Shelly Duvall Dead at 75

Shelly Duvall wowed everyone with her amazing performance in “The Shining.”

She played Jack Nicholson’s tormented wife in a legendary performance.

Sadly, she passed away at the age of 75.

She’s Gone

Duvall has had a rather rough life over the last few years, suffering from some serious medical setbacks.

In addition to diabetic problems, she was also struggling with her mental health.

On her death, her family stated, “My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley.”

Duvall started her acting career in 1970 with a role in “Brewster McCloud,” and she continued to build her resume over the next decade.

Duvall believed she owed the start of her career to director Robert Altman, whom she met at a party during the filming of “Brewster McCloud.”

She stated, “He offers me damn good roles. None of them have been alike. He has a great confidence in me, and a trust and respect for me, and he doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him.”

The two would work on several other projects together during her career, including “3 Women,” for which she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.

In 1980, she landed the iconic role of Wendy Torrance in “The Shining,” setting the standard for horror performances.

Ironically, her torment in that movie would later reflect the mental struggles she suffered in the years before her death.

Duvall described the Torrance role as “unbearable,” citing the director had her “crying 12 hours a day for weeks on end.”

Duvall remained active in her career through 2002, making only one more movie in 2023, playing Mama in “The Forest Hills.”

Some of the more prominent TV and movies on her resume are “Roxanne,” “L.A. Law,” “Frasier,” “Wishbone,” and “Manna from Heaven.”