Shirley Douglas, a veteran actress who was also an activist and mother of Kiefer Sutherland of the famed “24”, passed on over the weekend. The Canadian actress was 86 years old.
The sad event was announced to the public by her 53-year-old son, Sutherland, on Twitter Sunday, 5 April.
“Early this morning, Shirley Douglas, my mother, passed away due to complications surrounding pneumonia, which is not related to the novel COVID-19,” Sutherland tweeted on Sunday.
“My Mom was Extraordinary,” Sutherland says
“The Fugitive” actor referred to the late actress as an extraordinary person, alleging that she had led and enjoyed a great life.
“My mother was an extraordinary woman who led an extraordinary life. Sadly, she had been battling for her health for some time. And we, as a family, knew this day would come,” Sutherland said.
He added: “To the families that have unexpectedly lost loved ones to the coronavirus, my heart breaks for you. Please stay safe.”
Brief History
Douglas, a longtime Toronto-based actress, got married to Donald Sutherland, a Canadian actor, from 1966 to 1971, and had twins, Kiefer and Rachel, who is a production manager. The late actress also shared Thomas, another son but from a previous marriage.
The HBO series Veep stars Sarah Sutherland, her granddaughter while her father was Tommy Douglas, former Saskatchewan premier and founder of the Medicare system in Canada.
A Short Biography
Douglas, born on 2 April 1934 became interested in the arts at a very early age. She also showed a lot of interest in politics, journeying the campaign trail with her father, the premier of Saskatchewan and national leader in the New Democratic Party. He was also a socialist icon.
Douglas eventually attended the Banff School of Fine Arts and later on went to study at the illustrous Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England. This was where she started acting in both TV and theater. She also took part in anti-nuclear matches at the time.
During the 1960s and ‘70s, Douglas campaigned vehemently against the Vietnam War, protesting for several causes. She contributed immensely in establishing Friends of the Black Panthers, a fundraising group.
Her support for this group, however, brought about a controversy which led to her getting refused a US work permit. She was charged with conspiracy to possess unregistered explosives in 1969. But the courts dismissed the case and acquitted her.
Shirley worked tirelessly with many directors. She is notable for portraying Mrs. Starch in Lolita, a Stanley Kubrick adaptation shot in 1962, and in “Dead Ringers” (1988) which was directed by David Cronenberg. And in 1999, Douglas won a Gemini Award for her outstanding performance in “Shadow Lake”, a TV film.
Previous Nominations
But before then, Douglas was nominated for two other Canadian arts Geminis: in 1993 for starring in a movie “Passage Of The Heart,” and for her lead role in the series “Wind At My Back.”
Also, Douglas was an Officer of the Order of Canada, which is one of the country’s highest honors. She is an inductee in Canada’s Walk of Fame.
