Shelley Duvall: A Look Back at the ’70s Legend’s Life in 21 Rare Photos

The world just lost a singular star, as actress Shelley Duvall just passed away at age 75 on July 11 due to complications from diabetes.

Duvall, a Texas girl who was discovered by the legendary director Robert Altman at 21, was one of the actresses who defined the '70s, and with her skinny frame, wide eyes and prominent teeth, she had a quirky charisma that hasn't been replicated since her heyday.

Duvall made her debut in Altman's 1970 film Brewster McCloud and became a muse for the director, appearing in acclaimed movies like 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).

While Duvall will always be associated with Altman and the iconoclastic spirit of the '70s, she had her signature role in 1980, when she unforgettably played Wendy Torrance, the tortured wife of Jack Nicholson 's character in The Shining .

Some of Duvall's other notable films include Annie Hall (1977), Time Bandits (1981), Roxanne (1987) and The Portrait of a Lady (1996). In the '80s and '90s, she moved into TV, creating and hosting the cult-favorite children's show Faerie Tale Theatre from 1982 to 1987, among other kid-friendly TV projects.

Duvall stepped away from the spotlight in the '00s, and in her later years there was much cruel speculation about the state of her mental and physical health.

A New York Times profile from earlier this year revealed that while Duvall had her share of personal demons, she was ultimately doing better than many people might have expected, and was living a quiet life in her native Texas. She was even getting ready to be back onscreen for the first time in over 20 years, in the upcoming indie horror movie The Forest Hills .

Here's a look back at Shelley Duvall 's life in pictures.

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1. Young Shelley Duvall

Shelley Duvall looked charming in her 1967 high school yearbook portrait.

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2. Shelley Duvall's first film

Duvall made her debut in Altman's 1970 comedy Brewster McCloud . While she didn't initially set out to be an actress, once Altman discovered her and she started out, she was a natural. As she recalled, "I thought: boy , if it’s this easy, why doesn’t everybody act ?"

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3. Hippie chick

Duvall was known for her huge, expressive eyes, which she accented with spidery mascara and thin brows. She also often wore hippie dresses and had a wonderfully whimsical sense of style.

4. Texas Twiggy

Shelley Duvall's skinny build and colorful, youthful style earned her the nickname of "Texas Twiggy."

5. A '70s groupie

In Nashville , Altman's sprawling look at the world of country music, Duvall played a very of-the-moment groupie clad in hot pants. During production of the film, the actress spent time checking out the Nashville music scene and she even helped to put together her distinctive costumes.

6. Dream girl

Duvall and Sissy Spacek were two of the most unique stars of the '70s, and in 1977 they starred together in Altman's haunting psychological drama 3 Women . Altman said the film came to him in a dream and he had a vision of Duvall starring in it.

7. Pretentious perfection

Duvall had a way with capturing women emblematic of her era. In Woody Allen 's classic rom-com Annie Hall , she played a pretentious Rolling Stone writer who briefly dates Allen, in a very '70s role.

8. Shelley and Paul

Duvall was a '70s it girl, and dated musician Paul Simon . The two met during the filming of Annie Hall .

9. Shelley and friends

Duvall hung out with many other stars of the day. In this picture, she partied with Geraldine Chaplin (the daughter of Charlie) and model-actress Lauren Hutton .

10. Lady in red

Duvall looked glam in this 1979 shot. Sadly, she was a smoker up until her final days.

11. Scream queen

Duvall's performance in The Shining is one of the most harrowing ever captured in a horror movie. Her blood-curdling scream and look of wide-eyed terror became icons of the genre, and for decades, people speculated that director Stanley Kubrick had abused her on set to get such an authentic performance of fear. Duvall said that while Kubrick was demanding, the film didn't actually leave her traumatized as people thought.

12. A charming cartoon

Duvall was perfectly cast as Olive Oyl in Robert Altman's 1980 live-action Popeye movie. In an interview, she said, "As a child I was so embarrassed when the kids would call me Olive Oyl because it meant you were skinny as a rail, you had sparrow legs, and an Adam’s apple. I mean who wants to admit she was born to play Olive Oyl ?”

13. Duvall and Warhol

Pop artist Andy Warhol was known for surrounding himself with interesting people, so of course he wanted to hang out with Shelley Duvall!

14. Fairy wings

While she had no kids of her own, Duvall had a fascinating second act in the '80s with her fantastical children's TV show Faerie Tale Theatre . In this shot, she posed in fairy wings at a party celebrating the show.

15. All smiles

Duvall may not have had Hollywood-perfect teeth, but we think she had a lovely smile that was filled with personality.

16. Lizard friends

In this amusing 1989 shot, Duvall posed with a selection of lizards during the filming of a music video.

17. Little Bo Peep

In 1990, Duvall played Little Bo Peep in Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme , a Disney Channel TV movie filled with an eclectic cast of musicians and comedy stars.

18. Partners in neon

Duvall had a relationship with musician Dan Gilroy from 1989 until her death.

19. A ray of sunshine

Duvall kept her quirky style into the '90s, as evidenced by this sunny tie-dye ensemble.

20. Shelley in curls

Duvall rocked a curly wig at an event in 1994.

21. Shelley in 2024

Duvall looked very different by the end of her life, and spoke with some frustration about the end of her career, saying, "I was a star; I had leading roles... People think it’s just aging, but it’s not. It’s violence ." Despite her struggles, she still looked back fondly on her films and welcomed interest from a new generation of fans.

Duvall will be missed, and there will never be another actress quite like her.