🔗 Share this article The Renowned Actress Pauline Collins, Lead Actress of Shirley Valentine, Passes Away at Eighty-Five Years Old Pauline Collins, best known for her role in the film Shirley Valentine, has died at the eighty-five years old. Her passing was peaceful in her London residence, surrounded by 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 unhappy homemaker Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's acclaimed motion picture, based on the celebrated stage play by playwright Willy Russell. Her praised acting won her the Golden Globe Award for best actress along with a BAFTA award. 'Witty Presence' She appeared with her husband John Alderton in the series Upstairs Downstairs, featured between 1971 to 1973 Her relatives released a statement saying: "She was a multifaceted person to so many people, portraying diverse characters in her career. An intelligent, lively, and humorous figure on theater and film. Her distinguished work saw her portray leaders, parents, and royalty." "Her memory will endure 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 every single role." The statement continued she was their "devoted mother, our wonderful grandma and great-grandmother", and actor John Alderton's "eternal partner" "Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was constantly supportive," they said, thanking her carers, who looked after her with "respect, empathy, and above all affection" "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 allow us privacy to contemplate a life without her" Broadway Role Collins first played the title role of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theater in London in 1988. She received that year's Olivier Award for best actress. The following year she returned to the character on the New York stage, where she earned several awards including a prestigious Tony award. The film of the same name was released later that year. Her other films included 1991's City of Joy with actor Patrick Swayze, shot in Kolkata, which brought her wider recognition worldwide. Born in Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near the city of Liverpool and started out her career as a educator. Her passion for theater led her to take up 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 starred in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, portraying an imaginary performer in a London adult entertainment venue, the Windmill Theater. Following several theater parts, she employed her regional dialect to land a role on the show The Liver Birds. Her acting career that she encountered her spouse John Alderton. They married in 1969 and had a family of three, Nicholas, Kate, and Richard. The couple performed together in a variety of screen projects, such as Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in ITV's popular series.