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Shelley Duvall in the 1980 film "Popeye". Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHjfqs3R04T/ (May be subject to copyright) |
I was very curious when I heard “Popeye” was coming to life as a live-action movie. When I saw Robin Williams as the title character, I wasn’t so sure he was the right choice. The hair colour and style was different, the forearms looked off, and even the can of spinach was under stated.
The same could not be said of Shelley Duvall, who I thought was the perfect choice to bring Olive Oyl to life.
I heard today that Shelley Duvall had died, and all the tributes that came pouring in focused on her performance in the horror thriller “The Shining”.
Yet, for me, it always starts with her work in “Popeye”.
The early years
Shelley Duvall got her start in movies in 1970 with “Brewster McCloud”, then was in “McCabe and Mrs. Miller’; “Thieves Like Us”; “Nashville”; “Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson”; “3 Women”; and “Annie Hall”.
Shelley Duvall got her start in movies in 1970 with “Brewster McCloud”, then was in “McCabe and Mrs. Miller’; “Thieves Like Us”; “Nashville”; “Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson”; “3 Women”; and “Annie Hall”.
Meanwhile, she was also appearing on TV in shows such as “Cannon”; “Love, American Style”; “Baretta”; the television movie “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”; and “Saturday Night Live”.
As the calendar flipped to the ‘80s, Shelley Duvall hit the decade running with two of her biggest roles.
The decade
The year 1980 began with Duvall playing Wendy Torrance, wife of the possessed Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, in “The Shining”. Later that year, she breathed life into the cartoon character Olive Oyl, Popeye’s love interest in “Popeye”. Critic Roger Ebert said Duvall was born to play Olive Oyl.
The year 1980 began with Duvall playing Wendy Torrance, wife of the possessed Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, in “The Shining”. Later that year, she breathed life into the cartoon character Olive Oyl, Popeye’s love interest in “Popeye”. Critic Roger Ebert said Duvall was born to play Olive Oyl.
She went on to have roles in “Time Bandits”, in 1981; “Frankenweenie”, in 1984 and “Roxanne” in 1987.
Duvall also did a lot of work on television. She created and hosted “Faerie Tale Theatre” from 1982 to 1987, for a total of 27 episodes. Of those, 25 were re-told classic fairy tales, one was based on the poem “The Pied Piper of Hamelin”, and the last episode was a reunion special. Duvall starred in the episodes “Rumpelstiltskin”; “Rapunzel”; “The Nightingale”; “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”; “Puss in Boots”; and “Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp”.
She created and produced a similar show from 1985 to 1987 called “Tall Tales and Legends” for nine episodes, garnering her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children’s Program in 1988. She also appeared in a 1986 episode of “The Twilight Zone”, produced and starred in the TV movie “Frog” in 1987; and produced a horror anthology series called “Nightmare Classics” in 1989.
The years after
Duvall kept on in both film and television for the next two decades. She appeared in movies such as “Suburban Commando”; “The Underneath”; “The Portrait of a Lady”; “Tale of the Mummy”; “Casper Meets Wendy”; “Home Fries”; “The 4th Floor”; “Boltneck”; and “Manna from Heaven”.
Duvall kept on in both film and television for the next two decades. She appeared in movies such as “Suburban Commando”; “The Underneath”; “The Portrait of a Lady”; “Tale of the Mummy”; “Casper Meets Wendy”; “Home Fries”; “The 4th Floor”; “Boltneck”; and “Manna from Heaven”.
She took a 20-year break from movies before appearing in “The Forest Hills” in 2023, her final film role. It was revealed she had been working on her mental health, and those private challenges were made public when she appeared on “Dr. Phil” in 2016.
She was much more prolific on television, appearing in the TV movies “Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme”; and “Frogs!”; producing television movies and specials, such as “Shelley Duvall’s Bedtime Stories”, which ran 14 episodes and earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Animated Program; and appearing in episodes of “The Ray Bradbury Theater”; “L.A. Law”; “Frasier”; “The Adventures of Shirley Holmes”, for which she was nominated for a Gemini for Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series; “Maggie Winters”; “Wishbone”; and “The Hughleys”.
Shelley Duval died on July 11, 2024 from complications due to diabetes.
She was 75 years old.
It’s relative
The question I always had when I was young was – are Shelley Duvall and Robert Duvall related?
No.
The question I always had when I was young was – are Shelley Duvall and Robert Duvall related?
No.
Parting thoughts
It seems from her body of work that Shelley Duvall's main interests were fairy tales and cartoons, and horror movies. Virtually all of her work is in those two areas, and I think that is really cool.
It seems from her body of work that Shelley Duvall's main interests were fairy tales and cartoons, and horror movies. Virtually all of her work is in those two areas, and I think that is really cool.
She brought life to classic fairy tales, as well as cartoons, and horror stories of all kinds.
Yet to many, she will be known for that role in “The Shining”.
For me, I will always think of Olive Oyl.
I agree with Roger Ebert – Shelley Duvall was born to play Olive Oyl.
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