🔗 Share this article Pauline Collins, Star of the Film Shirley Valentine, Dies at 85 The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, widely recognized for her role in the movie Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85. 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, according to her family. Collins will be best remembered for her depiction of disgruntled housewife Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's acclaimed film, based on the acclaimed stage play by Willy Russell. Her critically acclaimed performance also earned her the Golden Globe for outstanding actress along with a Bafta. 'Sparkling Personality' Collins starred opposite her spouse John Alderton in the series Upstairs Downstairs, appearing from 1971 to 1973 Her relatives said in a statement: "She was a multifaceted person 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 portray leaders, parents, and royalty." "She will always be remembered as the legendary, determined, lively, and insightful Shirley Valentine - a part she completely owned. We were familiar with all those aspects of her personality because her charm was embedded in every single role." They added she was their "devoted mother, 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 said, appreciating her caregivers, who cared for her with "respect, empathy, and above all affection" "She could not have had a calmer departure. We hope you will remember her at the height of her powers; radiant and energetic; and give us the space and privacy to contemplate a life without her" Broadway Role 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 Broadway, New York, where she earned several awards including a esteemed Tony Award. The movie adaptation was launched shortly after. Her other films included the 1991 film City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, shot in Kolkata, which gained her international fame worldwide. A native of Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near the city of Liverpool and began her professional life as a educator. Her passion for theater led her to take up acting on a part-time basis, and in 1957 she had a cameo role as a nurse 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. After a number of stage roles, she used her Liverpool accent to land a role on The Liver Birds. Her acting career that she encountered her spouse John Alderton. They wed in 1969 and had a family of three, Nicholas, Kate, and Richard. The couple performed alongside each other in a number of television and film roles, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in the acclaimed ITV program.