On Monday (March 23, 2026), we learned of the passing of actress Valerie Perrine, who is beloved by movie fans everywhere for her memorable portrayal of the henchwoman with a heart of gold, Eve Teschmacher from Superman and Superman II (the ones with Christopher Reeve…a/k/a the best ones.)
Valerie was born in Galveston, Texas on September 3, 1943. She was the daughter of a lieutenant colonel in the Army and traveled quite a bit in her youth. Valerie began her professional career in 1968, when she became a showgirl in the Lido de Paris revue at the Stardust Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
She was a standout in her first film, Slaughterhouse Five, in 1972 and went on to be nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe (and won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival) for her performance as comedian Lenny Bruce’s wife, Honey, in Bob Fosse’s 1974 film Lenny. After we all fell in love with Valerie in Superman, she went on to star in the camp classic Can’t Stop the Music with the Village People and had a memorable cameo in The Cannonball Run.
Valerie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015. Her friend (and guardian angel) Stacey Souther made a moving documentary about her life and fight against the disease, called Valerie. Stacey has also set up a GoFundMe to help cover Valerie’s funeral expenses. As Stacey says in the campaign, “Valerie Perrine gave everything she had to her craft, her fans, and her life — with grace, humor, and an indomitable spirit that Parkinson’s itself could never fully extinguish. Let’s make sure her final chapter is written with the same dignity and love that she gave to all of us.”
Thanks for everything, Valerie. You will be greatly missed.
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