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Name: Ally Sheedy
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Date of Birth:
June 13, 1962
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Place of Birth:
New York, New York, USA
Mini-bio:
While at New York's Bank Street School, 12-year-old Ally Sheedy wrote abouta mythical encounter between Queen Elizabeth I and an inquisitive mouse. Theresult, "She Was Nice to Mice", was published by ...( read more)McGraw-Hill and became aninstant best seller. Although it proved a springboard to an acting career,Sheedy's strongest memories of childhood remain those of "dancing and doingplays". From six until fourteen, she danced with the American BalletTheatre, and during summers at Fire Island she'd "get a bunch of kidstogether and stage shows on back lawns and porches". When she discoveredthat to stay with dancing meant staying with starvation diets, she shiftedher focus to acting for good. Meanwhile, her book brought her requests fromseveral publications. The Village Voice asked her to review movies and theNew York Times wanted her to review children's books. The assignment sheaccepted was from Ms. Magazine, which requested an article about her motherand herself. It was an appearance on ""The Mike Douglas Show" (1961) topromote her book, however, that brought Sheedy work as a performer. Signedby an agent who caught the show, she was sent out on television commercialsimmediately. Only 15 at the time, she also performed off Broadway and on aseries of after-school specials. The day she turned 18, Sheedy packed herbags and headed for Los Angeles, where she enrolled in the drama departmentat USC, and soon landed roles in the television drama The Best Little Girlin the World (1981) (TV), The Day the Loving Stopped (1981) (TV), Splendorin the Grass (1981) (TV) and Homeroom (1981) (TV), and played a recurringcharacter on "Hill Street Blues" (1981). The strength of her performancesled directly to her film debut as Sean Penn's naive but knowing girlfriend,"J.C.", in Bad Boys (1983). That same year (1983), she starred as MatthewBroderick's zany partner in WarGames (1983). After starring as Rob Lowe'swould-be romantic interest in Oxford Blues (1984), the withdrawn adolescentof The Breakfast Club (1985) and Gene Hackman's adoring daughter in Twice ina Lifetime (1985), Sheedy played her first fully adult role in St. Elmo'sFire (1985), the 1985 hit about college friends.