“The Shining” Star Shelley Duvall Dies at 75

Shelley Duvall, the wide-eyed actor renowned for her iconic role in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror masterpiece “The Shining,” has passed away. She died on Thursday in Blanco, Texas, as confirmed by her partner Dan Gilroy to “Variety.” Shelley was 75 years old. According to a family spokesperson, her death was due to complications related to diabetes, as reported by The New York Times.

Duvall’s career was decorated with numerous remarkable performances. She won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as Millie Lammoreaux in Robert Altman’s 1977 film, “3 Women.” Shelley collaborated with Altman on several projects throughout her career, starting with her debut film “Brewster McCloud” in 1970. Their other collaborations included “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” (1971) and “Thieves Like Us” (1974).

Shooting under Kubrick for “The Shining,” adapted from a Stephen King novel, was reportedly quite demanding. According to Variety, Duvall had to shoot some scenes more than 100 times. The unforgettable scene where her character Wendy Torrance swings a baseball bat at Jack Nicholson’s character Jack Torrance made it into the Guinness World Record Book for the most takes of a scene with dialogue.

In the 1980s, Duvall ventured into production and founded Platypus Productions. The company was behind a number of children’s television shows that adapted classic fairy tales. These adaptations were directed by notable filmmakers like Tim Burton, Francis Ford Coppola, and Ivan Passer. The series, called “Faerie Tale Theater,” featured guest stars like Robin Williams, Jamie Lee Curtis, Laura Dern, Molly Ringwald, and many more.