Shelley Duvall

Acting

Shelley Duvall

Born 1949-07-07 · 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.

Acting credits

The Shining poster
8.2

Jack Torrance accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their son Danny, must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren't prepared for the madness that lurks within.

The Shining

1980

Annie Hall poster
7.7

New York comedian Alvy Singer falls in love with the ditsy Annie Hall.

Annie Hall

1977

Popeye poster
5.6

Popeye is a super-strong, spinach-scarfing sailor man who's searching for his father. During a storm that wrecks his ship, Popeye washes ashore and winds up rooming at the Oyl household, where he meets Olive. Before he can win her heart, he must first contend with Olive's fiancé, Bluto.

Popeye

1980

Time Bandits poster
6.6

Young history buff Kevin can scarcely believe it when six dwarfs emerge from his closet one night. Former employees of the Supreme Being, they've purloined a map charting all of the holes in the fabric of time and are using it to steal treasures from different historical eras. Taking Kevin with them, they variously drop in on Napoleon, Robin Hood and King Agamemnon before the Supreme Being catches up with them.

Time Bandits

1981

Kubrick by Kubrick poster
7.3

American filmmaker Stanley Kubrick (1928–1999), one of the greatest in history, but also one of the most reserved, gave few interviews throughout his long career, and none of them were filmed. A first-person journey through his life and work, based on a recorded conversation with French film critic Michel Climent.

Kubrick by Kubrick

2020

Nashville poster
7.3

The intersecting stories of twenty-four characters—from country star to wannabe to reporter to waitress—connect to the music business in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nashville

1975

Roxanne poster
6.4

In this modern take on Edmond Rostand's classic play "Cyrano de Bergerac," C. D. Bales is the witty, intelligent, and brave fire chief of a small Pacific Northwest town who, due to the size of his enormous nose, declines to pursue the girl of his dreams, lovely Roxanne Kowalski. Instead, when his shy underling Chris McConnell becomes smitten with Roxanne, C.D. feeds the handsome young man the words of love to win her heart.

Roxanne

1987

The Portrait of a Lady poster
5.9

Ms. Isabel Archer isn't afraid to challenge societal norms. Impressed by her free spirit, her kindhearted cousin writes her into his fatally ill father's will. Suddenly rich and independent, Isabelle ventures into the world, along the way befriending a cynical intellectual and romancing an art enthusiast. However, the advantage of her affluence is called into question when she realizes the extent to which her money colors her relationships.

The Portrait of a Lady

1996

3 Women poster
7.1

Two co-workers, one a vain woman and the other an awkward teenager, share an increasingly bizarre relationship after becoming roommates.

3 Women

1977

Brewster McCloud poster
6.3

Brewster is an owlish, intellectual boy who lives in a fallout shelter of the Houston Astrodome. He has a dream: to take flight within the confines of the stadium. Brewster tells those he trusts of his dream, but displays a unique way of treating others who do not fit within his plans.

Brewster McCloud

1971

Home Fries poster
5.1

Dorian and Angus chase down their womanizing stepfather with a helicopter, frightening him to death. In his effort to cover their tracks, Dorian begins investigating his stepfather's mistress, Sally. She works at a fast-food drive-through, she's pregnant and Dorian quickly falls in love with her. Unfortunately, his scheming mother wants Sally dead. And Sally isn't sure she wants Dorian to be her child's father and also his brother.

Home Fries

1998

RocketMan poster
5.2

An accident-prone and obnoxious geek joins a NASA space mission to Mars. During the flight, he manages to put himself and the entire crew in jeopardy, but is in danger of emerging as a hero when his new colleagues need him to save them from the unforgiving surface of the red planet.

RocketMan

1997

Changing Habits poster
2.6

An aspiring artist runs from men as a result of an early life problem that has left her relationship with her father strained. She decides to move into a convent where troubled women receive cheap lodging in exchange for work. She finds a dirty area in the basement where she paints a mural that deals with all of her psychological problems. While some find it gaudy, others such as the mother superior realizes its potential to save the convent which is to be closed. During all this the artist starts a relationship with a man who owns an art supply shop where she shop-lifts her supplies. Written by John Sacksteder

Changing Habits

1997

McCabe & Mrs. Miller poster
7.2

A gambler and a prostitute become thriving business partners in a remote Old West mining town until a large corporation arrives on the scene.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

1971

Thieves Like Us poster
6.5

Three criminals escape from prison and embark on a robbery spree across USA. Along the way, one of them falls in love while they plan a final heist before going their separate ways.

Thieves Like Us

1974

Russell Mulcahy’s Tale of the Mummy poster
4.7

Centuries ago, under the sands of ancient Egypt, a Prince was buried and his tomb eternally cursed so that no man would ever again suffer from his evil ways. But hundreds of years later on a greedy search for treasure, a group of archaeologists break the cursed seal of the tomb. Every man vanishes without a trace, leaving behind only a log book, and a deadly warning of the legend of the bloodthirsty Talos.

