Quick Facts Shelley Duvall

  • NameShelley Duvall
  • Birth NameShelley Alexis Duvall
  • Birth Year1949
  • Birth month7
  • FatherRobert Richardson Duvall
  • NationalityAmerican
  • Birth PlaceFort Worth, Texas
  • EthnicityWhite
  • Profession Actress, Producer
  • Working ForVarious film and TV productions
  • Net WorthEstimated between $500,000 to $5 million
  • SalaryEarned modestly, stating "I didn't paid much – scale plus 10 percent"
  • Eye ColorBlue
  • Hair ColorBrown
  • MarriedDivorced
  • Married toBernard Sampson (m. 1970-1974)
  • EducationAttended South Texas Junior College, studied nutrition and diet therapy
  • TV ShowFaerie Tale Theatre, Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales & Legends

Early Life and Discovery

Shelley Duvall was born in 1949 in Fort Worth, Texas. She grew up in Houston and was known as a rather energetic, artistic child.

Shelley Duvall in her early acting days. Source: Pinterest

Having been spotted at an engagement party by talent scouts, Duvall set off her film career in Robert Altman’s Brewster McCloud in 1970.

Collaboration with Robert Altman

The early part of Duvall’s career was marked by her work with the director Robert Altman. She made several of his glittering 1970s films, from McCabe & Mrs. Miller through Thieves Like Us and Nashville to 3 Women, which earned her the Best Actress award at Cannes.

Shelley Duvall Iconic Roles in the 1980s

Duvall’s most famous roles came in the 1980s. During this decade, she portrayed Olive Oyl in the live-action Popeye film and gave a critically acclaimed performance as Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, opposite Jack Nicholson.

Memorable 1980s performances by Shelley Duvall. Source: Pinterest

Shelley Duvall Children’s Television Producer

In the second half of the 1980s, she produced and hosted several children’s television series, most notably the critically acclaimed Faerie Tale Theatre and Shelley Duvall’s Tall Tales & Legends.

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Marriage and Net Worth

Duvall married the artist Bernard Sampson in the early 1970s. In her lifetime, she netted an estimated $500,000 to $5 million but experienced financial problems toward the end of her life.

Shelley Duvall with husband Bernard Sampson in the early 1970s. Source: Pinterest

Financial Struggles and Relocation

Reports had it that Duvall lost over $1 million gambling and was further taken advantage of by people in her life. She eventually moved from her Los Angeles mansion into a small apartment in Texas in the 1990s.

Comeback and Retirement

After a 20-year break from acting, Duvall made a comeback with the 2023 horror film The Forest Hills. She has spoken about her elation at returning to acting, despite all she has been through in her acting career.

Shelley Duvall Tragic Passing

She died tragically on July 11, 2024, at age 75, when complications from diabetes suddenly took her life. This is confirmed by her long-time partner, Dan Gilroy.

Remembering Shelley Duvall: A talent lost, but her legacy shines on. Source: Pinterest

Despite it all, the streak of innovative, fearless acting from artistic children’s television work added to this palette by an incredible late-career comeback will live to inspire even further generations.

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