Pauline Collins: A Retrospective
Veteran British actress Pauline Collins passed away at the age of 85 in London. The family shared a statement confirming her peaceful death at her care home, surrounded by loved ones. She had been battling Parkinson's disease for several years.
Career Highlights
Pauline Collins is widely celebrated for her role as Shirley, the fiery housewife in Lewis Gilbert’s film Shirley Valentine. This film, adapted from Willy Russell’s acclaimed stage play, brought her international recognition. Although she was nominated but did not win an Oscar, Collins earned the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and a BAFTA Award for the same role.
Early Life and Beginnings
Born in Exmouth in 1940 and raised near Liverpool, Collins initially trained as a teacher before pursuing acting in the late 1950s. Her screen debut came with a minor part as a nurse in the British medical drama Emergency Ward 10 (1957).
Rise to Fame
Collins’s career developed with roles like the dancer in Secrets of a Windmill Girl (1966). She gained greater popular recognition through television, starring in The Liver Birds and the well-known series Upstairs, Downstairs, becoming a household name throughout the UK.
Signature Role: Shirley Valentine
“Pauline Collins is best known for her iconic role as the angry housewife Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's Shirley Valentine.”
She first portrayed Shirley Valentine on stage at London’s Vaudeville Theatre in 1988 before the role transitioned to film fame.
Summary
Pauline Collins left a lasting legacy with her memorable performances, especially as Shirley Valentine, establishing her as a cherished figure in British acting history.