🔗 Share this article Pauline Collins, Star of the Film Shirley Valentine, Dies at the Age of 85 The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, best known for her role in the film Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85. Her passing was peaceful in her London residence, surrounded by her family after living with Parkinson's for several years, according to her family. Her legacy will be defined for her portrayal of unhappy homemaker Shirley in the director's acclaimed film, adapted from the acclaimed theatrical production by playwright Willy Russell. Her praised acting won 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, featured between 1971 to 1973 Collins' family released a statement saying: "She was a multifaceted person to countless individuals, playing a variety of roles in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence on theater and film. Her distinguished work saw her play politicians, mothers and queens." "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 each one of them." The statement continued she was their "devoted mother, our wonderful grandma and great-grandmother", and her husband John Alderton's "life-long love" "Kind, humorous, giving, considerate, intelligent, she was constantly supportive," they said, thanking her carers, who cared for her with "respect, empathy, and above all affection" "She experienced a more peaceful goodbye. We ask that you recall her at the peak of her career; so joyful and full of energy; and give us the space and privacy to reflect on life in her absence" Stage Success 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. A year later she reprised the role on the New York stage, where she picked up numerous prizes including a esteemed Tony Award. The film of the same name was launched shortly after. Her other films included 1991's City of Joy with Patrick Swayze, shot in Kolkata, which brought her wider recognition globally. A native of Exmouth in 1940, she grew up near Liverpool and began her professional life as a teacher. Her love of the stage 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. Following several theater parts, she employed her regional dialect to land a role on the show The Liver Birds. It was through acting that she met her husband John Alderton. They married in 1969 and had a family of three, Nicholas, Kate, and Richard. 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 ITV's popular series.