Actress Pauline Collins best known for the escapist mid-life comedy Shirley Valentine which made her the toast of London’s West End and Broadway followed by the the smash-hit film version, has died. She won an Olivier and a Tony as well as an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of a bored middle aged wife who finds a new life and lover on a Greek island holiday. It was a ‘liberating, naughty-but-nice adventure that paved the way for Calendar Girls and the Mamma Mia! movies: a buoyant, funny, sunshine-y comedy with a wonderful role for a mature female lead, broaching the subject of female sexuality that was not governed by the usual male ideas about demure youth.’
Valentine was the pinnacle of her career though she continued to have a busy career on the stage and on TV.
Born 3 September 1940 7.40 pm Exmouth, England, with two teachers as parents, she became noticed in the long running tv series Upstairs Downstairs in the 1970s. She was married to John Alderton with whom she had three children, and a fourth born illegitimate was adopted when she was in her twenties and reunited years later.
Pauline had an upbeat, go-getting Sun, Mercury, Mars in Virgo in her 7th; with an excitable and outspoken Uranus in her communicative 3rd in an inventive trine to Neptune, sextile a charming Venus in Cancer conjunct Chiron in her performing 5th house. Her 7th house Libra Moon was sextile Pluto in her hard working 6th and trine Uranus – she would need a supportive partner in life but would not be overly invested in domesticity.
Her three Virgo planets were trine Saturn Jupiter conjunction in Taurus in her financial 2nd so security with money would be important to her.
As befits a Virgo, she said writing was a passion, especially poetry, and she read voraciously – Goethe and Jung were favourites.
Her husband actor John Alderton 22 November 1940 is a Sun Sagittarius trine Pluto with four planets including his Moon falling in her 8th making for a deep if not always easy connection. Their relationship chart probably had a composite New Moon suggesting they felt more whole when together.
She died after suffering for several years from Parkinsons.
Other Virgo actresses come in a range of temperaments – from the reclusive Greta Garbo, the sophisticated, elegant Ingrid Bergman, workmanlike Suranne Jones, sadly addicted Amy Winehouse, sharp tongued Blake Lively and Sydney Sweeney.
In her biwheel, natal inner wheel, Harmonic Age at death outer wheel, we have
Harmonic Age Pluto, ruling natal 8th, conj IC of endings, while Harmonic Age Saturn
was on her 8th cusp of death. HA Saturn rules her 12th, hospitaliization.
Thanks Marjorie. Watching some of the reruns of ‘Upstairs Downstairs’, she brings such pathos to the character of Sarah, the maidservant who has an affair with the son of her employer and the power imbalance this creates. The Virgo stellium and 6th house Pluto seem befitting of such a role, but I can’t help notice how actors live out their astrology in the roles they play. Wonderful actress. RIP.
I met her while she was working on a TV series, ‘Forever Green’. I can only say that she was kind and restrained and of herself, always respectful of the film crew. I see that now with her Virgo, 6th planets, much like the character she played in ‘Upstairs Downstairs’.
I am sorry that she had to suffer from Parkinson’s Disease in her late life. RIP Pauline Collins.