On July 11th 2024, award-winning actress Shelley Duvall passed away in her home state Texas, after suffering from diabetes-related health complications. Duvall’s career spanned several decades, including her iconic performance as protagonist ‘Wendy Torrance’ in The Shining (1977). In addition to her eclectic collection of roles in children’s television, comedy and horror films, Duvall is also known for her memorably unique beauty which is what first caught the attention of director Robert Altman. After Duvall’s acting debut in Altman’s modern fairytale, Brewster McCloud (1970), the duo went on to collaborate six more times; McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), Thieves Like Us (1974), Nashville (1975), Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (1976), 3 Women (1977), and Popeye (1980).
In 2002, Duvall retired from acting, only returning in 2023 to appear in The Forest Hills. Initially, Duvall signed on to do a small cameo in a flashback, but after spending time on set, she expressed her desire to continue filming, which director Scott Goldberg happily obliged.
Shelley Duvall will be remembered as the quirky, singular and eccentric star that she was. You can explore Shelley Duvall’s invaluable contributions to film and television in the American University Library Media collection.
Shelley Duvall Films Available through the AU Library Media Collection:
- McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971) – DVD 358
2. Thieves Like Us (1974) – DVD 5013
3. Nashville (1975) – DVD 310
4. Bernice Bobs Her Hair (1976) – Available to stream with AU login via Films on Demand.
5. 3 Women (1977) – DVD 1226
6. The Shining (1980) – DVD 2168
7. Time Bandits (1981) – DVD 2948
8. The Underneath (1995) – DVD 5400
9. The Portrait of a Lady (1996) – DVD 7113
10. Twilight of the Ice Nymphs (1997) – DVD 355
