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Valerie Perrine, Oscar-Nominated Star of Lenny and Superman, Dies at 82

Her long Parkinson’s fight led friends to seek donations for her burial.

Overview

  • Perrine, whose friend and caregiver Stacey Souther confirmed her death Monday, died at home in Beverly Hills at age 82.
  • Souther said she passed peacefully after years with Parkinson’s disease, a nervous system disorder that gradually impaired her movement and speech.
  • Souther launched a GoFundMe to fulfill Perrine’s wish to be interred at Forest Lawn, noting her finances were depleted after more than 15 years of medical costs with support from her brother, Ken.
  • Perrine earned a best actress Oscar nomination for 1974’s Lenny after a 1972 debut in Slaughterhouse-Five and won Cannes’ top acting prize before gaining wide fame as Eve Teschmacher in Superman and its sequel.
  • Obituaries from major outlets also note her beginnings as a Las Vegas showgirl and the 2019 documentary Valerie, which traced her illness and caregiving, highlighting how prolonged health crises can upend an actor’s livelihood.