The Life/Career of Shirley Stoler
After years of being begged by legions of her fans to finally write the definitive biography of legendary actress and cult film icon Shirley Stoler, her close and longtime friend, Andrew Martin, has at long last decided to go crowdfunding for the route to create a reality, and finally see towards make the book available to the general public should we reach our financial goal.
Shirley Stoler was born a phenomenon unto herself in 1929. An oft-tumultuous childhood and adolescence in a poor section of Brooklyn with a father she worshiped and mother with whom her relationship was stormy at best, as well as the oldest of four siblings, she escaped to Greenwich Village in the 1950s, where she quickly settled into the very beginnings of the Off-Off-Broadway movement as an actress, at such legendary spaces as LaMaMa, the Living Theatre and Caffe Cino. She appeared therein with such fellow players as Academy Award-winner Olympia Dukakis. After touring in Paris in 1966 with LaMaMa, subsequently starring as a last-minute replacement in the title role of Tom Eyen's rock musical "Sarah B. Divine" at the Festivale di Spoleto in Italy in '67 and returning to New York in 1968, she received her first breakout role into the mainstream by co-starring as Martha Beck in Leonard Kastle's horror film "The Honeymoon Killers," a true-crime drama with Tony LoBianco, which was released in 1970. Following roles in such films as "Klute" and guest-starring in such television series as"Kojak," she made a second splash in the foreign film "Seven Beauties," directed by Lina Wertmuller and in which she co-starred with Giancarlo Giannini. The remainder of her career included roles in the Academy Award-winning "The Deer Hunter," and appearing on Broadway in Edward Albee's interpretation of Vladimir Nabukov's "Lolita" (starring Donald Sutherland, as well as Clive Revill, Ian Richardson and Blanche Baker). But she also guest-starred in an episode on "Charlie's Angels" at the peak of its power, occupied the comedic role of next-door neighbor of Mrs. Steve of the Saturday-morning show "Pee-wee's Playhouse," and the memorable part of coin collector Edie Wulgemuth in "Miami Blues" in 1990, portrayed alongside Alec Baldwin and directed by Jonathan Demme. Stoler also is remembered for distinctive roles on such daytime dramas as "The Edge of Night" and "One Life To Live." It's a fact that while not everybody instantly recognizes her name, many recognize her face. As an actress, she appeared (whether on Broadway or Off-Broadway and on the big and small screens) alongside such additional actors as Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, Jane Fonda, John Savage, Irene Worth, John Houseman, Karl Malden, Jane Curtin, Madonna, Susan Saint James, Louis Gossett, Jr, Sally Kirkland, Melanie Mayron, Doris Roberts, Rutanya Alda, Jacque Lynn Colton, Joanna Merlin, Cheryl Ladd, Laurence Fishburne, Shelly Burch, Lisa Jane Persky, Catlin Adams, and Paul Reubens. She was also directed by Michael Cimino, Spike Lee, and Glenn Jordan among others, and performed in works by some of the greatest playwrights and screenwriters as Sam Shepard, Horton Foote, Maria Irene Fornes, Robert Patrick, and Doric Wilson. Her unexpected passing from a cardiac issue in February of 2000 was a shock to all her family and friends
Andrew Martin, though perhaps known best as an award-winning writer and entertainer for the stage besides a radio personality, also has a high reputation as a film historian and published author regarding entertainment; his first book, "All For The Best: How Godspell Transferred From Stage To Screen" emerged in November of 2011 via BearManorMedia. It would give him no greater pleasure than to give Shirley Stoler the final monument she undoubtedly deserves.
We would prefer that raising the entire funding of $8,400 conclude by midnight on January 23rd, 2016. This will not only include publication and marketing and eventual sales, by on-and-offline, but necessary additional costs.
It is not merely for Shirley Stoler's memory that the book be published in early 2016, but that her family have at long last an additional legacy that lives on in their name. Thank you.
