Shannon Wilcox, a renowned character actress known for her roles opposite Willie Nelson, Dudley Moore, and Al Pacino, has passed away at the age of 80. Her daughter, actress-director Kelli Williams, confirmed her death on September 2nd in Los Angeles.
Wilcox was a life member of The Actors Studio and had an impressive filmography. She portrayed the mother of Elisabeth Shue’s character in “The Karate Kid” (1994) and appeared in notable films such as “The Border” (1982), “Legal Eagles” (1986), “For the Boys” (1991), and “Seven” (1995).
In “Songwriter” (1984), Wilcox played the ex-wife of Willie Nelson’s character, and in “Six Weeks” (1982), she portrayed the wife of a California politician played by Dudley Moore, who becomes involved with Mary Tyler Moore’s character and her sickly child. She also appeared in “Frankie and Johnny” (1991) alongside Al Pacino, portraying a prostitute hired by Pacino’s lonely character.
Director Garry Marshall frequently cast Wilcox in his films, including “Exit to Eden” (1994), “Dear God” (1996), “The Other Sister” (1999), “Runaway Bride” (1999), “The Princess Diaries” (2001) and its 2004 sequel, and “Raising Helen” (2004).
Born Mary Kay Wilcox in Ohio, she grew up on a farm in Indiana with her siblings. After attending high school and college in Boulder, Colorado, she moved to Paris to become a dancer. Eventually, she settled in Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.
Wilcox made her onscreen debut on an episode of “Starsky & Hutch” in 1976 and went on to appear in shows like “Kaz,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Family,” and “Hart to Hart” before landing her first movie role in “Cheaper to Keep Her” (1980), starring Mac Davis.
In 1981, she was among the inaugural group of actors and filmmakers invited by Sydney Pollack to study at the Sundance Institute.
Wilcox had a recurring role as the ex-wife of a Texas surgeon on the ABC drama “Buck James” (1987-1988). However, the show was short-lived, lasting only 19 episodes.
Throughout her career, she also made appearances on shows like “Remington Steele,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “L.A. Law,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” She also appeared in films such as “Hollywood Harry” (1986) and “There Goes My Baby” (1994).
In a heartwarming collaboration with her daughter, Wilcox and Williams played mother and daughter in the 2004 Hallmark Channel telefilm “A Boyfriend for Christmas.”
According to her daughter, Wilcox had a vibrant personality and loved traveling and making friends all over the world. She was fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian and had a passion for dancing tango and salsa, which she continued to do even into her 70s.
Wilcox was married to plastic surgeon John Williams from 1965 to 1984 and to actor Alex Rocco, known for his role in “The Godfather,” from 2005 until his death in July 2015 at the age of 79.
In addition to her daughter and brother, Wilcox is survived by her son, Sean Doyle, a writer and producer, and her grandchildren Kiran, Sarame, and Ravi. A private celebration of life will be held in her honor this month.
