Valerie Perrine Biography

Before joining the show business, Valerie Perrine used to be a showgirl in Las Vegas. Later, she made her debut in the 1972 sci-fi film ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ as a soft-core pornography actress ‘Montana Wildhack’. The film was based on Kurt Vonnegut's novel of the same title and won multiple awards including a Saturn Award. Lead actor Michael Sacks, who portrayed the character of ‘Billy Pilgrim’, was nominated at the Golden Globe awards.

In 1974, Perrine appeared as ‘Honey Bruce’, an American stripper and the wife of comedian Lenny Bruce, in the biographical film ‘Lenny’. It was the second time Perrine portrayed the role of a seductive character after her debut film. Given the fact Perrine was herself a showgirl like ‘Honey Bruce’ in real-life before she appeared on the silver screen, the character came very naturally to her. She delivered a stunning performance and portrayed the character almost flawlessly. For her performance in the film, Perrine was nominated at more than eight award shows. She won the New York Film Critics Circle Award, the National Board of Review Award, and the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress/ Supporting Actress. She was also nominated at the Golden Globe Awards and at the Academy Awards for Best Actress before she won the British Academy Film Awards for the Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles in 1976.

In 1978, Perrine appeared in the superhero film ‘Superman’ as Eve Teschmacher, a role she repeated in the second installment of the movie two years later. She was praised for her work in the popular film and earned a nomination at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films Awards. She later appeared in many popular films, including ‘Maid to Order’, ‘Reflections in a Dark Sky’, ‘Boiling Point’, ‘My Girlfriend's Boyfriend’, and ‘The Amateurs’.

Perrine appeared in the American sitcom ‘Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills’ as ‘Liz Green’, one of the title characters. She also appeared in one episode, ‘The Three Little Pigs’, of ‘Faerie Tale Theatre’ for which she received a nomination at the ‘CableACE Award’ for the Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

Valerie Ritchie Perrine was born on September 3, 1943, in Galveston, Texas, to Winifred ‘Renee’ McGinley and Kenneth Perrine. Her father served in the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel while her mother was a professional dancer who also appeared on television and in films. She is the descendant of French Huguenot pioneer Daniel Perrin.

She never married even though she had been in numerous relationships. Perrine retired from acting in 2017 due to health issues as she is suffering from Parkinson's disease.