Carole Shelley (born August 16, 1939) is a Tony Award-winning actress from London, England.
On the stage, Ms. Shelley made her Broadway debut in the original 1965 production of The Odd Couple, playing Gwendolyn Pigeon (she would reprise the role for the film version and for the first season of the subsequent television series). She appeared in several plays throughout the 1970s and 1980s, earning her first Tony Award nomination in 1975 for her performance as "Jane" in Absurd Person Singular. Ms. Shelley won the 1979 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role as "Mrs. Kendal" in The Elephant Man, and was nominated again in 1987 for her performance in Stepping Out as "Maxine." Ms. Shelley also began appearing in musicals in the late 1990s, with the revivals of Show Boat and Cabaret. In 2003, Ms. Shelley created the role of "Madame Morrible" in the original Broadway cast of the hit Broadway musical Wicked. For this role she has garnered rave reviews from audiences. She left the production on May 29th 2005 along with co-stars George Hearn & Jennifer Laura Thompson. She was replaced by Rue McClanahan.
She reprised this role in the National Tour on December 21st 2005 replacing Carol Kane. She remained with the National Tour for 11 weeks and left the Tour on March 5th 2006 along with co-stars Stephanie J. Block, David Garrison & Jenna Leigh Green. She was replaced by Alma Cuervo. Shelley once again reprised Chicago production of Wicked for a limited engagement. She remained in Chicago from April 25th to June 25th in 2006 whilst Rondi Reed was on temporary leave to do another show. She is often mistaken for Carol Kane, who originated the role of Madame Morrible in the National Tour and in Southern California.
Ms. Shelley has had numerous roles on film and television. Most recently, she was featured as "Aunt Clara" alongside Nicole Kidman and former Wicked co-star Kristin Chenoweth in the film Bewitched.
Shelley returned to the Broadway production of Wicked on August 28, 2007 and reprised the role of "Madame Morrible" until January 20, 2008. This time she was succeeded by London's Original "Madame Morrible" Miriam Margoyles.
Though English born, Carole Shelley has spent almost her entire award-winning career in the theatre in America becoming one of Broadway's mainstays and a true pioneer of the American Theatre. Now a naturalized US citizen, Shelley stays busy on all fronts in the entertainment industry in films, television and of course the live stage. Her Broadway credits include: The Odd Couple - her Broadway debut - playing the hilarious Gwendolyn Pigeon, the intended blind date for the hapless Felix - a role she reprised for the film Odd Couple, The (1968) and in the later television series, The Miser, Stepping Out (Tony nomination), The Elephant Man (Tony Award, Best Actress), Hay Fever, The Norman Conquests (LADCC Award), Absurd Person Singular (Tony nomination) and Loot. Her National tours include: Broadway Bound, The Royal Family and Noises Off. Off-Broadway: The Film Society, London Suite, The Destiny of Me, Richard II (NYSF), Later Life (Drama Desk nomination), Cabaret Verboten, What the Butler Saw, Little Murders, Twelve Dreams (Obie award), Tartuffe. Returning to London, she replaced Dame Maggie Smith (who had come to America to Star in the Broadway Run of the play) in Lettice and Lovage in the West End. Always interested in remaining busy she has never turned down a good opportunity for work and she has acquitted herself admirably by stepping into such long running hits as: Cabaret, Show Boat, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and Noises Off. Her Many Films Include: Quiz Show (1994), Road to Wellville, The (1994), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Super, The (1991), Odd Couple, The (1968) and she has provided some delightful vocal characterizations for many Disney animated features: Hercules (1997), _Aristocats, The (1970)_, Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1996) and Robin Hood (1973)
