Happy Birthday, Shirley MacLaine! You’re 77 Today, April 24!

She’s one of the last living legends from Old Hollywood and an inspiration to young actors everywhere!

Shirley MacLaine is a true icon of the silver screen. Her first onscreen role was in 1955 in Alfred Hitchcock‘s The Trouble With Harry, and she’s had an illustrious career ever since. The pinnacle of her success came when she won an Oscar in the 1983 tearjerker Terms of Endearment. She’s been most recently seen in 2010′s Valentine’s Day and she’s starring in the upcoming Bernie with Matthew McConaughey and Jack Black.

Shirley was married to businessman Steve Parker from 1954 until 1982, and the couple had one daughter together — Sachi Parker, now 54.

Through her life, Shirley has written a number of autobiographical and philosophical books, and she often ties her thoughts on motherhood into the narratives.

“If we can genuinely honor our mother and father we are not only at peace with ourselves but we can give them birth to our future,” she says.

We’re glad parenting has meant so much to this Hollywood icon and hope Sachi will be around to help Shirley celebrate her big day. Happy birthday!