- Sally Field found success in Hollywood after appearing in the show, “Gidget,” which launched her career.
- She was criticized for her appearance after deciding to age naturally.
- Now a grandmother of five, Field lives quietly in a beach house.
Actress Sally Field is best known for playing matriarchal roles and has portrayed light-hearted TV roles, including her stint on the American sitcom, “Gidget,” which aired for only one season between 1965 and 1966.
She once divulged that she had a blast filming the series, where she played a teenager, and although it was short-lived, it opened doors to other roles, which turned her into a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.
Actress Sally Field in the American sitcom “Gidget” on September 15, 1965 | Source: Getty Images
The show did much more for her success as it kept her motivated. Field endured a difficult childhood because of her stepfather. She used the acting opportunity as an escape, leading her to audition for the acting workshop at Columbia Pictures.
The California native would later star in the sitcom, “The Flying Nun,” which ran from 1967 to 1970 for three seasons. She played Sister Bertrille in the series.
Sally Field as Sister Bertrille in the TV show “The Flying Nun” on September 17, 1969 | Source: Getty Images
Afterward, Field, a newly awarded Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award winner, enrolled at Actors Studios from 1973 to 1975 to hone her acting talent and left as a dramatic actress. She later appeared in the 1976 film “Sybil,” which was when she garnered Hollywood’s attention by landing solid roles.
Field’s next role was as a union organizer in the drama film “Norma Rae” in 1979. For her performance, she bagged an Academy Award.
The Hall of Famer’s first breakout role was at the age of eighteen. She graduated from Birmingham High School in the Van Nuys neighborhood, where her love for acting developed.
The two-time Golden Globe Award winner participated in the drama club, which sparked her interest in pursuing an acting career after graduation. However, the renowned star initially had no plans after high school because she never sat down for an SAT test.
Sally Field appearing in the ABC series “Gidget” on January 1, 1965 | Source: Getty Images
It has been several years since she found footing in showbiz and has gone through two divorces. Field was first married to her high school sweetheart, Steven Craig, whom she wed in 1968. The former couple welcomed two sons, Peter and Eli, and later parted ways in 1975 following seven years of marriage.