Sheila Benson

Sheila Benson (December 4, 1930 – February 23, 2022) was an American journalist and film critic. She served as film critic for the Los Angeles Times from 1981 to 1991.

Early life and education Benson was born in New York City on December 4, 1930. Her father, Dwight Franklin, was employed as a costume designer and her mother, Mary C. McCall Jr., worked as a screenwriter and novelist.

Her family eventually relocated to Beverly Hills, California, where she attended Beverly Hills High School. She then studied drama at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) alongside Carol Burnett and James Dean.

Career Benson first worked as a film critic and interviewer for the Pacific Sun in Mill Valley for eight years. She was also a film reviewer for a radio station in Marin County She became principal film critic for the Los Angeles Times in 1981, During her tenure, Benson was a member of the critics' panel at the 1984 Mill Valley Film Festival, and was a member of the jury at the 35th Berlin International Film Festival one year later. She also sat on the juries at the Sundance Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Aspen Shortsfest and in Seattle. and was its film critic until its dissolution in June 1998. She also taught critical writing at UCLA. Her coverage, essays and interviews appeared in publications including Variety, Premiere, Film Comment and The New York Times. She subsequently wrote for Critic Quality Feed.

Benson was the writer for, and host of, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' birthday centennial tribute of Mary Pickford in 1993. She also wrote the narration for HBO's The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Film and the liner notes for the DVD release of Horton Foote's Tomorrow.

Personal life Benson's first marriage was to Charles Ashley. Together they had two children, Eden and Ann. She later married Walter Benson, with whom she had a daughter, Caitlin. Her third marriage was to Herman Hong. They did not have children and they remained married until her death. She resided in Bellingham, Washington.

Benson died on February 23, 2022, in Seattle at the age of 91.