Valerie Perrine, 1943 – 2026

Valerie Perrine, 82, whose successful acting career was derailed by Parkinson’s, died on March 23. Perrine was not pursuing an acting career when an agent spotted her at a party and got her a part in Slaughterhouse-Five (1972). Her showgirl looks (her cheekbones could cut diamonds) plus humor and talent were displayed in Lenny, The Last American Hero, Superman (and Superman II), The Electric Horseman, Water, and the disco camp classic Can’t Stop the Music. Her last film was Silver Skies (2016), in which she costarred as a member of a retirement community (with Howard Hesseman, Barbara Bain, and George Hamilton). She was also the subject of a harrowing 2019 documentary about her illness. Perrine said in 2022: “I have a lot of great memories from my career, and I was fortunate enough to work with some of the greatest people in the business at the time, in the ’70s. The film I’m most proud of is Lenny . . . It was directed by Bob Fosse, who knew exactly what he wanted from me and how to get it.” As far as her illness, she said that “I kept it a secret at Hollywood for as long as I could. My work ethic is that the show must go on.” She advised people with Parkinson’s to “Be positive. Be strong. Stay active.”