Shelley Duvall was an American actress who began her career in 1970, appearing in Robert Altman's Brewster McCloud. She went on to have roles in numerous films by Altman throughout the 1970s, including the period Western film McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), the crime drama Thieves Like Us (1974), the ensemble musical comedy Nashville (1975), and the Western Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976). Duvall also had a minor role in Woody Allen's Annie Hall (1977). Her performance in Altman's subsequent psychological thriller 3 Women (1977) won her the Best Actress Award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival, a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, as well as a BAFTA Award nomination in the same category.
In 1980, Duvall starred as Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name. She subsequently starred as Olive Oyl in Altman's musical Popeye (1980), followed by a lead role in Terry Gilliam's fantasy film Time Bandits (1981). She had a main role in the Tim Burton short Frankenweenie (1984), followed by a supporting role in the comedy Roxanne (1987). Much of the late 1980s saw Duvall working as a producer and television host in children's programming, with her Faerie Tale Theatre (1982–1987) and Tall Tales & Legends (1985–1987).
She continued to appear in film through the 1990s, with supporting parts in Steven Soderbergh's thriller The Underneath (1995), and the Henry James adaptation The Portrait of a Lady (1996), directed by Jane Campion. She also appeared in the children's film Casper Meets Wendy, and the supernatural horror film Tale of the Mummy (both 1998). Duvall's last performance prior to her hiatus was in the independent feature Manna from Heaven (2002). After a 21 year absence, Duvall returned to acting in the horror film The Forest Hills (2023), which would be her final film role before her death on July 11, 2024.
Film Year Title Role Notes 1970 Brewster McCloud Suzanne Davis 1971 McCabe & Mrs. Miller Ida Coyle1974 Thieves Like Us Keechie 1975 Nashville Martha / L.A. Joan 1976 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Mrs. Grover Cleveland 1977 3 Women Mildred "Millie" Lammoreaux Annie Hall Pam 1980 The Shining Wendy Torrance Popeye Olive Oyl 1981 Time Bandits Pansy 1984 Frankenweenie Susan Frankenstein Short film 1987 Roxanne Dixie 1991 Suburban Commando Jenny Wilcox 1995 The Underneath Nurse 1996 The Portrait of a Lady Countess Gemini 1997 Changing Habits Sister Agatha Twilight of the Ice Nymphs Amelia Glahn Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework Mrs. Fink RocketMan Mrs. Randall Uncredited 1998 Tale of the Mummy Edith Butros Casper Meets Wendy Gabby Home Fries Mrs. Jackson 1999 The 4th Floor Martha Stewart Boltneck Mrs. Stein 2000 Dreams in the Attic Nellie Unreleased 2002 Manna from Heaven Detective Dubrinski 2023 The Forest Hills Mama Final film role
Television Year Title Role Notes 1973 Cannon Liz Christie Episode: "The Seventh Grave" Love, American Style Bonnie Lee Episode: "Love and the Mr. and Mrs.1976 Baretta Aggie Episode: "Aggie" Bernice Bobs Her Hair Bernice Television film 1977 Saturday Night Live Herself (host) / Various roles Episode: "Shelley Duvall/Joan Armatrading"1982–1987 Faerie Tale Theatre Herself (host) / Various roles 27 episodes; also creator and executive producer 1984 Booker Laura Burroughs Short film 1985–1987 Tall Tales & Legends Herself (host) / Various roles 9 episodes; also creator and executive producer1986 Popples Television film; executive producer The Twilight Zone Margaret Episode: "A Saucer of Loneliness" 1987 Frog Annie Anderson Television film; also executive producer 1989 Nightmare Classics Creator and executive producer 1990 Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme Little Bo Peep Television film Rockin' Through the Decades Herself Television special 1991 Frogs! Annie Anderson Television film Stories from Growing up Television film; executive producer Backfield in Motion 1992 The Ray Bradbury Theater Leota Bean Episode: "The Tombstone" 1992–1993 Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories Herself (host) 14 episodes; also creator, writer and executive producer 1993 Roseanne Herself Episode: "Halloween V" 1994 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Creator and executive producer L.A. Law Margo Stanton Episode: "Tunnel of Love" 1995 Frasier Caroline (voice) Episode: "Dark Victory" 1997 The Adventures of Shirley Holmes Alicia Fett Episode: "The Case of the Wannabe Witch" Adventures from the Book of Virtues Fairy (voice) Episode: "Perseverance" Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Ocka (voice) Episode: "Oblina Without a Cause" Alone Estelle Television film 1998 Maggie Winters Muriel Episode: "Dinner at Rachel's" 1999 Wishbone Renee Lassiter Episode: "Groomed for Greatness" The Hughleys Mrs. Crump Episode: "Storm o' the Century"
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