Sally Kirkland

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 also 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. 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), JFK (1991), and Bruce Almighty (2003).

• Name — Sally Kirkland • Born — 31 October 1941 • Birthplace — New York City, U.S. • Died — 11 November 2025 • Place of death — Palm Springs, California, U.S. • Years Active — 1962–2025 • Education — * Actors Studio • American Academy of Dramatic Arts • Occupation — * Actress • producer • Awards — Awards • Mother — Sally Kirkland

Kirkland was born in New York City on October 31, 1941, to Sally (née Phinney), an Oklahoma-born fashion editor for Vogue and Life magazines, and Frederic McMichael Kirkland, a scrap metals merchant from Philadelphia. Standing at 5 ft tall, Kirkland began her career as a model. 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. Kirkland graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles in 1961.

• Illustration — Kirkland in a 1970 publicity headshot

Kirkland began acting Off-Broadway in 1963. 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. 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. She returned to film in 1968, appearing in the western Blue and starred in the underground film Coming Apart (1969). 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). She played a leading role in the 1984 horror film Fatal Games. Her television credits include guest-starring roles on Hawaii Five-O (as Betty Rowan, S6, Ep: Murder is a Taxing Affair), Police Story, The Rookies, Three's Company, Kojak, Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, and Falcon Crest.

• Illustration — Sally Kirkland in 2007 In 2000s, she played supporting roles in films including Bruce Almighty (2003), Adam & Steve (2005), and Big Stan (2007). She hosted a weekly program on the syndicated HealthyLife Radio Network. In 2019, she starred in the film Cuck. 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. 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.

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. She was an ordained minister in the church of Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness. She was a painter and a noted acting teacher whose students included Sandra Bullock, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Dwight Yoakam, and Roseanne Barr, among others.

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.

• 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" • 197478 — Kojak — Gloria/Shirley — 2 episodes • 1975 — The — 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" • The — 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" • The — 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" • 19791981 — Charlie's Angels — Lonnie/Laurie Archer — 2 episodes • 1980 — Willow B: Women in Prison — Kate Stewart — TV film • The — 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 — The — Janet Smurl • 1992 — The — Mary Morris — Episode: "Zero Hour" • Raven — Flori — Episode: "Flori and Dori" • Double Jeopardy — Det. Phyllis Camden — TV film • 199293 — Roseanne — Barbara Healy — 2 episodes • 1993 — The — 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" • The — 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 — The — 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?"

Sally Kirkland is recorded as having received Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama.

In 1987, Kirkland received widespread critical acclaim for her eponymous performance as a former popular actress in the independent comedy-drama Anna. The Washington Post deemed her performance "superb" and the Los Angeles Times rated her as one of the best actresses of the decade. 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. In 1989, she appeared in the sports drama Best of the Best. 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). 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. 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. 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.

• Award/association — Year — Category — Nominated work — Result — Ref. Reference(s) • Academy Awards — 1988 — Best Actress — Anna • California Independent Film Festival — 1997 — Best Actress — Blind Spot • DVD Exclusive Awards — 2003 — Best Supporting Actress — Wish You Were Dead • Fort Myers Beach Film Festival — 2013 — Best Actress — Posey • Golden Globe Awards — 1988 — Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama — Anna • 1992 — Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film — The Haunted • Independent Spirit Awards — 1988 — Best Female Lead — Anna • La Femme International Film Festival — 2005 — Lifetime Achievement Award • Long Island International Film Expo — 2015 — Best Actress — Tom in America • Los Angeles Film Critics Association — 1988 — Best Actress (shared with Holly Hunter for Broadcast News) — Anna • Madrid International LGBT Film Festival — 2015 — Special Mention (shared with Burt Young) — Tom in America • Maverick Movie Awards — 2015 — Best Actress: Short • Online Film & Television Association — 1999 — Best Supporting Actress in a Daytime Serial — Days of Our Lives • Queens World Film Festival — 2016 — Best Actress in a Short — Tom in America • Studio City Film Festival — 2013 — Best Actress: Short Film — Posey • Wild Rose Independent Film Festival — 2013 — Best Actress – Short Film