The Renowned Actress Pauline Collins, Star of the Film Shirley Valentine, Dies at Eighty-Five Years Old
The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, best known for her performance in the movie Shirley Valentine, has died at the eighty-five years old.
She died peacefully in her London care home, in the company of her family after living with Parkinson's disease for a number of years, as stated by her family.
Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of unhappy homemaker Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's award-winning motion picture, adapted from the acclaimed theatrical production by Willy Russell.
Her praised acting also earned her the Golden Globe for outstanding actress along with a Bafta.
'Sparkling Personality'
Her relatives released a statement saying: "She was a multifaceted person to so many people, portraying diverse characters in her life. An intelligent, lively, and humorous figure on theater and film. Her illustrious career saw her portray leaders, parents, and royalty."
"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 each one of them."
They added she was their "devoted mother, our beloved grandmother and great-grandmother", and her husband John Alderton's "life-long love"
"Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us," they said, appreciating her carers, 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 height of her powers; radiant and energetic; 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 Theatre 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 picked up numerous prizes including a prestigious Tony award.
The film of the same name was launched shortly after.
Her other films included 1991's City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, filmed in Calcutta, which gained her international fame globally.
Born in Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near the city of Liverpool and started out her career as a educator.
Her passion for theater inspired her to pursue acting on a part-time basis, and in 1957 she appeared briefly as a medical attendant in the TV series 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 Theater.
Following several theater parts, she employed her regional dialect to secure a part on The Liver Birds.
It was through acting that she encountered her spouse John Alderton. They married 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 the acclaimed ITV program.
