Saying Goodbye to Good Influences & Childhood Figures
Shelley Duval and Richard Simmons
It was a big week of losing people in the entertainment world. Shelley Duval was the name I used for my Barbie dolls when it came time to name our dolls. Because it sounded fancy and French. First thing I saw of hers was “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” and then felt very invested in “Popeye” because my God-Father Klaus Voorman played bass on the soundtrack and had a cameo in the film too. I loved he and my God Mothers interesting stories about the making of Popeye in Malta, which was a difficult location to film. When the film came out Shelley Duvall killed it as Olive Oil and even though the film had very mixed reviews, I only loved it. “Three Women” and of course “The Shining” were mind-blowing. Her bold and deep portrails of non-typical women are invaluable as portrayals of the parts of ourselves that aren’t cookie cutter.
She was also a woman who created, produced and executive produced a great TV show “Fairy Tale Theater” that was sucessful and very popular. She cast all all her movie star friends and brilliant big stars. It was fab!
Seeing Shelley Duvall doing a job that mostly men did was such a healthy and hepful thing for me to see. What a great example for women. I was cast in her next TV series, called “Nightmare Classics”. Same idea, but instead of fairy tales, this was adaptations of well-known horror stories.
On set, I watched her every move, both as a fan and now as someone observing a female producer. Taking in how she did what she did in this role. She was nice, calm, confident. I never got to know her personally because I was too busy getting into my role in Carmilla, a Golthic vampire story that predated Draculla by twenty years. I don’t know if the novella was lesbian but this one had lesbian vibes. I wasnt unhappy about that because beautiful , talleneted, alluring Meg Tilly played Carmilla and I was her victum. Thank you Shelly for that experience and for your work and example.
In the same way Shelley Duval was an invaluable inspiration for women, Richard Simmons was an invaluble example to people with body issues.
I love encouraging, warm workout gurus like Richard Simmons. I was also into Jane Fondas video workout. I loved to pop it into the VHS machine and do her class in my childhood living room alone, but not alone because I had her low encouraging voice talking me though moves, with lots of synth and saxaphone in the background. I knew every line, banter and grunt Jane Fonda emitted. She had the same puffy curly aubern hair piled on her head as my mom did in 1982.
While I love and adore Jane Fonda and her strong and warm and encouraging ways, I still sensed her perfectionism. Richard Simmons gave something else in his 80’s day glow era.
As someone who can feel bad about my body, Richard Simmons was the opposite of the current wave of health influencer who are discreetly encouraging eating disorders under the disguise of “wellness”. I loved his come as you are, court jester, almost performance art style - it truly made people happy.
Good bye to these two great influences on my childhood/teen life. As much as they both had well-document ups and downs in their last years, I hope they had some peace.
Love,
Ione