Rich, Shirley, 1922-

Shirley Rich, casting director in theater and film, grew up in Ottumwa, Iowa and graduated from the State University of Iowa (now the University of Iowa) with a bachelor of fine arts in 1944. She also received a masters in theater from Smith College in Massachusetts before moving to New York City. From 1948 to 1951 Rich worked for Rodgers and Hammerstein as assistant casting director, working on South Pacific and The King and I, among others.

She also worked as a talent scout for Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures from 1951 to 1954. After spending some time raising her children with husband Lewis M. Krohn, Rich resumed her career and started her own casting company. As a free-lance casting director, she worked on such films as Taps, Kramer vs. Kramer, and Saturday Night Fever.

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