The Renowned Actress Pauline Collins, Lead Actress of the Film Shirley Valentine, Passes Away at 85
The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, widely recognized for her performance in the film Shirley Valentine, has passed away at the eighty-five years old.
Her passing was peaceful in her London residence, surrounded by her loved ones after battling Parkinson's for several years, according to her family.
Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of unhappy homemaker Shirley in the director's award-winning film, based on the acclaimed theatrical production by playwright Willy Russell.
Her praised acting won her the Golden Globe Award for outstanding actress as well as a BAFTA award.
'Charming and Witty'
Collins' family said in a statement: "Pauline was so many things to so many people, portraying diverse characters in her career. A bright, sparky, witty presence on stage and screen. Her distinguished work saw her play politicians, mothers and queens."
"Her memory will endure as the iconic, strong-willed, vivacious and wise Shirley Valentine - a role that she made all her own. We knew all those aspects of her personality because her magic was contained in every single role."
The statement continued she was their "loving mum, our wonderful grandma and great-grandmother", and actor John Alderton's "eternal partner"
"Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us," they said, appreciating her caregivers, who looked after her with "respect, empathy, and above all affection"
"She could not have had a calmer departure. We hope you will remember her at the height of her powers; radiant and energetic; and give us the space and privacy to contemplate a life without her"
New York Theater
She initially performed the lead part of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theatre in the UK capital in 1988. She won that year's Olivier award for outstanding actress.
The following year she returned to the character on the New York stage, where she earned several awards including a esteemed Tony Award.
The film of the same name was released later that year.
Her other films included 1991's City of Joy with actor Patrick Swayze, filmed in Calcutta, which brought her wider recognition globally.
A native of Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near the city of Liverpool and began her professional life as a teacher.
Her love of the stage inspired her to pursue acting on a side basis, and in 1957 she appeared briefly as a nurse in the Emergency Ward 10.
She starred in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, portraying an imaginary performer in a London adult entertainment venue, the Windmill Theatre.
After a number of stage roles, she employed her regional dialect to secure a part on the show The Liver Birds.
It was through acting that she met her husband John Alderton. They married in 1969 and had a family of three, their sons and daughter.
The couple performed together in a variety of screen projects, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in the acclaimed ITV program.
