Shelley Duvall

Shelley Alexis Duvall (July 7, 1949 – July 11, 2024) was an American actress and producer. Known for her distinctive screen presence, portrayals of eccentric characters, and later productions in children's programming, her accolades include a Cannes Award and a Peabody Award, in addition to nominations for a British Academy Film Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Four of Duvall's films have been preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" as of 2025. Duvall was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and raised in Houston, Texas, and was initially interested in science. In 1970, she was hosting a party for her boyfriend of the time at her house, where she was discovered by filmmaker Robert Altman. Impressed by her upbeat personality, Altman cast her in the black comedy film Brewster McCloud that same year. She rose to fame by collaborating with Altman throughout the 1970s, appearing in the Western film McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), the crime film Thieves Like Us (1974), and the musical Nashville (1975). She received critical acclaim for her performance in Altman's psychological drama film 3 Women (1977), which earned her a Cannes Award and a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress. That same year, she had a supporting role in Woody Allen's romantic comedy Annie Hall. She became one of the most successful actresses of the 1970s by the end of the decade. Duvall gained fame for playing Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's horror film The Shining (1980), with both her performance and filming experiences receiving continued attention. Also in 1980, she played Olive Oyl in Altman's adventure film Popeye. She increased her profile appearing in Terry Gilliam's fantasy film Time Bandits (1981), Tim Burton's short film Frankenweenie (1984), and Fred Schepisi's comedy film Roxanne (1987). The 1980s also saw Duvall venture into producing children's programming, founding the production companies Platypus and Think Entertainment and creating the programs Faerie Tale Theatre (1982–1987), Tall Tales & Legends (1985–1987), and Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories (1992–1994). She received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Children's Program and Outstanding Animated Program. In the 1990s, Duvall sold her companies and acted infrequently, notably appearing in Steven Soderbergh's thriller film The Underneath (1995) and Jane Campion's drama film The Portrait of a Lady (1996). After her role in Gabrielle Burton's comedy film Manna from Heaven (2002), she announced an indefinite hiatus from acting. Her mental health during this period was covered by the media, briefly turning her private life public. She returned and announced a comeback in 2022 with the independent film The Forest Hills (2023), which would become her final role. Duvall died of diabetes complications on July 11, 2024.

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