Shirley Jones Coming To The Plaza Classic Film Festival

Academy Award winning stage and screen star, Shirley Jones will appear with two of her most highly regarded movies, “Oklahoma!” and “Elmer Gantry” at the seventh annual Plaza Classic Film Festival.

The El Paso Community Foundation presents the seventh annual edition of the world’s largest classic film festival Aug. 7-17 in downtown El Paso. More than 80 movies, concerts and other events will take place during the 11-day festival.

Shirley Jones will discuss the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Oklahoma!” at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, with a screening of the movie to follow. She will talk about the riveting drama “Elmer Gantry” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, with the movie to follow.

Jones will also sign autographs from 1-2:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Camino Real Hotel.

The Pennsylvania native, who turned 80 this year, has enjoyed an illustrious and still active career spanning seven decades. She made her Broadway debut in “South Pacific” at age 19 in 1953 after composers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II discovered her.

Shirley Jones went on to star in other hit movies, including “Carousel” and “The Music Man,” but it was her first dramatic role as a vengeful prostitute in the 1960 drama “Elmer Gantry” that earned her an Academy Award for best supporting actress.

Shirley Jones the movie star became Shirley Jones the TV star after she was cast as the piano playing matriarch of “The Partridge Family” from 1970-74 on ABC.

Tickets for her appearance with “Oklahoma!” are $10, $6 for “Elmer Gantry.”

Tickets for the Plaza Classic Film Festival go on sale at 10 a.m. this Monday, July 7 at the Plaza Theatre box office, Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com and 800-745-3000.

Movies scheduled this year include “The Wizard of Oz,” “Rear Window,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

Festival passes are $200 and include admission to all PCFF movies, discounts, special events and a jump-the-line option.

Plaza Classic Film Club passes for teens 14 to 18 are $100 and include admission to all festival movies, a jump-the-line option and other perks.

They are available at plazaclassic.com or by calling 915-533-4020.