Matinee Classics - Sheila James Kuehl Biography & Filmography

Sheila James Kuehl ACTOR

SHEILA JAMES KUEHL BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Sheila James Kuehl was born on February 9th, 1941 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She began her interest in acting as a child making quite a name for herself as a child actress. During her teen years she began appearing in small roles on the film, "Those Redheads from Seattle" (1953) followed by appearances on such television programs as, "Mayor of the Town" (1954), "G.E. True Theater" (1954) and "My Little Margie" (1952-1954) starring Gail Storm and Charles Farrell.

She first gained real attention in the industry when she was cast on the television show, "Trouble With Father" (1950-1955) which later changed it's title to, "The Stu Erwin Show". This role was followed by another well known role on the television series, "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959-1963) portraying Zelda Gilroy.

Other credits she added to her resume were appearances on the television series, "Broadside" (1964-1965), "Petticoat Junction" (1964), "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" (1964), "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1964-1967), "Marcus Welby, M.D." (1970), "Love, American Style" (1972) and "Emergency!" (1976).

When she began to feel that the entertainment industry favored males she felt the need to do something about the issues. At the age of thirty four she went back to college and earned a law degree from Harvard University in 1978.

She then switched her career from acting to working as an attorney advocating equal rights for woman. James was then elected to the California State Assembly in 1994. It was made public that she was a homosexual and after completing six years with the state assembly, Sheila James Kuehl went on to complete two four year terms with the California Senate.

Sheila James Kuehl was responsible for authoring Senate Bill 1234 which protects Californians from hate crimes. The same bill also helps protect illegal immigrants from being deported due to hate crimes. She is also very involved in health care reforms and remains a politician active in the state of California. Over her fourteen years as a politician in the State legislature, she has authored 171 bills total.

Filmography

1988 Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis

1976 Emergency!

1972 Love, American Style

1971 The Feminist and the Fuzz

1970 Marcus Welby, M.D.

1964-1967 The Beverly Hillbillies

1963-1966 The Donna Reed Show

1964-1965 Broadside

1964 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

1964 Petticoat Junction

1964 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre