‘The Shining’ Star Passes Away At 75
The ‘Shining’ actress Shelley Duvall has passed away, only days after her 75th birthday.
Duvall died at her home in Blanco, Texas on July 11 per her partner Dan Gilroy. She has died due to complications of diabetes. Gilroy spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and said, “My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley.”
Shelley Duvall was born on July 7, 1949, in Fort Worth, Texas. Her father, Robert Richardson Duvall, was a cattle auctioneer-turned-lawyer, and her mother, Bobbie Ruth Crawford, was a real estate broker. Shelley was the oldest of four children, and her early years were marked by a normal, middle-class upbringing in Texas.
Duvall did not initially want to become an actress. Instead, she pursued a degree in nutrition and diet therapy at South Texas Junior College. Her life changed when she met filmmaker Robert Altman at a party in 1969. Impressed by her unique look and charisma, Altman cast her in his film “Brewster McCloud” (1970). This chance encounter with Altman led to a series of collaborations and established Duvall as a notable presence in Hollywood.
She gained widespread recognition for her role as Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s horror film “The Shining” (1980), where her intense performance opposite Jack Nicholson became iconic. Some of her other work includes “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” (1971), “Nashville” (1975), and “3 Women” (1977). She earned critical acclaim for her role in “3 Women,” winning the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Shelley Duvall’s career slowed down in the 1990s, and she largely stepped away from the public eye. She returned to the spotlight in 2016, when she appeared on “Dr. Phil” and revealed she had mental health issues. An unkempt Duvall told Dr. Phil “I am very sick. I need help,”
Duvall was previously married to artist Bernard Sampson in the early 1970s, then dated Paul Simon for some time. In the late 1980s, she started dating her partner longstanding Gilroy.
Rest In Peace