Who was Pauline Collins? The Shirley Valentine star passed away at 85 | Mint

Pauline Collins: A Tribute

Veteran British actor Pauline Collins passed away at the age of 85 in London, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Her family announced that she died peacefully at her care home, surrounded by loved ones.

Career Highlights

Pauline Collins is most famously remembered for her role as Shirley Valentine, the fiery housewife in Lewis Gilbert’s film adaptation of Willy Russell’s acclaimed stage play. Although she did not win the Oscar for which she was nominated, Collins earned the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and received a BAFTA for her performance.

Early Life and Start in Acting

Born in Exmouth in 1940 and raised near Liverpool, Collins initially trained as a teacher before discovering her passion for acting in the late 1950s. She made her screen debut with a small role as a nurse in the British medical drama Emergency Ward 10 (1957).

Rise to Fame

She appeared in films like Secrets of a Windmill Girl (1966), portraying a dancer in a London striptease club. Collins gained widespread recognition through television roles in popular series such as The Liver Birds and Upstairs, Downstairs, becoming a household name in the UK.

International Acclaim

Her international breakthrough came with Shirley Valentine, which she first performed on stage at London’s Vaudeville Theatre in 1988, before starring in the award-winning film adaptation.

"Collins died peacefully at her London care home, surrounded by her family."
"She earned the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and received a BAFTA for her performance."

Pauline Collins’ enduring legacy lies in her unforgettable portrayal of complex, relatable women, leaving a lasting impact on British theatre and cinema.

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Mint Mint — 2025-11-07

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