Supporting Shelley Duvall

Sarah L is organizing this fundraiser.

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Once upon a time, Shelley Duvall was a prolific entertainer with three fulfilling decades in film, television, production, and music. Shelley was a Renaissance woman; she put her heart and soul into every film starred in and the various shows she crafted.

I first watched The Shining in 2016 and Shelley reminded me a lot of myself. I quickly became enthralled by her unique beauty and offbeat personality. Others grew up with Shelley many years prior, having seen her groundbreaking children’s show Faerie Tale Theatre where she graced the screen with her signature soft voice – Hello, I’m Shelley Duvall. Shelley also had an impressive 1970s run of often ad-libbed performances in Robert Altman films, he discovered her star potential in her hometown of Houston when she was 21-years-old. Regardless of whether fans first came across Shelley in 1982 or 2016, many have been inspired and deeply touched by her wit, perseverance, and passion as an actress and producer.

In recent years, the public has either witnessed or read about Shelley’s public battles with mental illness. It can be difficult to see someone who was once such a prominent figure on the silver screen now experiencing this stigmatized illness and facing financial strain. Mental illness is debilitating, yet misunderstood and the associated expenses are burdensome and trickle down into affecting her everyday life. It doesn't matter your former occupation or wealth, we all have our hardships. Donations to Shelley in any amount are greatly appreciated so she can get the support she needs.

Since Shelley’s early departure from Hollywood in the mid-1990s due to a culmination of reasons including a 1994 earthquake that destroyed her home, Shelley has lived a reclusive life out of the spotlight in Texas Hill Country. Fast forward through her trailblazing 32-year career to now, Shelley spends her days sitting in the driver's seat of her white Toyota 4Runner often stationed at a local diner or along the river that runs through her small town. While conversations with her can ebb and flow between paranoia and free-associative thoughts to in-depth, coherent memories about her glory years, there is still that same wide-eye twinkle in those “Texas Twiggy” eyes.

The skinny figure that we knew from our television screens has filled out, and those dark, stringy locks have thinned and grayed, but the warm and friendly Shelley is still ever present. Shelley remains proud of her success, and her mind is still sharp as she reminisces on her relationships with Ringo Starr and Paul Simon, her many Hollywood friends like Robin Williams (Shelley’s Popeye co-star), and intriguing behind-the-scenes stories. Her magical tales of decades past are neverending. These happy memories are what Shelley will be celebrated and honored for and not whatever television doctor or fabricated tabloid story comes her way.

Over the past 2.5 years, I’ve been running a growing “fan club” for Shelley online with my Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok pages aptly named @shelleyduvallxo . When I initially started on Instagram, my goal was to simply learn more about Shelley through deep internet dives and archival research. My pages started small, but they have since amassed a staggering number of followers, making me feel appreciative of the audience online, which spans all generations of fans who adore Shelley and want the best for her. I never expected that having this online presence as a “Shelley Duvall connoisseur and curator” would grant me the opportunity to meet Shelley on one warm fall day in September 2022. Since our first rendezvous, our relationship has blossomed into a mutual friendship. She has come to feel like my eccentric grandmother rather than a movie star, and I will forever value every phone or car-side conversation that I have with her – even if it’s about the donkeys in a neighboring yard.

Given my relationship with Shelley, and after consulting with a few others involved in her life, I’ve felt the urge to start this fundraiser for her given her health challenges. No matter who you are, we all deserve love, respect, and compassion, and that is what Shelley continues to deserve.

A special shoutout to all of Shelley’s dedicated fans who still stand beside her. Shelley’s work will always be remembered, and her legacy will live on as new generations come to know her just as I did. I’ll gladly take on that honor.

As renowned film critic Pauline Kael once said “[Shelley Duvall] looks like no one else and she acts like no one else…You feel as if you read her every thought; she convinces you that she has no veils and nothing hidden. Her charm appears to be totally without affectation.” This statement still holds true 50 years later. Shelley still radiates that same charm, and no number of years away from the silver screen has taken it away.

I don’t think any amount of words will do justice to what Shelley means to me, but these paragraphs above will do for now. Your assistance and support are greatly appreciated. No donation to Shelley is too small as we wish for her happily ever after.

Warm wishes,

Sarah

@shelleyduvallxo

Additional Links

Shelley Duvall Fan Club stickers for sale

A lovely feature story on Shelley (Hollywood Reporter, 2021)

"Texas Twiggy" podcast, created by my friend Emma