Along with John Fiedler and Monica Evans, she is one of only 3 actors to appear in both The Odd Couple (1968) and the subsequent television adaptation "The Odd Couple" (1970).
In 1979 she originated the role of Mrs. Kendall in "The Elephant Man", winning a Tony Award for best actress. In 2002 Kate Burton played Mrs. Kendall in the first revival of the play on Broadway, garnering a Tony nomination (one of two nominations she received that year, the other being for "Hedda Gabler"). These two distinguished actresses have worked on film and in television but in New York they are revered as two of the greatest actresses working on stage today. In 1995 these two ladies shared the same dressing room at the Union Square Theater, where they played mother and daughter in Neil Simon's "London Suite".
Naturalized U.S. citizen.
Nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Best Performance for a Featured Actress in a Musical for "Billy Elliot - The Musical".
Replaced Dana Ivey in "The Last Night of Ballyhoo".
Replaced Elaine Stritch in the Broadway run of "Show Boat".
She was nominated for a 1974 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress in a Principal for her performance in "A Doll's House" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
The only actress to play the role of Gwendolyn Pigeon in "The Odd Couple" on Broadway, in film (The Odd Couple (1968)) and on TV "The Odd Couple" (1970).
Won Broadway's 1979 Tony Award as Best Actress (Play) for "The Elephant Man" in a tie with Constance Cummings for "Wings." Miss Shelley was present to receive her award and dedicated it to the memory of her recently departed mother whom she called "Charlie." She was also nominated for Tony Awards on two other occasions: in 1975 as Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Dramatic) for "Absurd Person Singular," and in 1987 as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) for "Stepping Out."