🔗 Share this article Pauline Collins, Star of Shirley Valentine, Dies at 85 The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, best known for her performance in the film Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85. She died peacefully in her London residence, in the company of her loved ones after living with Parkinson's for several years, according to her family. Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of disgruntled housewife Shirley in the director's acclaimed motion picture, adapted from the acclaimed stage play by playwright Willy Russell. Her critically acclaimed performance won her the Golden Globe Award for best actress along with a Bafta. 'Witty Presence' Collins starred opposite her spouse John Alderton in the series Upstairs Downstairs, appearing from 1971 to 1973 Collins' family said in a statement: "Pauline was so many things 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 play politicians, mothers and queens." "She will always be remembered as the iconic, strong-willed, vivacious and wise Shirley Valentine - a part she completely owned. We were familiar with all those aspects of her personality because her charm was embedded in each one of them." The statement continued she was their "loving mum, our beloved grandmother and great-grandma", and her husband John Alderton's "eternal partner" "Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was constantly supportive," they said, appreciating her caregivers, who looked after her with "dignity, compassion, and most of all love" "She could not have had a more peaceful goodbye. 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" Broadway Role She initially performed the lead part of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theatre in the UK capital in 1988. She won that year's Olivier Award for best actress. A year later she returned to the character on the New York stage, where she picked up numerous prizes including a prestigious Tony award. The movie adaptation was launched shortly after. Additional movie roles included the 1991 film City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, filmed in Calcutta, which brought her wider recognition globally. A native of Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near Liverpool and began her professional life as a teacher. Her passion for theater inspired her to pursue acting on a side 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, portraying an imaginary performer in a London adult entertainment venue, the Windmill Theater. After a number of stage roles, she employed her regional dialect to secure a part on the show The Liver Birds. It was through acting that she met her husband John Alderton. They wed in 1969 and had three children, their sons and daughter. The couple performed alongside each other in a variety of screen projects, such as the series Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she portrayed a servant in the acclaimed ITV program.