đź”— Share this article Pauline Collins, Star of the Film Shirley Valentine, Dies at Eighty-Five Years Old Pauline Collins, widely recognized for her role in the movie Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85. Her passing was peaceful in her London residence, in the company of her family after living with Parkinson's disease for several years, as stated by her relatives. Collins will be best remembered for her depiction of unhappy homemaker Shirley in the director's acclaimed film, adapted from the celebrated stage play by playwright Willy Russell. Her critically acclaimed performance won her the Golden Globe for best actress as well as a Bafta. 'Sparkling Personality' Collins starred opposite her husband John Alderton in Upstairs Downstairs, featured between 1971 to 1973 Collins' family said in a statement: "Pauline was so many things to countless individuals, portraying diverse characters in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence 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 knew all those aspects of her personality because her magic was contained in each one of them." The statement continued she was their "devoted mother, our beloved grandmother and great-grandma", and actor John Alderton's "eternal partner" "Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was constantly supportive," they expressed, appreciating her carers, who looked after her with "dignity, compassion, and most of all love" "She experienced a calmer departure. We hope you will remember 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" Broadway Role Collins first played the lead part of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theater in the UK capital in 1988. She received that year's Olivier award for best actress. The following year she returned to the character on Broadway, New York, where she earned several awards including a prestigious Tony award. The film of the same name was released later that year. Additional movie roles included the 1991 film City of Joy with actor Patrick Swayze, filmed in Calcutta, which gained her international fame worldwide. A native of Exmouth in 1940, she grew up near Liverpool and started out her career as a educator. Her passion for theater led her to take up acting on a part-time basis, and in 1957 she appeared briefly as a nurse in the Emergency Ward 10. She featured in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, portraying an imaginary performer in a London striptease nightclub, the Windmill Theatre. Following several theater parts, she used her Liverpool accent to secure a part on The Liver Birds. It was through acting that she met her husband John Alderton. They wed in 1969 and had a family of three, their sons and daughter. The couple performed together in a variety of screen projects, such as the series Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in ITV's popular series.