Pauline Collins, Star of ‘Shirley Valentine’ on Stage and Screen, Dies at 85
Pauline Collins, the celebrated British actress known for her dynamic performances and inspiring portrayal in Shirley Valentine, has passed away at the age of 85. She had been living with Parkinson’s disease for several years and died at her home in London, her family announced on Thursday.
Career Highlights
Collins earned an Oscar nomination and won Olivier and Tony awards for her role in Shirley Valentine, a performance that encouraged many to seek change in unhappy lives. She also gained recognition for her BAFTA-nominated role as Sarah Moffatt, the spirited parlor maid in the first two seasons of Upstairs, Downstairs.
Her character shared a romance with chauffeur Thomas Watkins, played by John Alderton, Collins’ husband and frequent co-star.
Notable Film Roles
- In Roland Joffé’s City of Joy (1992), Collins portrayed an Irish nurse who persuades a doctor (Patrick Swayze) to run a clinic in India.
- She appeared in Bruce Beresford’s Paradise Road (1997), where she played a missionary organizing a women's vocal orchestra in a World War II Japanese prisoner-of-war camp, alongside Glenn Close and Frances McDormand.
- Collins reunited with Glenn Close in Rodrigo García’s Albert Nobbs (2011) as the hotel owner.
- She starred in Quartet (2012), directed by Dustin Hoffman, with Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, and Tom Courtney, portraying a retired opera singer struggling with dementia.
"Pauline Collins inspired women — and men, too — to do something to change their unhappy lives with her performances in Shirley Valentine."
Her legacy remains as a powerful influence both on stage and screen, celebrated for her warmth, talent, and resilience.
Author’s Summary: Pauline Collins, acclaimed actress famous for Shirley Valentine and numerous film and TV roles, has died at 85 after battling Parkinson’s disease, leaving a lasting legacy.