Some sad news to report today, as The Shining and Popeye actress Shelley Duvall has passed away at the age of 75. Reports (via FearHQ.com) indicate that Duvall died in her sleep of complications from diabetes at her home in Blanco, Texas.
“My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley,” said Dan Gilroy, her life partner since 1989.
The two-time Emmy nominee had all-but retired from acting by the mid-1990s, but left behind a memorable body of work, including seven films directed by her mentor, Robert Altman.
She made her onscreen debut as Astrodome tour guide Suzanne Davis in Brewster McCloud (1970), later appearing as a mail-order bride in McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971); bank robber Keith Carradine's love interest in Thieves Like Us (1974); groupie L.A. Joan in Nashville (1975); the wife of President Grover Cleveland in Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (1976); and as Millie Lamoureaux in 3 Women (1977).
In 1981, she starred opposite Robin Williams as Olive Oyl in Altman’s live-action Popeye adaptation.
Other notable film appearances include Terrence Malick's Badlands and Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits. But Of course, Duvall's most famous role was that of Wendy Torrance, wife of Jack Nicholson's axe-wielding maniac Jack, in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.
Duvall had a difficult time on the shoot, with notorious perfectionist Kubrick demanding multiple takes that required her to be in a heightened state of emotional distress. This led to rumors that Duvall had been mistreated or traumatized, which she repeatedly refuted.
“If it hadn’t been for the volley of ideas and butting heads together it wouldn’t have come out as good as it did,” Duvall told Kubrick’s assistant in a 1979 interview. “At the end of the day, we knew that it was for the purpose of enhancing the performance. There were no grudges.”
Tributes have been pouring in since the news of Duvall's passing broke.
Our thoughts go out to Duvall's friends and family during this difficult time.