in the church of Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

She was a painter<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a noted acting teacher whose students included Sandra Bullock, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Dwight Yoakam, and Roseanne Barr, among others.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Illness and death

Kirkland later suffered from dementia. According to a fund raiser for her medical care, she had suffered a fall in October 2025 which resulted in injuries to her ribs and foot. She died in hospice care in Palm Springs, California, the following month, on November 11, 2025, aged 84.<ref>Notice of death of Sally Kirkland, yahoo.com. Accessed November 14, 2025.</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Template:Abbr
1964	Template:Sortname	Beautiful Woman		<ref name=NYTObit/>
1968	Blue	Sara Lambert		<ref name=AFIFilmography>Template:Cite web</ref>
1969	Coming Apart	Joann		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Futz	Merry Lee		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1970	Brand X	Patient/President's Wife		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1971	Jump			<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Going Home	Ann Graham		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1973	Cinderella Liberty	Fleet Chick		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Template:Sortname	Crystal		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Template:Sortname	Pony Dunbar		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Template:Sortname	Woman at clinic		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1974	Big Bad Mama	Barney's woman
	Blazing Saddles	Cashier		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Candy Stripe Nurses	Wife in clinic		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1975	Bite the Bullet	Honey		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Crazy Mama	Ella Mae		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Breakheart Pass	Jane Marie		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Template:Sortname	Friday Anne	Voice role
1976	Pipe Dreams	Two Street Betty		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Template:Sortname	Photographer		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1977	Flush	Janet
1979	Hometown U.S.A.	Gwen		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1980	Private Benjamin	Helga		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Template:Sortname	Vivian Stark
1981	Template:Sortname	Store cashier		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1982	Human Highway	Kathryn
1984	Love Letters	Sally		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Fatal Games	Diane Paine
1987	Anna	Anna		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1989	White Hot	Harriet
	Paint It Black	Maria Easton
	Cold Feet	Maureen		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Best of the Best	Kathryn Wade		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	High Stakes	Bambi / Melanie Rose
1990	Two Evil Eyes	Eleonora	Segment: "The Black Cat"
	Revenge	The Rock Star		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Bullseye!	Willie
1991	JFK	Rose Cheramie		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1992	In the Heat of Passion	Lee Adams		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Template:Sortname	Herself		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Forever	Angelica
	Hit the Dutchman	Emma Flegenheimer
	Primary Motive	Helen Poulas
	Double Threat	Monica Martel		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Stringer	Joan
1993	Paper Hearts	Jenny Stevenson	Alternate title: Cheatin' Hearts	<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Eye of the Stranger	Lori		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
1994	Gunmen	Bennett
1995	Guns and Lipstick	Danielle Roberts
1997	Amnesia	Charlene Hunt
	Excess Baggage	Louise Doucette
	Get a Clue	Sydelle Pulaski
1998	Wilbur Falls	Roberta Devereaux		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Paranoia	Dr. Kurtzwell
	Template:Sortname	Marilyn Monroe
1999	EDtv	Jeanette		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Starry Night	Det. Brook Murphy
2000	Norma Jean, Jack, and Me	Norma Jean		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
2001	Thank You, Good Night	Doreen
	Out of the Black	Elizabeth Malby
	Template:Sortname	Katherine St. Croix
	Wish You Were Dead	Penelope Wilson
2002	Template:Sortname	Helen		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
2003	Bruce Almighty	Anita Mann
2004	Mango Kiss	Emilia
	Bloodlines	Joyce
2005	Neo Ned	Shelly Nelson		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Adam & Steve	Mary
	What's Up, Scarlet?	Ruth Zabrinski		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Chandler Hall	Sally
2006	Off the Black	Marianne Reynolds		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	A-List	Olga
	Fingerprints	Mary
	Coffee Date	Mrs. Muller		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
2007	Big Stan	Jury Madam Foreman
