Shelley Duvall
Acting
🎂 1949-07-07
Shelley Alexis Duvall 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.
Cast credits(106)
Caroline (voice)
1993
Self - Host
1975
Liz Christie
1971
Margo Stanton
1986
Wendy Torrance
1980
Margaret (segment "A Saucer of Loneliness")
1985
Self
1974
Ocka (voice)
1994
The Miller's Daughter
1982
Marie / Rapunzel
1982
Narrator / Nightingale (voice)
1982
Snow White's Mother
1982
Narrator (voice)
1982
Self - Host
1982
Leota Bean
1985
Self - Host (uncredited)
1983
Laura Burroughs
1984
Pam
1977
Gabby
1998
Olive Oyl
1980
Dame Pansy / Pansy
1981
Jenny Wilcox
1991
Self - Host
1985
Clementine
1985
Renee Lassiter
1995
Dixie
1987
Sister Agatha
1997
Mrs. Randall (uncredited)
1997
Self
1980
Martha Stewart
1999
Susan Frankenstein
1984
Shelley Duvall
1992
Detective Dubrinski
2002
Edith Butros
1998
Countess Gemini
1996
Self
2001
Ida Coyle
1971
Self / Host
1986
Self / Host
1986
Self - Host
1987
Self - Host
1985
Self / Host
1986
Mrs. Fink
1997
Self
1990
Rapunzel / Marie, Rapunzel's Mother / Self - Host
1983
Mrs. Stein
2000
Alice Flitt
1997
Mildred "Millie" Lammoreaux
1977
Annie
1991
Aunt Nellie
2025
Lily Miniver
1986
Self - Host
1985
Narrator (voice)
1985
L.A. Joan
1975
Nurse
1995
Self - Host (uncredited)
1984
Self - Host
1985
Self - Host (uncredited)
1984
Self - Host
1986
The First Lady (Mrs. Cleveland)
1976
Self / Host
1986
1982
Self - Host
1985
Amelia Glahn
1997
Keechie
1974
Little Bo Peep
1990
Self
1997
Suzanne
1970
Host
1986
Self / Host
1986
Self / Host
1985
Estelle
1997
Mrs. Jackson
1998
Self - Host (uncredited)
1984
Muriel
1998
Self
1996
Self - Host (uncredited)
1983
Self - Host (uncredited)
1984
Self - Host (uncredited)
1984
Rico's Mother
2024
Self - Host
1986
Self - Host (uncredited)
1982
Bad Ballet Dancer (archive footage)
2005
Self - Host (uncredited)
1983
Mrs. Anderson
1987
Self - Host (uncredited)
1983
Potsi
1994
Laura
1984
Teacher
1994
Self - Host (uncredited)
1987
Self
1980
Self - Host
1987
Self - Host (uncredited)
1984
Snow White's Mother / Self - Host
1984
The Host
1985
Self / Host / Clementine
1986
Self
Self
1986
Bernice
1976
Nightingale (voice) / Narrator (voice) / Self - Host
1983
Joan of Arc
1977
Self - Host / Narrator
1985
Self
1983
Self
The Miller's Daughter / Self - Host
1982
Self
1988
Production (70)
Executive Producer
1982
Producer
1983
Executive Producer
1983
Executive Producer
1985
Producer
1986
Producer
1986
Executive Producer
1987
Producer
1989
Producer
1986
Executive Producer
1983
Producer
1983
Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1989
Producer
1984
Executive Producer
1984
Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1985
Producer
1984
Executive Producer
1984
Executive Producer
1989
Producer
1986
Executive Producer
1986
Producer
1986
Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1990
Casting
1990
Producer
1986
Producer
1986
Executive Producer
1985
Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1989
Producer
1984
Executive Producer
1984
Producer
1983
Executive Producer
1983
Producer
1984
Executive Producer
1984
Producer
1984
Executive Producer
1984
Producer
1986
Executive Producer
1986
Producer
1982
Executive Producer
1982
Producer
1983
Executive Producer
1983
Executive Producer
1987
Producer
1983
Executive Producer
1983
Executive Producer
1994
Executive Producer
1986
Producer
1987
Executive Producer
1987
Producer
1987
Executive Producer
1987
Producer
1984
Executive Producer
1984
Producer
1984
Executive Producer
1984
Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1986
Executive Producer
1989
Executive Producer
1983
Producer
1983
Producer
1985
Executive Producer
1985
Producer
1982
Executive Producer
1982
