The Renowned Actress Pauline Collins, Lead Actress of Shirley Valentine, Passes Away at the Age of 85
The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, best known for her role 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 family after living with Parkinson's disease for several years, according to her relatives.
Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of disgruntled housewife Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's award-winning film, adapted from the celebrated stage play by Willy Russell.
Her praised acting also earned her the Golden Globe Award for outstanding actress as well as a Bafta.
'Witty Presence'
Collins' family released a statement saying: "Pauline was so many things to so many people, portraying diverse characters in her career. A bright, sparky, witty presence on theater and film. Her illustrious career saw her play politicians, mothers and queens."
"She will always be remembered as the legendary, determined, lively, and insightful Shirley Valentine - a role that she made all her own. We were familiar with all those aspects of her personality because her magic was contained in every single role."
They added she was their "devoted mother, our beloved grandmother and great-grandma", and actor John Alderton's "life-long love"
"Kind, humorous, giving, considerate, intelligent, she was constantly supportive," they said, thanking her caregivers, who cared for her with "respect, empathy, and above all affection"
"She experienced a more peaceful goodbye. We ask that you recall her at the peak of her career; so joyful and full of energy; and give us the space and privacy to contemplate a life without her"
New York Theater
Collins first played the title role of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theater in the UK capital in 1988. She received that year's Olivier award for best 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 movie adaptation was launched shortly after.
Additional movie roles included the 1991 film City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, shot in Kolkata, which brought her wider recognition globally.
A native of Exmouth in 1940, she grew up near the city of Liverpool and began her professional life as a teacher.
Her passion for theater led her to take up acting on a part-time basis, and in 1957 she appeared briefly as a nurse in the TV series Emergency Ward 10.
She starred in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, playing a fictional dancer in a London striptease nightclub, the Windmill Theatre.
After a number of stage roles, she used her Liverpool accent to land a role on The Liver Birds.
Her acting career that she met her husband John Alderton. They married in 1969 and had three children, Nicholas, Kate, and Richard.
Alderton and Collins starred together in a number of television and film roles, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in ITV's popular series.