Shirley Nollen

Born in Harlan, Iowa, on August 14, 1937, Shirley Ann Stoltz Nollen is the mother of writer-director Scott Allen Nollen. A lifelong film buff, she introduced her son to the classic films of Boris Karloff when he was a mere five years old, planting a seed that eventually resulted in his writing two highly acclaimed books on Karloff, during which he developed close relationships with Karloff's widow, Evelyn, and daughter, Sara Jane. In 1978, Shirley played the Bride of Frankenstein in Scott's short spoof of the classic 1935 James Whale film. The makeup she created for her role and that of her husband, Harry (The Frankenstein Monster) won an award at a local Halloween festival. Shirley's influence has been documented by her son in numerous film books he has written over the years, and she continues her avid interest in Golden Age Hollywood cinema.