Shelley with Robert De Niro in The King of Comedy
inset, Sandra Bernhard and Robert De Niro
Shelley landed a coveted role in the early 1980s - that of Cathy Long in the Martin Scorsese film The King of Comedy which had Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis as lead stars. She was to play the Jerry Lewis' character's talent coordinator. Shelley was excited about the part she landed. "I couldn't work because I read for The King of Comedy and got the part," she said, "The picture was delayed and I couldn't take a chance of doing anything else." And her gamble payed off. Not only did she receive glowing reviews for her performance, the film - although not a hit when it was released - has slowly gained a following and is now considered one of Scorsese's finest work.
Shelley as Cathy Long in The King of Comedy, 1983
