Valerie Perrine – known for her Oscar nomination for Best Actress for
Lenny (1974) and for her role in the
Superman saga, died this Monday at her residence in Beverly Hills at the age of 82.
Her passing was announced by her friend and confidant
Stacey Souther, who had accompanied her during years of illness.
The American star had been diagnosed with
Parkinson’s in 2015, an ailment that over time took away her mobility and much of her ability to eat and speak.
“He faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never complaining,” Souther wrote on Facebook, where he also announced a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses, given that
more than 15 years of fighting the disease had exhausted his resources.
“I am devastated by the loss of my incredible sister Valerie,” declared her brother
Ken Perrine, who also suffers from Parkinson’s. “She lived an extraordinary life that most can only dream of. She fought until the end and never gave up.”
Perrine’s last wish was to be buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.
Born on September 3, 1943, in Galveston, Texas,
Valerie Ritchie Perrine was the daughter of a Scottish dancer and a United States Army officer who reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.
The family moved frequently due to the father’s military postings, which led Valerie to live in Japan, Paris, and other places.
She briefly studied psychology at the University of Arizona before dropping out to become a
principal dancer in Las Vegas, where she earned $800 a week as the headliner in a show at the Stardust hotel.
Her film career began in
Slaughterhouse-Five (1972), an adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel directed by
George Roy Hill, where she played the actress Montana Wildhack.
Two years later came the role that would consecrate her: Honey, the wife of the comedian
Lenny Bruce in
Lenny (1974), directed by
Bob Fosse and starring
Dustin Hoffman.
For that performance, Perrine won the Best Actress award at the
Cannes Film Festival, a
BAFTA distinction as the most outstanding newcomer and the
Oscar nomination, although the award ultimately went to Ellen Burstyn for
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
The critic
Roger Ebert noted that
Perrine managed to project “a certain withered sexuality” in her character.
The general public will also remember her for the role of
Eve Teschmacher, secretary and accomplice of Lex Luthor, in
Superman (1978) and
Superman II (1980), alongside Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman.
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In one of the most memorable scenes of the first film, his character rescues the Man of Steel from drowning with kryptonite.
In one of the most memorable scenes of the first film, his character rescues Superman from drowning with kryptonite.
