British actress Pauline Collins, known for her roles in “Shirley Valentine,” passed away in London on Thursday. She was 85 years old.
The BBC reported that Collins passed away peacefully in a care home surrounded by his family. Collins had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for several years.
Ms Collins’ family told the BBC: “Pauline was many things to many people and played many different roles throughout her life. She was a bright, sparkling and resourceful presence on stage and screen.” “During her illustrious career, she played politicians, mothers and queens. She will forever be remembered as the iconic, strong-willed, bubbly and wise Shirley Valentine, a role she made her own. We knew all of those parts of her because her magic was in each one.”
Born in Exmouth, Devon, Collins was educated at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She started her professional work as a teacher before starting her career as an actress. Collins made her West End debut in 1962 in The Passion Flower Hotel and her first role in 1966 in The Windmill Girl.
In 1967, Collins appeared in Doctor Who’s The Faceless as Samantha Briggs, co-starring Patrick Troughton and Fraser Hinds. In the late 1970s, Collins played the role of Sarah in Upstairs and Downstairs, appearing regularly throughout the series.
In 1988, Collins starred in a one-woman play titled Shirley Valentine, which was later revived on Broadway and appeared in a 1989 film version. Collins was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for her role as a bored housewife who comes back to life after meeting a man in Greece.
After her role in Shirley Valentine, Collins appeared in ITV’s Forever Green, produced and written by Terrence Brady and Charlotte Bingham.
In 2001, Collins was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Birthday Honors for his services to drama.
Ms Collins is survived by her husband John Alderton and their three children Nicholas, Kate and Richard.