Russell Mulcahy’s Tale of the Mummy

1998

Casper Meets Wendy poster
5.9

When a warlock threatens Wendy the Good Little Witch, she and her aunts hide out at a resort where Casper the Ghost is vacationing with his uncles. Although Casper and Wendy are told ghosts and witches don't get along, the two are kindred spirits! This spooky family-friendly adventure finds Casper and Wendy bridging the ghost-witch divide to battle the warlock who is intent on destroying Wendy.

Casper Meets Wendy

1998

Pinocchio poster
5.2

A lonely wood-carver named Geppetto wishes for a son one night before going to bed. The Blue Fairy comes while he sleeps and partially grants the wish by turning his latest puppet, Pinocchio, into a living marionette. Pinocchio can himself fulfill Geppetto's wish of a real human son if he can prove himself to be a good soul. However, the road to becoming a real boy seems to never end, since his innocence continuously causes a problem, especially when the Evil Gypsy and his two goons want to exploit him. Not to mention, every time that he misbehaves or lies, his nose grows...

Pinocchio

1984

Suburban Commando poster
4.7

Shep Ramsey is an interstellar hero, righting wrongs, etc. His ship is damaged after a fight with an interstellar nasty and he must hide out on Earth until it can recharge. He leaves his power suit at home, but still finds himself unable to allow wrongs to go unrighted and so mixes it up with bad drivers, offensive paperboys, muggers and the like.

Suburban Commando

1991

Frankenweenie poster
7.0

When young Victor's pet dog Sparky (who stars in Victor's home-made monster movies) is hit by a car, Victor decides to bring him back to life the only way he knows how. But when the bolt-necked "monster" wreaks havoc and terror in the hearts of Victor's neighbors, he has to convince them (and his parents) that despite his appearance, Sparky's still the good loyal friend he's always been.

Frankenweenie

1984

Stanley Kubrick - Ein Leben für den Film poster
7.4

With commentary from Hollywood stars, outtakes from his movies and footage from his youth, this documentary looks at Stanley Kubrick's life and films. Director Jan Harlan, Kubrick's brother-in-law and sometime collaborator, interviews heavyweights like Jack Nicholson, Woody Allen and Sydney Pollack, who explain the influence of Kubrick classics like "Dr. Strangelove" and "2001: A Space Odyssey," and how he absorbed visual clues from disposable culture such as television commercials.

Stanley Kubrick - Ein Leben für den Film

2001

Johnny Appleseed poster
NR

Shelley Duvall acted as host for this 1980s television series about legendary characters and historical events. This volume chronicles Jonathan Chapman (Martin Short), who loves two things: apples and his sweetheart, Jenny Smith (Molly Ringwald). Following Mother Nature's advice, he travels the countryside and sows apple seeds along the way, riling Smithville's imperious ruler (Rob Reiner) in this timeless American yarn.

Johnny Appleseed

1986

The 4th Floor poster
5.7

A woman inherits a rent-controlled apartment and is terrorized by a neighbor.

The 4th Floor

1999

Frog poster
5.2

Arlo Anderson loves his reptiles, and so when he decides to buy a rare breed of frog with his date money he winds up with more than he bargained for! Gus, the frog, happens to be Italian royalty who was cursed by a witch some 600 years ago. So with the help of Gus, Arlo plans to win this year's science fair but he also somehow has to get Gus a kiss from a girl to free him from his curse. The only problem: the girls don't really like nerdy Arlo and his reptiles...

Frog

1987

Behind the camera

Pinocchio poster
5.2

A lonely wood-carver named Geppetto wishes for a son one night before going to bed. The Blue Fairy comes while he sleeps and partially grants the wish by turning his latest puppet, Pinocchio, into a living marionette. Pinocchio can himself fulfill Geppetto's wish of a real human son if he can prove himself to be a good soul. However, the road to becoming a real boy seems to never end, since his innocence continuously causes a problem, especially when the Evil Gypsy and his two goons want to exploit him. Not to mention, every time that he misbehaves or lies, his nose grows...

Pinocchio

1984

Johnny Appleseed poster
NR

Shelley Duvall acted as host for this 1980s television series about legendary characters and historical events. This volume chronicles Jonathan Chapman (Martin Short), who loves two things: apples and his sweetheart, Jenny Smith (Molly Ringwald). Following Mother Nature's advice, he travels the countryside and sows apple seeds along the way, riling Smithville's imperious ruler (Rob Reiner) in this timeless American yarn.

Johnny Appleseed

1986

Little Red Riding Hood poster
5.8

A sheltered but adventurous young woman finds trouble when she encounters a wolf.

Little Red Riding Hood

1983

Cinderella poster
6.7

An oppressed young woman finds happiness when she secretly attends the royal ball.

Cinderella

1985

Ponce de Leon poster
NR

Get to know the legendary European explorer with an impossible mission in this retelling of the myth of Ponce de Leon (Michael York). Executive producer Shelley Duvall plays host to viewers young and old alike who are eager to learn about de Leon's search for the fountain of youth. This is no ordinary educational series, however; instead, it's a show infused with good humor, one that mines the absurdity of de Leon's quixotic quest.

