M'lynn. Gidget. Norma Rae. The Flying Nun. Sybil. Edna Spalding. Mary Todd Lincoln. Mrs Gump. We know her by many names but the one we'll always love best is "Sally Field," perfectly stage-name appropriate for instant recall and audience adoration... and also her real name since birth.
Though she's been famous for literally half a century (!) she hasn't always been properly appreciated... a common fate for stars whose work looks effortless and who excel in "light" genres like dramedies and romantic comedies. But we like her. We really really like her. Don't you?
Her biggest hits: Forrest Gump, Mrs Doubtfire, Hooper, Lincoln, Steel Magnolias, and literally every film she made with Burt Reynolds from 1977-1980 -- audiences couldn't get enough of them together back then. Most frequent co-stars: Burt Reynolds (4), Jeff Bridges, Michael Caine, Dom de Luise, Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, and Tommy Lee Jones (2). Awards haul: 3 Emmys, 2 Oscars, 1 SAG, 2 Golden Globes, 2 NYFCC, and for Norma Rae a bunch of one time prizes... Cannes, NSFC, NBR, and LAFCA
But let's talk about you + Sally. Do you ♥ ? How many of her film roles have you seen? All 30 are after the jump...
Act 1 A TV Star Branches Out (1973-1978)
Also known as: The Burt Reynolds Years. Before she hit the silver screen in her late 20s, Sally Field was already famous from television for starring roles in three TV series: Gidget, The Flying Nun, The Girl With Something Extra. This surely accounts for how quickly she was second billed (by her second feature!). In the late Seventies she was romantically involved with Reynolds, then a superstar, who led four of her biggest hits. During this time she also won her first Emmy for Sybil... and ideal set up for what happened next.
Act 2 A List Movie Stardom (1979-1991)
Norma Rae confirmed what most people who dont look down on light comedy stars already knew: this was a very fine actress despite also being a mainstream darling who could take a People's Choice Award (1982). Field alternated light comedies with her two heavyweight Best Picture nominated and Best Actress winning dramas (Norma Rae & Places in the Heart) during her heyday. Weirdly she received almost no attention for Steel Magnolias even though she gave the best star turn in the movie. (The Golden Globes came through with a nomination at least) and, already in her early 40s the roles and/or her interest in movie stardom started drying up.
Act 3 Less Frequent Movies and Back to TV (1991-2012)
Please note that in the space of 5 years Sally went from billing above Tom Hanks as his romantic interest (Punchline) to billing below Tom Hanks as his mother (Forrest Gump)! That's what happens to actresses when they hit 50. Oh the vagaries of Hollywood! After a very quiet latter half of the nineties, she hit the stage briefly (and was fully amazing as a replacement for Mercedes Reuhl in the Tony-winning Edward Albee play "The Goat") but mainly went back to series regular work on television winning two more Emmys for "ER" (2003) and the long-running "Brothers & Sisters" (2007).
Act 4 Appreciated anew ??? (2012-???)
Sally turns 70 this winter. What will the future hold? Steven Spielberg's Lincoln brought the beloved star both a role she fought for (people initially puzzled over her casting) and her third Oscar nomination yanking her from the strange-bedfellows group of actors who've gone 2/2 with Oscar (Luise Rainer, Vivien Leigh, Hilary Swank, Christoph Waltz). Contractual obligations had her doing another spin as Aunt May in the Spider-Man franchise... and now we're back in the present day for her new romantic comedy of sorts Hello My Name is Doris.
HOW MANY OF HER PICTURES HAVE YOU SEEN?
And are you planning to catch the new one?