The Renowned Actress Pauline Collins, Lead Actress of the Film Shirley Valentine, Passes Away at the Age of 85
Pauline Collins, best known for her role in the movie Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85.
Her passing was peaceful in her London care home, in the company of her loved ones after living with Parkinson's for several years, as stated by her relatives.
Her legacy will be defined for her depiction of unhappy homemaker Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's award-winning film, adapted from the acclaimed theatrical production by Willy Russell.
Her critically acclaimed performance also earned her the Golden Globe Award for outstanding actress along with a BAFTA award.
'Sparkling Personality'
Her relatives said in a statement: "Pauline was so many things to so many people, playing a variety of roles in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence on stage and screen. Her illustrious career saw her play politicians, mothers and queens."
"She will always be remembered as the iconic, strong-willed, vivacious and wise Shirley Valentine - a role that she made all her own. We knew all those parts of her because her charm was embedded in each one of them."
The statement continued she was their "devoted mother, our beloved grandmother and great-grandma", and actor John Alderton's "life-long love"
"Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was constantly supportive," they expressed, thanking her caregivers, who cared for her with "dignity, compassion, and most of all love"
"She experienced a more peaceful goodbye. We ask that you recall her at the peak of her career; radiant and energetic; and give us the space and privacy to reflect on life in her absence"
New York Theater
Collins first played the title role of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theatre in the UK capital in 1988. She received 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 prestigious Tony award.
The film of the same name was launched shortly after.
Additional movie roles included the 1991 film City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, filmed in Calcutta, which gained her international fame worldwide.
A native of Exmouth in 1940, she grew up 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 part-time basis, and in 1957 she had a cameo role as a medical attendant in the Emergency Ward 10.
She featured in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, portraying an imaginary performer in a London striptease nightclub, the Windmill Theater.
After a number of stage roles, she employed her regional dialect to secure a part on The Liver Birds.
Her acting career that she encountered her spouse John Alderton. They wed in 1969 and had three children, their sons and daughter.
The couple performed together in a variety of screen projects, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she portrayed a servant in ITV's popular series.