Ponce de Leon

1986

Sleeping Beauty poster
7.0

A prince chases his destiny to an ancient castle in search of a cursed princess, thanks to the help of an informative lumberjack.

Sleeping Beauty

1983

Davy Crockett poster
10.0

Story of American raccoon-skin-wearing pioneer Davy Crocket on the wild frontier.

Davy Crockett

1986

Pecos Bill poster
NR

Steve Guttenberg portrays Pecos Bill, the "King of the Cowboys," in this rootin' tootin' epic. Raised by coyotes, Bill puts the "wild" in the Wild West settlement of Petunia City. When his rowdy behavior gets him run out of town, he heads for Mexico. There, Bill lassos a cyclone to save the state of Texas from drought. His heroics become campfire legend, proving that selflessness and bravery are never forgotten.

Pecos Bill

1986

Annie Oakley poster
8.0

Young Phoebe Mosey (Jamie Lee Curtis) defies expectations and proves herself to become "Little Miss Sure Shot" Annie Oakley, the legendary sharpshooter and "Wild West" icon.

Annie Oakley

1986

Dinner at Eight poster
5.5

Society matron Millicent Jordan arranges a dinner party to honor some visiting aristocrat oblivious to the health and financial problems of her husband.

Dinner at Eight

1989

The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers poster
6.5

An intelligent, fearless boy living in a superstitious Transylvanian village goes out into the world to figure out what everyone else is afraid of, "the shivers." A king hires him to rid his castle of ghosts and evil spirits, expecting him to die like all who have tried before him, but the boy is more fearless than he could have known.

The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers

1984

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs poster
6.4

Snow White must flee from her evil stepmother. She's taken in by the lovable seven dwarves. Will the wicked queen be able to get rid of her rival?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

1984

The Tale of the Frog Prince poster
5.8

A spoiled, selfish princess's fate becomes entwined with a zany and witty frog with a secret past.

The Tale of the Frog Prince

1982

The Nightingale poster
5.3

A kitchen maid and a nightingale help save an emperor with the power of song and friendship.

The Nightingale

1983

The Emperor's New Clothes poster
4.8

Two con men take advantage of an emperor's vanity.

The Emperor's New Clothes

1985

The Dancing Princesses poster
6.5

A king with six daughters who is extremely over protective locks them in their room at night. But for some reason they order shoes from the cobbler practically every day and the king has to pay for them. And when he ask them why, they don't give him a straight answer. So he sends word that whoever figures out why they need so many shoes, he will have the hand of the daughter of his choice. But so far none have succeeded cause they make sure no one can find out. But a soldier upon learning of this decides to find out after being given a cloak that renders him invisible.

The Dancing Princesses

1987

Puss in Boots poster
5.0

A young man (Gregory Hines) journeys from rags-to-riches thanks to his talented Puss in Boots (Ben Vereen). Starring Ben Vereen, Gregory Hines, Alfre Woodard, George Kirby, and Brock Peters. Narrated by Shelley Duvall.

Puss in Boots

1985

Rapunzel poster
5.9

A sinister witch steals the baby of a simple candlemaker and his wife and names her Rapunzel. Determined to keep Rapunzel for herself, the witch locks her up in a tall tower all alone, with no way in or out except by climbing her long, braided hair. Wonders and dangers occur when the girl meets a handsome prince.

Rapunzel

1983

Faerie Tale Theatre: Rip Van Winkle poster
6.4

Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic tale about Rip Van Winkle, a carefree villager who wanders into New York’s Catskill Mountains, drinks with mysterious strangers, and falls into a deep sleep—awakening twenty years later to find the world around him transformed.

Faerie Tale Theatre: Rip Van Winkle

1987

Casey at the Bat poster
8.0

Down-on-his-luck baseball player Casey Frank (Elliott Gould) follows his dreams to become the biggest star in the game.

Casey at the Bat

1986

Hansel and Gretel poster
7.1

Abandoned by their parents, a young brother and sister try to find their way home. On the way, they find themselves trapped in the plot of a nasty witch.

Hansel and Gretel

1983

Goldilocks and the Three Bears poster
6.3

A spirited young girl disobeys her parents and runs off to the wood for the afternoon where she rudely invades the home of a family of bears, taking advantage of all its comforts and thoughtlessly wrecking things. When caught, she learns important lessons about truthfulness and respecting others' rights to privacy.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

1984

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow poster
5.3

Ichabod Crane becomes the headmaster at a schoolhouse. He falls for Katrina Van Tassel but she has a lover: Brom Bones. Brom scares him off acting as the Headless Horseman only to meet the real one himself.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

1985

The Princess and the Pea poster
8.2

A bored prince realizes he would like a wife. His mother searches through all the kingdoms far and wide for a "suitable" princess. In the meantime, a charming and witty young lady, who claims to be a princess, shows up at the castle doorstep with a sprained ankle and is shown hospitality by the prince and his best friend the Fool.

The Princess and the Pea

1984