The Curse of 'The Shining': Shelley Duvall's Death at 75 Marks Latest Tragedy to Strike Infamous Kubrick Film
Duvall fled Hollywood in the '90s and lived in a ramshackle house with her long-term partner, Dan Gilroy.
July 11 2024, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Troubled actress Shelley Duvall’s sudden death this week at 75 marks the latest tragedy to strike Stanley Kubrick’s seemingly cursed film The Shining.
Duvall – who passed away on Thursday just days after her 75th birthday following a battle with diabetes – became the latest casualty of the misfortunes befallen on The Shining since its release 44 years ago.
Prior to her death, Shelley Duvall was a reclusive, broke, woman who believed she was surrounded by aliens.
The original scream queen’s longtime partner Dan Gilroy confirmed Duvall’s passing in a heartbreaking statement Thursday, saying: “My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us.”
Gilroy continued: “Too much suffering lately, now she's free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley.”
Duvall’s death this week brought renewed attention to the myriads of mishaps that have occurred since The Shining’s premiere almost 45 years ago.
Kubrick, who passed away in 1999 and who was considered an infamously difficult director to work with, demanded 87 different takes of Duvall, her co-star Jack Nicholson, and fellow actor Danny Lloyd walking across a street for one scene.
Duvall became so stressed that she began losing clumps of hair and, after The Shining was completed, she largely retired from acting.
The on-set torture only continued when Kubrick kept Duvall isolated from the rest of the cast and constantly berated the actress to improve her performance as the character Wendy Torrance.
Actors and insiders familiar with the making of The Shining claimed that Kubrick forced Duvall and Nicholson to shoot the film’s infamous "give me the bat" scene 127 different times.
Duvall became so stressed that she began losing clumps of hair and, after The Shining was completed, she largely retired from acting.
The actress discussed the brutal treatment she endured, as well as her subsequent appreciation for Kubrick, during an interview about the making of the Stephen King adaptation.
Kubrick forced Duvall and Jack Nicholson to shoot the film’s infamous "give me the bat" scene 127 different times.
She explained: “You appreciate all the pain. I mean you always dislike whatever the cause is of pain. You always resent it. So I resented Stanley at times because he pushed me. And it hurt. And I resented him for it.
“I thought, ‘Why do you want to do this to me? How can you do this to me?’ You agonize over it. And it’s just a necessary turmoil to get out of it what you want out of it.”
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But Duvall also acknowledged her respect for Kubrick, explaining: “We had the same end in mind, it was just that sometimes we differed in our means. And by the end, the means met. And I find I really respect him, and really like him. Both as a person and as a director.
“I’m amazed. He’s taught me more than I've learned on all the other pictures I’ve done, within one year’s time on one picture.”
87-year-old Nicholson, who starred opposite Duvall as the demented character Jack Torrance, has become a recluse in recent years.
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Kubrick’s terrible treatment toward Duvall was not the only tragedy to befall The Shining during – and especially in the years following – the film’s completion.
A massive fire later broke out during the grueling shoot and destroyed two sound stages – one of which being the set for the infamous "bat scene." It was never discovered what caused the fires.
The apparent curse of The Shining only continued when Kubrick passed away suddenly in his sleep following a devastating heart attack on March 7, 1999. He was just 70 years old.
87-year-old Nicholson, who starred opposite Duvall as the demented character Jack Torrance, has become a recluse in recent years. RadarOnline.com learned the legend’s closest pals fear that his “sad last days” are just around the corner.
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