Shelley Duvall
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 7, 1949
- Died
- July 11, 2024
- Birthplace
- Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Shelley Alexis Duvall (July 7, 1949 – July 11, 2024) was an American actress known for her portrayal of distinctive, often eccentric characters. She was the recipient of several accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award and a Peabody Award and nominations for a British Academy Film Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Born in Texas, Duvall began acting after being discovered by director Robert Altman, who was impressed with her upbeat presence and cast her in the black comedy film Brewster McCloud (1970). Despite her hesitance towards becoming an actress, she continued to work with Altman, appearing in McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) and Thieves Like Us (1974). Her breakthrough came with Altman's cult film Nashville (1975), and she earned widespread acclaim with the drama 3 Women (1977), also directed by Altman, for which she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress and earned a nomination for the British Academy Film Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. That same year, she appeared in a supporting role (as a writer for Rolling Stone) in Woody Allen's satirical romantic comedy Annie Hall (1977) and hosted Saturday Night Live. In the 1980s, Duvall became famous for her leading roles, which include Olive Oyl in Altman's live-action feature version of Popeye (1980) and Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's horror film The Shining (1980). She appeared in Terry Gilliam's fantasy film Time Bandits (1981), the short comedy horror film Frankenweenie (1984), and the comedy Roxanne (1987). She ventured into producing television programming aimed at children and youth in the latter half of the 1980s, notably creating and hosting the programs Faerie Tale Theatre (1982–1987), Tall Tales & Legends (1985–1987) (which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 1988), and Nightmare Classics (1989). Duvall sporadically worked in acting throughout the 1990s, notably playing supporting roles in Steven Soderbergh's thriller The Underneath (1995) and the Henry James adaptation The Portrait of a Lady (1996), directed by Jane Campion. Her last performance was in Manna from Heaven (2002), after which she retired from acting. Duvall for many years kept out of the public media, keeping her personal life generally private; however, her health issues earned significant media coverage. After a 21-year hiatus from acting, Duvall returned to acting in the horror film The Forest Hills. She died due to complications from diabetes at her home in Blanco, southwest of Austin, Texas.
Filmography
- Howl: Inside the Forest Hills
Howl: Inside the Forest Hills TBA
as Self
Hello, I'm Shelley Duvall TBA
as Self
Shine On: The Forgotten Shining Location 2024
as Self (archive footage), In Memory Of
Kubrick by Kubrick 2020
as Self (archive footage)
Frankenweenie 2012
Thanks
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dan Aykroyd 2005
as Bad Ballet Dancer (archive footage)
Manna from Heaven 2002
as Detective Dubrinski
Stanley Kubrick - Ein Leben für den Film 2001
as Self
Dreams in the Attic 2000
as Aunt Nellie
The 4th Floor 1999
as Martha Stewart
Home Fries 1998
as Mrs. Jackson
Casper Meets Wendy 1998
as Gabby
Tale of the Mummy 1998
as Edith Butros
Big Monster on Campus 1998
as Mrs. Stein
Alone 1997
as Estelle
RocketMan 1997
as Mrs. Randall (uncredited)
Twilight of the Ice Nymphs 1997
as Amelia Glahn
Guy Maddin: Waiting for Twilight 1997
as Self
Changing Habits 1997
as Sister Agatha
Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework 1997
as Mrs. Fink
The Portrait of a Lady 1996
as Countess Gemini
Robert Altman: Giggle And Give In 1996
as Self
The Underneath 1995
as Nurse
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories: The Christmas Witch 1994
as Host, Executive Producer
Aliens for Breakfast 1994
as Teacher
Suburban Commando 1991
as Jenny Wilcox
Frogs! 1991
as Annie
The Chipmunks Rockin' Through The Decades 1990
as Self
Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme 1990
as Little Bo Peep, Executive Producer, Casting
Dinner at Eight 1989
Producer
The Eyes of the Panther 1989
Executive Producer
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 1989
Executive Producer
Carmilla 1989
Executive Producer
The Turn of the Screw 1989
Executive Producer
Earthquake Survival 1988
as Self
The Dancing Princesses 1987
as Self - Host, Producer, Executive Producer
Roxanne 1987
as Dixie
The Little Mermaid 1987
as Self - Host, Executive Producer
Faerie Tale Theatre: Rip Van Winkle 1987
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Frog 1987
as Mrs. Anderson, Executive Producer
Annie Oakley 1986
as The Host, Producer
Davy Crockett 1986
as Self / Host, Producer
John Henry 1986
as Self / Host, Producer
Ponce de Leon 1986
as Self / Host, Producer
Johnny Appleseed 1986
as Self / Host, Producer
Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures 1986
as Self
The Princess Who Had Never Laughed 1986
as Self - Host, Producer, Executive Producer
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp 1986
as Self - Host, Executive Producer
Lily 1986
as Lily Miniver
Popples 1986
Executive Producer, Story
Darlin' Clementine 1986
as Self / Host / Clementine, Executive Producer
Casey at the Bat 1986
as Host, Producer
Pecos Bill 1986
as Self / Host, Producer
The Emperor's New Clothes 1985
as Self - Host, Producer, Executive Producer
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 1985
as Self / Host, Executive Producer, Producer
Puss in Boots 1985
as Self - Host / Narrator, Producer, Executive Producer
Cinderella 1985
as Self - Host, Producer, Executive Producer
The Pied Piper of Hamelin 1985
as Self - Host, Producer, Executive Producer
The Snow Queen 1985
as Host / Narrator (voice)
Frankenweenie 1984
as Susan Frankenstein
Booker 1984
as Laura
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers 1984
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
The Secret World of the Very Young 1984
Actor
Beauty and the Beast 1984
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1984
as Snow White's Mother / Self - Host, Producer, Executive Producer
Thumbelina 1984
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Pinocchio 1984
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
The Princess and the Pea 1984
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Goldilocks and the Three Bears 1984
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Hansel and Gretel 1983
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Little Red Riding Hood 1983
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Jack and the Beanstalk 1983
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Sleeping Beauty 1983
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
The Fairest of Them All 1983
as Self
The Nightingale 1983
as Nightingale (voice) / Narrator (voice) / Self - Host, Executive Producer, Producer
Six Kinds of Light - John Alcott 1983
as Self
Rapunzel 1983
as Rapunzel / Marie, Rapunzel's Mother / Self - Host, Executive Producer, Producer
Rumpelstiltskin 1982
as The Miller's Daughter / Self - Host, Producer, Executive Producer
The Tale of the Frog Prince 1982
as Self - Host (uncredited), Producer, Executive Producer
Twilight Theatre 1982
Actor
Time Bandits 1981
as Dame Pansy / Pansy
Popeye 1980
as Olive Oyl
Making 'The Shining' 1980
as Self
The Shining 1980
as Wendy Torrance
The Paul Simon Special 1977
as Joan of Arc
3 Women 1977
as Mildred "Millie" Lammoreaux, Set Decoration
Annie Hall 1977
as Pam
Bernice Bobs Her Hair 1976
as Bernice
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson 1976
as The First Lady (Mrs. Cleveland)
Nashville 1975
as L.A. Joan
Thieves Like Us 1974
as Keechie
Brewster McCloud 1971
as Suzanne
McCabe & Mrs. Miller 1971
as Ida Coyle
Credits from TMDB.