Shelley Duvall, The Shining Star, Dead At 75
It’s a sad day for the entertainment community as legendary actress Shelley Duvall has passed away at 75. Although she has long since parted ways with Hollywood, fans will forever tie her name to classic pictures like Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and a slew of Robert Altman’s features including 3 Women and Popeye. She passed earlier today in Blanco, Texas, and leaves behind her partner, Dan Gilroy.
Destined For Stardum
With a unique look and a set of giant brown eyes, Shelley Duvall was destined to have her name on movie posters and her name in lights. A Texas native, Duvall’s big break came when Robert Altman cast her in Brewster McCloud, kicking off a partnership between the director and actress that would span across decades. During their time together, Duvall became somewhat of a muse to Altman who cast her in film after film, including McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Thieves Like Us, and Nashville, the latter of which saw her share the screen with David Arkin, Barbara Baxley, and other notable names of the time.
But the pair’s most successful collaboration would come when Shelley Duvall appeared in the director’s 1977 psychological drama, 3 Women alongside Sissy Spacek and Janice Rule. For her work on the film, Duvall nabbed the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress and also received a nomination at that year’s BAFTA awards.
Becoming A Household Name
By the late ‘70s, Shelley Duvall was a household name and appeared in Woody Allen’s star-studded flick, Annie Hall as a Rolling Stone journalist. It was here that her path crossed with legendary musician, Paul Simon, sparking what would eventually blossom into a two-year relationship.
When the next decade rolled around, Shelley Duvall was riding a massive wave of success. Re-teaming with Robert Altman, she appeared in a live-action version of everyone’s favorite spinach-eating, rough-and-tough sailor cartoon, Popeye. Starring opposite Robin Williams, who played the titular character, Duvall appeared in the Disney flick as Popeye’s wife, Olive Oyl. While the movie may not have been the critical hit that Altman was hoping for, it’s gained a solid cult following over the last few decades.
The Role Of A Lifetime
That same year saw the release of a groundbreaking performance in the career of Shelley Duvall when she appeared opposite Jack Nicholson in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Kubrick, who took quite a few artistic liberties and veered away from the book of the same name by Stephen King, had gained a reputation in Hollywood for his intense sets. The Shining was no different as Duvall was put through the ringer day in and day out, oftentimes run ragged by the time cameras called it quits at the end of the day.
Post-Shining Outings
Over the rest of the ‘80s, Shelley Duvall appeared in projects like Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits, Tim Burton’s horror comedy short Frankenweenie, and Fred Schepisi’s Roxanne. Later in the decade, the actress shifted her attention and moved herself behind the camera to serve as a producer on children’s programs including Faerie Tale Theatre and Tall Tales & Legends. When the ‘90s rolled around, Duvall returned in front of the camera on titles including Steven Soderbergh’s The Underneath and Jane Campion’s The Portrait of a Lady.
Gone But Not Forgotten
By the early 2000s, Shelley Duvall was ready to retire from the business for good and made her second to last on-screen appearance in 2002’s Manna from Heaven. Desperately needing a reset, she left the lights of Tinsel Town and largely kept to herself over the last 20 years before popping up in the 2023 horror flick, The Forest Hills.
At this time our thoughts are with Shelley Duvall’s partner, friends, and loved ones.
Source: CBS
