🔗 Share this article The Renowned Actress Pauline Collins, Lead Actress of the Film Shirley Valentine, Passes Away at Eighty-Five Years Old Pauline Collins, widely recognized for her role in the movie Shirley Valentine, has died at the eighty-five years old. She died peacefully in her London residence, surrounded by her family after living with Parkinson's disease for a number of years, as stated by her relatives. Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of disgruntled housewife Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's award-winning motion picture, adapted from the acclaimed theatrical production by Willy Russell. Her critically acclaimed performance won her the Golden Globe Award for outstanding actress as well as a BAFTA award. 'Witty Presence' Collins starred opposite her spouse John Alderton in the series Upstairs Downstairs, appearing from 1971 to 1973 Her relatives said in a statement: "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 distinguished work saw her portray leaders, parents, and royalty." "Her memory will endure as the legendary, determined, lively, and insightful Shirley Valentine - a role that she made all her own. We were familiar with all those parts of her because her charm was embedded in every single role." The statement continued she was their "devoted mother, our beloved grandmother and great-grandma", and her husband John Alderton's "life-long love" "Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was constantly supportive," they expressed, appreciating her carers, who cared for her with "respect, empathy, and above all affection" "She could not have had a calmer departure. We ask that you recall her at the peak of her career; radiant and energetic; and give us the space and privacy to reflect on life in her absence" New York Theater She initially performed the lead part 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 Broadway, New York, where she earned several awards including a prestigious Tony award. The movie adaptation 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. A native of Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near the city of Liverpool and started out her career as a educator. Her love of the stage inspired her to pursue acting on a part-time basis, and in 1957 she had a cameo role as a medical attendant 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 striptease nightclub, the Windmill Theatre. Following several theater parts, she employed her regional dialect to secure a part on The Liver Birds. Her acting career that she encountered her spouse John Alderton. They married in 1969 and had a family of three, their sons and daughter. Alderton and Collins starred alongside each other in a variety of screen projects, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she portrayed a servant in ITV's popular series.