Shelley Duvall

Birth Name: Shelley Alexis Duvall

Place of Birth: Tarrant, Texas, U.S.

Date of Birth: July 7, 1949

Ethnicity: English, some German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, distant Welsh and French Huguenot

Shelley Duvall is an American actress, producer, writer, singer, and comedian. She has featured in the films Brewster McCloud, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Thieves Like Us, Nashville, Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson; 3 Women, Annie Hall, The Shining, Popeye, Time Bandits, Roxanne (1987), The Portrait of a Lady, Twilight of the Ice Nymphs, Casper Meets Wendy, Home Fries, The 4th Floor, and Manna from Heaven, and the short film Frankenweenie, and on television’s Faerie Tale Theatre, Tall Tales & Legends, and Nightmare Classics.

She is the daughter of Ruth, a real estate broker, and Robert Duvall, a cattle auctioneer and lawyer. She was raised mostly in Houston. Her surname traces back to a distant French Huguenot ancestor.

Shelley’s paternal grandfather was Robert Earle Duvall (the son of James Dumont Duvall and Mary Olivia Whitsett). Robert was born in Mississippi. James likely was the son of John Sylvester Duvall and Guisie Nancy Ann Jane Ginsey Young. Mary Olivia was the daughter of John Glenn Whitsett and Octavia Chaney Williamson.

Shelley’s paternal grandmother was Leah Lois Richardson (the daughter of John William Richardson and Annie Ardis Moore). Leah was born in Texas. John was the son of John Wesley/Westley Richardson and Mary Melvina/Mavina Smith. Annie was the daughter of William James Moore and Sarah Elizabeth Shamburger.

Shelley’s maternal grandfather was Benjamin Franklin/Frank Massengale (the son of Ned Rufus John Massengale and Lula Mae Beatrice/Bee Caldwell). Benjamin was born in Texas. Ned was the son of William Alan/Alen/Allen Massengale and Nancy M./A. Champion.

Shelley’s maternal grandmother was Sally/Sallie Pauline Merrell (the daughter of Walter Bruce Merrell and Lemma Mae Merrell). Sally was born in Texas. Walter and Lemma were both born with the same surname. Walter was the son of William Lemuel Merrell and Ellinore B. “Noda” Bruce. Lemma was the daughter of Alexander Andrew Merrell and Sarah Elizabeth Black.

Sources: Shelley’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Shelley’s paternal grandmother, Leah Lois (Richardson) Duvall (focusing on her own mother’s side) – http://www.findagrave.com

Genealogies of Shelley’s maternal grandparents, Benjamin Franklin/Frank Massengale and Sally/Sallie Pauline (Merrell) Massengale Hall – http://findagrave.com

6 Responses

  1. laddmannen says:

    most famous non-famous person

    • passingtime85 says:

      She had a fairly successful career for a while.

      • jackson9 says:

        Come on @Passingtime85 you really think she is more famous than Guy Lafleur one of the greatest hockey players who ever lived or Lynn Swann a Super Bowl MVP and almost a Governor or Lou Piniella a multiple WS champion with the Yankees and 3X Manager of the year or even Karen Santucci who is less famous than the first year but more famous and has been regarded as a great author and illustrator for multiple years counting. lol they called them “irrelevant” but monkeys getting their own pages like Crystal the Monkey makes A LOT of sense! @laddmannen is spot on!

        • passingtime85 says:

          Different realms of fame. Some people don’t pay attention to sports, tv/movies, and/or literature. In the realm of tv and movies Shelley Duvall was fairly prolific.

          Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theatre and Shelley Duvall’s Tall Tales & Legends while short lived, had some of the most recognizable names in Hollywood show up, and by proxy, means Shelley was at least in part as recognizable as her cohorts.

          There was a decade long period when Shelley was fairly famous.

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