Shirley Knight Hopkins, a popular American actress died of natural cause yesterday, April 22nd. She was 83 years old and was living with her daughter in San Marcos. Shirley Knight appeared in more than 50 feature films, television movies, television series, and Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in her career playing leading and character roles. Knight was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Dark at the Top of the Stairs and Sweet Bird of Youth, both released in the early 60s.  
 
In the 1960s, she had leading roles in a number of Hollywood movies such as The Couch, House of Women, and The Group. She received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her role in the British film Dutchman. Knight was married to American actor and producer Gene Persson from 1959 until their divorce in 1969. They had one child, actress Kaitlin Hopkins. Her second marriage was to English writer John Hopkins from 1969 until his death in 1998. We express our deepest condolences to the family of the departed.