Valerie Perrine, best known for playing Eve Teschmacher in the 1978 film 'Superman', died on Monday at her home in Beverly Hills, California. She was 82. The cause of death was cardiac arrest, with Parkinson's disease as a contributing factor, according to her longtime partner Stacey Souther.
Perrine was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2015. Souther told The Hollywood Reporter: 'She faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never once complaining. She was a true inspiration who lived life to the fullest - and what a magnificent life it was. The world feels less beautiful without her in it.' As the disease progressed, it eventually took away her mobility, as well as her ability to eat and talk.
A GoFundMe page had been set up to cover Perrine's medical costs. Following her death, donations will go towards giving her 'the farewell she deserves' and fulfilling her wish to be buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills. Her brother Ken, who also has Parkinson's, wrote on the page: 'I am devastated by the loss of my amazing sister Valerie this morning. She lived an extraordinary life most us can only dream of.'
Born in Galveston, Texas, on September 3, 1943, Perrine briefly studied psychology at the University of Arizona before leaving to become a showgirl in Las Vegas. She later moved to Los Angeles and began acting. Her breakout role was as Honey Bruce in the 1974 film 'Lenny', for which she won the BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles and the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. She was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Perrine played Eve Teschmacher in 'Superman' (1978) and its 1980 sequel. In the first film, her character conspires with Lex Luthor but ultimately saves Superman. She also appeared in 'The Last American Hero' (1973), 'The Electric Horseman' (1979), and 'Can't Stop the Music' (1980), which she later said ruined her career. Tributes have poured in from fans on social media, with one writing: 'She was beautiful in her youth and an incredibly talented actress.'
