‘Fly away beautiful Shelley’: Actress Shelley Duvall, star of The Shining, dies at 75

Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, has died at the age of 75.

Duvall died on Thursday in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas, her longtime partner Dan Gilroy announced.

The cause was complications of diabetes, said her friend, the publicist Gary Springer.

“My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night,” Gilroy said in a statement.

“Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”

Duvall was attending junior college in Texas when Altman’s staff members, preparing to film Brewster McCloud, encountered her as at a party in Houston in 1970.

She would go on to become Altman’s protege.

In addition to her acting career, Shelley recorded Sweet Dreams, an album of music for children in 1991, and a year later Showtime bought her pitch for Faerie Tale Theatre, which she executive produced, narrated and appeared on,

In 1985, Shelley created another showtime series, Tall Tales and Legends, with both programs featuring a string of star guests - including the likes of Mick Jagger, Lisa Minelli, Jeff Bridges, and Vanessa Redgrave - who she persuaded to work for scale.

Shelley married artist Bernard Sampson in 1970 but they divorced four years later.

She went on to date Paul Simon, who she met while filming Annie Hall but the musician eventually left her for her friend Carrie Fisher.

She also lived with Popeye co-star Stan Wilson and then dated Madonna’s former boyfriend Dan, who she met while starring in Disney Channel movie Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme.

She is survived by her three brothers Scott, Stewart and Shane.

with Bang