Shelley Duvall, Star of 'The Shining', Dead At 75

She died from complications caused by diabetes

Shelley Duvall, Star of 'The Shining', Dead At 75
"The Shining" star Shelley Duvall (Far Right) died Thursday due to complications from diabetes, just a few days after her 75th birthday on July 7. RAPH GATTI/AFP via Getty Images

"The Shining" star Shelley Duvall died Thursday due to complications from diabetes, just a few days after her 75th birthday on July 7.

Duvall's partner, musician Dan Gilroy, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter, saying she died in her sleep at 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," Gilroy said in a statement to THR.

Perhaps best known for playing the tormented wife of Jack Nicholson's character Jack Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining" in 1980, Duvall also starred in numerous films directed by Robert Altman and founded the production company Think Entertainment.

Duvall made her film debut in Altman's "Brewster McCloud" in 1970, and went on to appear in six more Altman films. She famously starred as Olive Oyl opposite Robin Williams in Altman's live-action "Popeye."

Duvall was also dedicated to children's programming and entertainment, recording an album of children's music, "Sweet Dreams," in 1981. A year later, she executive produced and appeared in the Peabody Award-winning Showtime series "Faerie Tale Theatre." The anthology series featured A-list directors and stars including Tim Burton, Francis Ford Coppola, Mick Jagger, Robin Williams and Vanessa Redgrave.

She also created the Showtime folk-tale anthology series "Tall Tales & Legends," which earned her an Emmy nomination in 1988 for Outstanding Children's Program.

In 1987, she founded Think Entertainment, focused on family entertainment including "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle" and "Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories," the latter of which earned her an Emmy nomination in 1992 for Outstanding animated program.

Duvall and Gilroy began their relationship after meeting on the set of the Disney Channel's 1990 movie "Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme."

The pair left Hollywood for Texas in the 1990s, and Duvall left the spotlight. After 20 years away from acting, she made her final appearance in the 2023 horror film "The Forest Hills."

--with reporting by TMX

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