The acclaimed British actress best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in Shirley Valentine (1990), Pauline Collins, has passed away at the age of 85.
She died “peacefully” aged 85 in her London care home, surrounded by her family, after living with Parkinson’s disease for several years, her family confirmed.
Collins will be remembered for her portrayal of the frustrated housewife Shirley in Lewis Gilbert’s celebrated film, adapted from Willy Russell’s stage play.
Her performance earned her both the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and a Bafta.
Collins’ family 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 were familiar with all those parts of her because her magic was contained in each one of them.”
They added she was their “loving mum, our wonderful grandma and great-grandma”, and actor John Alderton’s “life-long love”.
“Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us,” they continued, expressing gratitude to her carers, who looked after her with “dignity, compassion, and most of all love”.
“She could not have had a more peaceful goodbye. We hope you will remember her at the height of her powers; so joyful and full of energy; and give us the space and privacy to contemplate a life without her.”
Collins first brought Shirley Valentine to life at London’s Vaudeville Theatre in 1988, winning the Olivier Award for Best Actress that same year. She reprised the role on Broadway in New York in 1989, earning numerous accolades including a prestigious Tony Award, and the film adaptation followed shortly after.
Her other notable films include City of Joy (1991) with Patrick Swayze, shot in Calcutta, which brought her wider international recognition.
Born in Exmouth, England, in 1940, Collins grew up near Liverpool and initially worked as a teacher. Her passion for the stage led her to act part-time, and she made her first TV appearance in 1957 with a cameo as a nurse in Emergency Ward 10.
She starred in the 1966 film Secrets of a Windmill Girl, portraying a dancer in a London striptease club, the Windmill Theatre.
Her Liverpool accent later helped her secure a role in the popular TV series The Liver Birds.
Through acting, she met her husband John Alderton; they married in 1969 and had three children: Nicholas, Kate, and Richard.
The couple frequently starred together in television and film, including roles in the beloved ITV series Upstairs, Downstairs, where Collins played a maid.
