Where are These Beloved Sitcom Moms Today?

#5: Shirley Jones as Shirley Partridge, The Partridge Family

Before moms had minivans, Shirley Partridge had a tour bus. As the musical matriarch of The Partridge Family, she strummed, sang, and parented her way through the early ’70s with patience and a wink. She wasn’t the nagging sitcom mom — she was cool, calm, and ready to harmonize.

Shirley Jones brought her movie-musical pedigree straight to prime time. Already an Oscar winner for Elmer Gantry, she blended Hollywood polish with motherly warmth, creating one of TV’s first truly modern moms. She was smart, talented, and quietly powerful — the kind of mom who made showbiz look effortless.