Shelley Duvall

July 7, 1950

Houston, Texas, United States

Only once has Shelley Duvall played a large part for anyone except Robert Altman—and that is her wife in The Shining (80, Stanley Kubrick) where, arguably, she is meant as a parody of helplessness, and felt as the casting coup of misogyny. (Like Jack Torrance, Kubrick seemed to regard women as children, hags, or silent beauties—no character allowed.) It’s as it most other directors didn’t know what to do with Duvall—was she too odd, too Texan, too much an Olive Ovl in waiting? Yet in 3 Women (77, Altman), she is endlesslv intriguing—was that acting, casting, or Altman’s eye? Elsewhere, Altman used her (often briefly) in Brewster McCloud (70); McCabe and Mrs. Miller (71); in the lead in Thieves Like Us (74); as the kooky L.A. Joan in Nashville (75); Buffalo Bill and the Indians (76), as President Cleveland’s wife; and at last as Olive Oyl in Popeye (80). In addition, she had a scene in Annie Hall (77, Woody Allen) for her strangeness; and she appeared in Time Bandits (81, Terry Gilliam); and Suburban Commando (91, Burt Kennedy). But in the 1980s the unaccountable woman became a very successful producer for cable TV, notably with Faerie Tale Theatre, a variable series, but one ol the few on American TV that sought to reach children in their gentler imaginations. It also gave interesting opportunities to directors and actors. She plays small roles, or bigger parts in films about children (or sometimes horror): Underneath (95, Steven Soderbergh); The Portrait of a Lady (96, Jane Campion); Twilight of the Ice Nymphs (97, Guy Maddin); Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework (97, Stephen Williams); Alone (97, Michael Lindsay-Hogg); Tale of the Mummy (98, Russell Mulcahy); Casper Meets Wendy (98, Sean McNamara); Home Fries (98, Dean Parisot); Big Monster on Campus (98, Mitch Marcus); The 4th Floor (Josh Klausner); Dreams in the Attic (00, Bob Willems); Manna from Heaven (01, Gabrielle Burton).

Shelley Duvall Edit Profile

actress

Background

Shelley Duvall was born on 7 July 1950 in Houston.

Career

Only once has Shelley Duvall played a large part for anyone except Robert Altman—and that is her wife in The Shining (80, Stanley Kubrick) where, arguably, she is meant as a parody of helplessness, and felt as the casting coup of misogyny. (Like Jack Torrance, Kubrick seemed to regard women as children, hags, or silent beauties—no character allowed.)

It’s as it most other directors didn’t know what to do with Duvall—was she too odd, too Texan, too much an Olive Ovl in waiting? Yet in 3 Women (77, Altman), she is endlesslv intriguing—was that acting, casting, or Altman’s eye? Elsewhere, Altman used her (often briefly) in Brewster McCloud (70); McCabe and Mrs. Miller (71); in the lead in Thieves Like Us (74); as the kooky L.A. Joan in Nashville (75); Buffalo Bill and the Indians (76), as President Cleveland’s wife; and at last as Olive Oyl in Popeye (80).

In addition, she had a scene in Annie Hall (77, Woody Allen) for her strangeness; and she appeared in Time Bandits (81, Terry Gilliam); and Suburban Commando (91, Burt Kennedy).

But in the 1980s the unaccountable woman became a very successful producer for cable TV, notably with Faerie Tale Theatre, a variable series, but one ol the few on American TV that sought to reach children in their gentler imaginations. It also gave interesting opportunities to directors and actors.

She plays small roles, or bigger parts in films about children (or sometimes horror): Underneath (95, Steven Soderbergh); The Portrait of a Lady (96, Jane Campion); Twilight of the Ice Nymphs (97, Guy Maddin); Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework (97, Stephen Williams); Alone (97, Michael Lindsay-Hogg); Tale of the Mummy (98, Russell Mulcahy); Casper Meets Wendy (98, Sean McNamara); Home Fries (98, Dean Parisot); Big Monster on Campus (98, Mitch Marcus); The 4th Floor (Josh Klausner); Dreams in the Attic (00, Bob Willems); Manna from Heaven (01, Gabrielle Burton).