	Resurrection Mary	Lois
	Blind Spot	Penelope Denmore	Short
2008	Richard III	Queen Margaret
	Mollie & Friends	Elizabeth St. James
	Oak Hill	Elizabeth St. James
	Bald	Mrs. Elise Stern
2010	House Under Siege	Pat Mazur
	Lights Out	Rose
2011	Template:Sortname	Sally
	Template:Sortname	Jeena
	Template:Sortname	Mary
	Division III: Football's Finest	Crystal Vice
2012	Archaeology of a Woman	Margaret
	Broken Roads	Mrs. Wallace		<ref name=AFIFilmography/>
	Posey	Posey	Short film
2013	Awakened	Harriet Bendi
	Template:Sortname	Jen
2014	Ron and Laura Take Back America	Sally
	Template:Sortname	Suzy 'The Salt Shaker'
	Suburban Gothic	Virginia
	Tom in America	Betty	Short film
2015	Buddy Hutchins	Bertha
2016	Template:Sortname	Elisabeth
	Courting Des Moines	Maxine Jackson
	Trash Fire	Florence
	Buddy Solitaire	Hanna
2017	Making a Killing	Dolores
	Template:Sortname	Lena Christina		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Price for Freedom	Francine Wayne
	Gnaw (Apartment 212)	Claudette
2018	Get Married or Die	Margaret
	Template:Sortname	Stella
	Los Angeles Overnight	Mrs. Chantilly
	Sarah Q	Helena
	Wally Got Wasted	Marilyn Tuttlebaum
2019	Cuck	Mother
	Paint It Red	Adele
2020	Hell Hole	Dr. Parker
	Hope for the Holidays	Georgia		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Invincible	Dr. Quade
2021	The Trouble	Ms. Greyson
	The Legend of Resurrection Mary	Lois
2022	Bobcat Moretti	Helene Moretti
2023	When It Rings	Lesley Judd		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Altered Perceptions	Theresa Morgan
	80 for Brady	Ida
2024	Skeltons in the Closet	Madam Futura
	Sallywood	Sally Kirkland		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1965	New York Television Theatre	Barbara Fiers	Episode: "The Drapes Come"
1973	Hawaii Five-O	Betty Rowan	Episode: "Murder Is a Taxing Affair"
1974	Toma	Rita	Episode: "The Big Dealers"
1974Template:Nbnd78	Kojak	Gloria/Shirley	2 episodes
1975	Template:Sortname	Wilma Floyd	TV film
	Death Scream	Mary
	Bronk	Policewoman Haley / Billie	2 episodes
	Petrocelli	Joan Arnold	Episode: "Too Many Alibis"
1976	Baretta	Rita	Episode: "The Left Hand of the Devil"
	Template:Sortname	Carol Brenner	Episode: "From Out of the Darkness"
	Griffin and Phoenix	Jody	TV film
	Captains and the Kings	Aggie	Episode: "Chapter VIII"
1977	Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model?	Della Bianco	TV film
	Three's Company	Sally	Episode: "Jack Looks for a Job"
1978	Starsky & Hutch	Greta Wren / Dora Pruitt	Episode: "Photo Finish"
	Template:Sortname	Margaret Hollinger	Episode: "A Child in Need"
	Lou Grant	Dr. Eilene Peterson	Episode: "Slaughter"
1979	Visions	Yvette	"Ladies in Waiting"
	Supertrain	Katherine Sully	"A Very Formal Heist"
1979Template:Nbnd1981	Charlie's Angels	Lonnie/Laurie Archer	2 episodes
1980	Willow B: Women in Prison	Kate Stewart	TV film
	Template:Sortname	Vivian Stark
1982	Lou Grant	Vicky Doppler	Episode: "Law"
	Insight	Ruth	Episode: "So Little Time"
1983	Falcon Crest	Ella	2 episodes
1989	Trying Times	Agripina Gravanescu-Smith	Episode: "Death and Taxes"
1990	Heat Wave	Mrs. Canfield	TV film
	Steel Magnolias	Truvy Jones
	Largo Desolato	Suzana
1991	Template:Sortname	Janet Smurl
1992	Template:Sortname	Mary Morris	Episode: "Zero Hour"
	Raven	Flori	Episode: "Flori and Dori"
	Double Jeopardy	Det. Phyllis Camden	TV film
1992Template:Nbnd93	Roseanne	Barbara Healy	2 episodes
1993	Template:Sortname	Sandee Sloop	TV film
	Jack's Place	Peg	Episode: "Play It Again, Jack"
	Double Deception	Anita Cortez	TV film
1994	Valley of the Dolls	Helen Lawson	Main role
1995	Picture Windows	Blossom	Episode: "Song of Songs"
	Murder, She Wrote	Evelyn Colby	Episode: "The Scent of Murder"
1996	High Tide	Matilda	Episode: "The Curse of the High Tide"
	Goode Behavior	Molly	Episode: "Goode Golly, Miss Molly"
	The Nanny	Tattoo Lady	Episode: "Tattoo"
1997	Women: Stories of Passion	Annie	Episode: "Hotel Magic"
	Template:Sortname	Mrs. Garington	Episode: "Bridal Suite"
	Get a Clue	Sydelle Pulaski	TV film
1998	Brave New World	Linda
1999	Days of Our Lives	Tracey Simpson	Supporting role (22 episodes)
	Chicken Soup for the Soul	Wanda	Episode: "Simple Wooden Boxes"
	Felicity	Prof. Annie Sherman	Guest role (season 2)
2000	Another Woman's Husband	Roxie	TV film
2001	Strong Medicine	Stella Riggs	Episode: "Donors"
	Resurrection Blvd.	Mrs. De La Vega	Episode: "El Que Necesita"
2002	Night of the Wolf	Rose Handy	TV film
	Another Pretty Face	Sylvie Tucker
2005	Wanted	Sheila Beckwith	Episode: "The Promise of Darkness"
2007	The Simple Life: Goes to Camp	Herself
2010	Template:Sortname	Max	TV series
	Criminal Minds	May Walden	Episode: "Reflection of Desire"
2011	Paul Cruz: Latin Actor (A Mockuseries)	Sally Kirkland	3 episodes
2013	Bennington Gothique	Grand Wentworth (voice)	TV series
2014	Theatre Fantastique	Louisa Mae	Episode: "The Happy Home of the Murderous Mahones"
	All I Want for Christmas	Gwen	TV film
2015	40's and Failing	Flora	TV series
2017	Conversations in L.A.	Evelyn James	Episode: "First Step"
	Good Samaritans	Olivia De Mills	Episode: "What Do You Say We Get You a Puppy?"

