Pauline Collins, Lead Actress of the Film Shirley Valentine, Passes Away at the Age of 85
The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, widely recognized for her role in the film Shirley Valentine, has passed away at the age of 85.
She died peacefully in her London residence, in the company of her family after living with Parkinson's for a number of years, according to her relatives.
Collins will be best remembered for her depiction of unhappy homemaker Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's acclaimed film, based on the acclaimed stage play by Willy Russell.
Her critically acclaimed performance also earned her the Golden Globe Award for outstanding actress as well as a BAFTA award.
'Sparkling Personality'
Her relatives released a statement saying: "She was a multifaceted person to countless individuals, playing a variety of roles in her life. An intelligent, lively, and humorous figure on stage and screen. Her distinguished work saw her portray leaders, parents, and royalty."
"Her memory will endure as the iconic, strong-willed, vivacious and wise Shirley Valentine - a part she completely owned. We were familiar with all those aspects of her personality because her charm was embedded in each one of them."
The statement continued she was their "devoted mother, our wonderful grandma and great-grandmother", and her husband John Alderton's "eternal partner"
"Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us," they said, appreciating her caregivers, who cared for her with "dignity, compassion, and most of all love"
"She experienced a more peaceful goodbye. We hope you will remember her at the peak of her career; radiant and energetic; and allow us privacy to reflect on life in her absence"
New York Theater
She initially performed the title role of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theater in London in 1988. She received that year's Olivier Award for best actress.
The following year she returned to the character on Broadway, New York, where she earned several awards including a esteemed Tony Award.
The film of the same name was launched shortly after.
Additional movie roles included 1991's City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, shot in Kolkata, which gained her international fame worldwide.
A native of Exmouth in 1940, she grew up near the city of Liverpool and started out her career as a teacher.
Her love of the stage led her to take up acting on a part-time basis, and in 1957 she had a cameo role as a nurse in the TV series Emergency Ward 10.
She featured in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, playing a fictional dancer in a London adult entertainment venue, the Windmill Theater.
Following several theater parts, she used her Liverpool accent to land a role on The Liver Birds.
It was through acting that she met her husband John Alderton. They married in 1969 and had three children, their sons and daughter.
The couple performed together in a number of television and film roles, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she portrayed a servant in the acclaimed ITV program.