The iconic actress passed away peacefully, surrounded by family
SHIRLEY Valentine actor Pauline Collins has died “peacefully” aged 85 in her London care home, surrounded by her family.
The award-winning actress had endured Parkinson’s disease for several years before her tragic passing, her family said.
She starred in the first series of sitcom The Liver Birds but did not become a household name until getting a regular role in Upstairs, Downstairs in 1971.
Her role as the maid Sarah in British drama Upstairs, Downstairs launched Collins into stardom.
The character appeared regularly throughout the first two series of the drama.
During the second series she appeared alongside her husband John Alderton.
The couple would later star in the spin-off series Thomas and Sarah in 1979.
In 1988, Collins starred in the one-woman play Shirley Valentine in London before taking the role to Broadway in 1989 and acting in the 1989 film adaptation.
The British romantic comedy-drama was turned into a movie directed by Lewis Gilbert with the screenplay written by Willy Russell.
It follows middle-aged Shirley Valentine in an unexpected discovery of herself and the rekindling of her childhood dreams and youthful love of life.
The film adaptation of the hit play won a number of awards and nominations.
Collins was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Shirley Valentine and took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
The play and the movie famously broke the fourth wall with the character Shirley Valentine directly addressing the audience throughout the story.
Collins also appeared on episodes of Doctor Who, playing Samantha Briggs on the sci-fi show in 1967.
Collins married actor John Alderton in 1969 and lived out her life in Hampstead, London with her husband.
She is survived by the pair’s three children Nicholas, Kate, and Richard.
She also has an older daughter, Louise, but made the “heart-breaking” decision to give Louise up for adoption in 1964.
They were reunited when Louise was 21 years old with Collins penning a book, Letter To Louise, documenting the saga.
The emotional autobiography was published in 1992.
Pauline’s husband said: “Pauline Collins was a remarkable star. I had the great good fortune to have worked with her more than any other actor in our many TV series, films and West End stage shows together, and watched her genius at close quarters.
“What I saw was not only her brilliant range of diverse characters but her magic of bringing out the best in all of the people she worked with.
“She wanted everyone to be special and she did this by never saying ‘Look at me’. It’s no wonder that she was voted the nation’s sweetheart in the 1970s.
“She will always be remembered for Shirley Valentine, not only for her Oscar nomination or the film itself, but for clean-sweeping all seven awards when she portrayed her on Broadway in the stage play, in which she played every character herself.
“But her greatest performance was as my wife and mother to our beautiful children.”
Born in Exmouth in 1940, Collins was raised near Liverpool and began her career as a teacher.
But after taking up acting part-time, she landed her first television role as a nurse in the series Emergency Ward 10.
Collins also won great acclaim for her role in 1997 film Paradise Road, which tells the story of a group of women in a Japanese prisoner of war camp who defy their captors by founding an orchestra.
The film also starred Glenn Close, Cate Blanchett and Frances McDormand.
In 2001 Collins was made an OBE by the late Queen Elizabeth for her services to drama.
Collins’ family have issued a heartbreaking statement reading: “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.
“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.
“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 (Alderton)’s lifelong love. A partner, work collaborator, and wife of 56 years.
“We particularly want to thank her carers: 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.”