Awards and nominations

Award/association	Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Template:Abbr
Academy Awards	1988	Best Actress	Anna	Template:Nom	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
California Independent Film Festival	1997	Best Actress	Blind Spot	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
DVD Exclusive Awards	2003	Best Supporting Actress	Template:Nobr	Template:Nom
Fort Myers Beach Film Festival	2013	Best Actress	Posey	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Golden Globe Awards	1988	Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama	Anna	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	1992	Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film	The Haunted	Template:Nom
Independent Spirit Awards	1988	Best Female Lead	Anna	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
La Femme International Film Festival	2005	Lifetime Achievement Award		Template:Honored	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Long Island International Film Expo	2015	Best Actress	Tom in America	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Los Angeles Film Critics Association	1988	Best Actress Template:Small	Anna	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Madrid International LGBT Film Festival	2015	Special Mention Template:Small	Tom in America	Template:Won
Maverick Movie Awards	2015	Best Actress: Short		Template:Nom
Online Film & Television Association	1999	Best Supporting Actress in a Daytime Serial	Days of Our Lives	Template:Won
Queens World Film Festival	2016	Best Actress in a Short	Tom in America	Template:Nom
Studio City Film Festival	2013	Best Actress: Short Film	Posey	Template:Won
Wild Rose Independent Film Festival	2013	Best Actress – Short Film		Template:Won

See also

• List of American film actresses
• List of American television actresses
• List of actors with Academy Award nominations
• List of Golden Globe winners

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:IMDb name
• Template:IBDB name
• Template:Iobdb name
• Template:TCMDb name
• Template:Discogs artist
• Sally Kirkland at the University of Wisconsin's Actors Studio audio collection