Shelley Alexis Duvall (July 7, 1949 – July 11, 2024) was an American actress and producer. Known for her collaborations with Robert Altman and for playing eccentric characters, she won a Cannes Film Festival Award and was nominated for a British Academy Film Award and two Emmy Awards. Four of her films are preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Duvall was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, and was initially interested in science. She was discovered by film director Robert Altman at a party in 1970, who was impressed by her upbeat presence and cast her in the black comedy film Brewster McCloud (1970). She continued to work with Altman, appearing in the revisionist Western McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), the crime film Thieves Like Us (1974), and the musical Nashville (1975). Her performance in Altman's psychological drama 3 Women (1977) won her critical acclaim and the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. Also in 1977, she had a supporting role in Woody Allen's romantic comedy Annie Hall.

Duvall achieved international fame for playing Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's horror film The Shining and Olive Oyl in Altman's adventure film Popeye (both 1980). She furthered this success with Terry Gilliam's fantasy film Time Bandits (1981), Tim Burton's short comedy horror film Frankenweenie (1984), and Fred Schepisi's comedy film Roxanne (1987). Duvall then ventured into producing and creating television programs aimed at children and youth such as Faerie Tale Theatre (1982–1987) and Nightmare Classics (1989). For Tall Tales & Legends (1985–1987) and Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories (1992–1994), she received two Emmy nominations.

From the 1990s, Duvall worked sporadically, appearing in Steven Soderbergh's thriller film The Underneath (1995) and Jane Campion's drama film The Portrait of a Lady (1996). After a supporting role in Gabrielle Burton's comedy film Manna from Heaven (2002), she took a 21 year hiatus from acting. Her mental health during this period was covered by the media, briefly turning her private life public. She returned in 2022 for her final role in the horror independent film The Forest Hills (2023), intending to make a comeback. Duvall died of diabetes complications on July 11, 2024.[1]

Early life Shelley Alexis Duvall was born on July 7, 1949,[2][3] in Fort Worth, Texas,[4][5][6] the first child of Bobbie Ruth Crawford (née Massengale, 1929–2020), a real estate broker and in the legal field,[7] and Robert Richardson "Bobby" Duvall (1919–1994), a cattle auctioneer-turned-lawyer.[6][8] Her younger brothers were Scott, Shane, and Stewart.[9]

For her first few years, Duvall lived in various locations throughout Texas due to her father's work, before the family settled in Houston when she was five years old.[6] She was in a choir.[7] She was an artistic and energetic young child, eventually earning the nickname "Manic Mouse" from her mother.[10] Growing up, Duvall's only exposure to acting was when she forgot her lines to Joyce Kilmer's poem "Trees" in a sixth-grade talent show. She became interested in science at a young age; as a teenager she aspired to become a scientist.[6] After graduating from Waltrip High School in 1967,[11] she sold cosmetics at Foley's, a department store; she attended South Texas Junior College and majored in nutrition and diet therapy.[10] Duvall dropped out of college shortly after when she witnessed a monkey vivisection.[12] In 1992, Think Entertainment joined the newly formed Universal Family Entertainment to create Duvall's fourth Showtime original series, Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories,[73] which featured animated adaptations of children's storybooks with celebrity narrators and garnered her a second Emmy nomination. Also in 1992, she landed a guest spot on the television series L.A. Law as Margo Stanton, a show dog owner and breeder who presses charges against the owner of a Welsh Corgi that mated with her prize-winning Afghan Hound.[74] Duvall was the Star of Shelley Duvall's BedTime Stories on VHS from MCA-Universal Home Video in 1992!