The Renowned Actress Pauline Collins, Lead Actress of Shirley Valentine, Dies at 85
Pauline Collins, widely recognized for her performance in the film Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85.
She died peacefully in her London residence, in the company of her family after battling Parkinson's for a number of years, according to her relatives.
Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of disgruntled housewife Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's award-winning motion picture, based on the celebrated theatrical production by playwright Willy Russell.
Her critically acclaimed performance won her the Golden Globe Award for best actress along with a BAFTA award.
'Witty Presence'
Collins' family released a statement saying: "She was a multifaceted person to so many people, playing a variety of roles in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence on theater and film. Her illustrious career saw her play politicians, mothers and queens."
"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 parts of her because her charm was embedded in every single role."
The statement continued she was their "loving mum, 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, appreciating her carers, who looked after her with "respect, empathy, and above all affection"
"She experienced a more peaceful goodbye. We hope you will remember her at the peak of her career; so joyful and full of energy; and allow us privacy to contemplate a life without her"
New York Theater
She initially performed the title role of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theater in London in 1988. She won that year's Olivier award for outstanding actress.
The following year she reprised the role on the New York stage, where she earned several awards including a esteemed Tony Award.
The movie adaptation was released later that year.
Additional movie roles included the 1991 film City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, filmed in Calcutta, which brought her wider recognition worldwide.
A native of Exmouth in 1940, she grew up near 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 TV series 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 used her Liverpool accent to secure a part on The Liver Birds.
Her acting career that she met her husband John Alderton. They wed 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 the series Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in the acclaimed ITV program.