Like all the women who were once Supermodels and all the women who were once employed at the Townsend Agency, Shelley had a hard time shaking off the bimbo/mediocre-actress image that unfortunately came with the territory. Although she had received great reviews for her work on both stage and screen, Shelley's acting triumphs went mostly unnoticed (at the time) as publicity for her stage work was minimal and her small and big screen efforts didn't result in a ratings bonanza or box-office gold. She did surprise many of her harshest critics though, as well as fans who have followed her career through the years. And like all the women who used to be Supermodels or Angels, she preferred to keep her distance from anything referring to her previous "claims to fame" as they seemed to be hurting her acting career. There was a stigma associated with being a Supermodel and an Angel - instant fame was guaranteed, but critical acclaim went hardly noticed - and Shelley was not spared.
