‘Shirley Valentine’ actor Pauline Collins dead at 85
The Shirley Valentine actor, Pauline Collins, has died peacefully at the age of 85.
Her family shared the news, revealing that she died surrounded by her family in her care home in Highgate, North London. Collins passed from Parkinson’s disease, which she had suffered with for several years.
Collins began her career as a teacher, but slowly switched to appearing in sitcoms; she first started out in the BBC sitcom Liver Birds, but was not a household name until appearing in Upstairs, Downstairs from 1971. Before this, she had married her fellow actor, John Alderton, in 1969.
In 1989, she earned an Oscar nomination and a Bafta for best actress for her role in Shirley Valentine, in which she played a housewife in Liverpool who feels trapped in her world of bleak domesticity. She travels to a Greek island with a friend, whereupon she must embark on her own adventure to find joy again.
Her family paid respects to the star, writing on November 6th, “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.”
They added, “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.”
The statement went on, “More than anything, though, she was our loving mum, our wonderful grandma and great-grandma. Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us. And she was John’s [Alderton’s] lifelong love. A partner, work collaborator and wife of 56 years.”
Later in life, Collins starred as Miss Flite in the BBC’s adaptation of Bleak House in 2005. In 2013, she appeared in Quartet, Dustin Hoffman’s directing debut.
Her family also thanked her carers, who they deemed “angels 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.”
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