Shelley Alexis Duvall was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Bobbie Ruth (Massengale) and Robert Richardson Duvall. Her mother humorously gave her the nickname "Manic Mouse" due to her energetic and playful nature as a child. Shelley was raised in Houston and had three brothers: Scott, Shane, and Stewart.
Shelley graduated from Waltrip High School and initially became a cosmetics salesperson. However, she was discovered by talent scouts at a local party in 1970, which led to her first film role in Brewster McCloud. She went on to appear in several successful films, including McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Thieves Like Us, Nashville, and 3 Women, for which she won the Best Actress award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival.
Shelley is famously known for her role as Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, which was a challenging experience due to Kubrick's demanding and psychologically tormenting behavior. She also starred as Olive Oyl in the 1980 film Popeye, for which she sang several songs.
In the 1980s, Shelley continued to act in films, including Time Bandits, Frankenweenie, and Roxanne. She also founded her own production company, Platypus Productions, and produced several television programs, including Fairy Tale Theatre and Tall Tales and Legends.
