Valerie Perrine, Oscar‑nominated actress, dies at 82
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- Valerie Perrine died at age 82, as reported by filmmaker Stacey Souther.
- Stacey Souther announced Perrine’s death on Facebook and launched a GoFundMe to fund her burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
- Valerie Perrine was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015; Souther made a 45‑minute documentary on her experience that premiered in 2019.
- Valerie Perrine began as a Las Vegas showgirl, left after her fiancé’s accidental shooting, and later had an affair with Jay Sebring, who was later murdered by the Manson Family.
- Valerie Perrine became the first female actor to appear intentionally nude on US TV in the 1973 PBS play Steambath, a scene later used to raise funds for the broadcaster.
- Valerie Perrine earned an Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe nomination, and won the Cannes Best Actress award for her role as Honey Bruce in the 1974 biopic Lenny.
- Valerie Perrine played Lex Luthor’s moll Miss Teschmancher in Superman (1978) and its sequel, and later said her cameo in the 1980 film Can’t Stop the Music ruined her career.
Why it matters: Fans and the Hollywood community lose a pioneering actress whose career spanned groundbreaking roles, while the GoFundMe campaign mobilizes supporters to fulfill her final wish of a Forest Lawn burial, highlighting the financial strain of long‑term illness on aging performers.
