Valerie Perrine, the beloved actress from Superman movies, dies at 82

Valerie Perrine, who played the part of Eve Teschmacher in Superman: The Movie (1978) and Superman-II (1980) died at age 82. Valerie suffered with a courageous battle against Parkinson’s disease, and passed away on Monday morning at her home in Beverly Hills, California.

From a showgirl to a Hollywood star: The journey of Valerie Perrine

Her friend Stacey Souther announced on Facebook saying, “It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that Valerie has passed away. She faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never once complaining. The world feels less beautiful without her in it.”

Valerie Perrine was born in Galveston, Texas on September 3, 1943 and started working as a showgirl at the Stardust Resort & Casino in Las Vegas in 1968. In 1972, she unexpectedly began acting when she was cast as Montana Wildhack in the movie version of Slaughterhouse-Five, based on Kurt Vonnegut's book.

While asked about her journey Valerie once said, “Acting wasn’t something I pursued. I was at a small dinner party where an agent was looking for someone to play the role of Montana Wildhack in George Roy Hill’s film production of Slaughterhouse-Five. The agent saw something in me and thought I would be perfect for the part. That’s how I became an actress.”

Following The Last American Hero (1973), she earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Lenny Bruce’s wife (played by Dustin Hoffman) in Lenny (1974). Valerie gained fame for portraying Eve Teschmacher in Superman: The Movie as Lex Luthor's assistant as a romantic interest. She also reprised the role in Superman II. Also during 1980, she appeared in the disco comedy Can't Stop the Music with the Village People and Caitlyn Jenner, but it received mixed reviews. Valerie felt it ‘ruined’ her career, and moved to Europe after that.

She starred in several films including W.C. Fields and Me(1976) with Rod Steiger, and The Electric Horseman (1979) with Robert Redford. Furthermore, she made history as being the first actress to deliberately expose her breasts while acting, when she appeared in the PBS telefilm Steambath (1973).

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